Spectral volume microprobe arrays

Apparatus for determining a characteristic of a sample of material by the interaction of electromagnetic radiation with the sample, comprising:

• a source of electromagnetic radiation;
• an optical assembly for sequentially illuminating a plurality of volume elements in the sample with an intensity distribution in the sample that drops off substantially monotonically from a first region in a first optical path and for collecting electromagnetic radiation emanating from each of said volume elements, said optical assembly collecting said electromagnetic radiation emanating from each of said volume elements with a collection distribution that drops off substantially monotonically from a second region in a second optical path, said first and second regions at least partially overlapping in each of said volume elements, said optical assembly comprising at least one array of field stops whose dimensions are large compared to a quotient of wavelength of said electromagnetic radiation divided by a working numerical aperture of said optical assembly, measured from said field stops;
• and
• a detector for detecting the collected electromagnetic radiation emanating from each of said sequentially illuminated volume elements to produce responses representative of said characteristic in each of said volume elements,
• wherein said sample comprises a biological tissue.

A method for determining a characteristic of a sample of material by the interaction of electromagnetic radiation with the sample, comprising the steps of:

• providing an optical assembly adapted for positioning in proximity to the sample, wherein the sample comprises a biological tissue,
• sequentially illuminating, with an optical assembly, a plurality of volume elements in the sample by directing electromagnetic radiation into the sample with an intensity distribution in the sample that drops off substantially monotonically from a first region in a first optical path;
• sequentially collecting, with said optical assembly, electromagnetic radiation emanating from each of said sequentially illuminated volume elements with a collection distribution that drops off substantially monotonically from a second region in a second optical path, said first and second regions at least partially overlapping in each of said volume elements, said optical assembly comprising at least one array of field stops whose dimensions are large compared to a quotient of wavelength of said electromagnetic radiation divided by a working numerical aperture of said optical assembly, measured from said field stops;
• and
• detecting the collected electromagnetic radiation emanating from each of said sequentially illuminated volume elements to produce a response representative of said characteristic in each of said volume elements.

A method for diagnosing a biological tissue, comprising:

• providing an optical assembly dimensionally adapted for positioning in proximity to a biological tissue;
• providing a sheath adapted for covering a surface of the optical assembly, wherein the sheath is capable of transmitting optical signals between the optical assembly and the biological tissue;
• positioning the sheath around the optical assembly so that the sheath is interposed between the optical assembly and the biological tissue;
• placing the optical assembly in juxtaposition to the biological tissue for a diagnosis thereof;
• sequentially illuminating, with an optical assembly, a plurality of volume elements in the biological tissue by directing electromagnetic radiation into the biological tissue with an intensity distribution in the biological tissue that drops off substantially monotonically from a first region in a first optical path;
• sequentially collecting, with said optical assembly, electromagnetic radiation emanating from each of said sequentially illuminated volume elements with a collection distribution that drops off substantially monotonically from a second region in a second optical path, said first and second regions at least partially overlapping in each of said volume elements, said optical assembly comprising at least one array of field stops whose dimensions are large compared to a quotient of wavelength of said electromagnetic radiation divided by a working numerical aperture of said optical assembly, measured from said field stops;
• and
• detecting the collected electromagnetic radiation emanating from each of said sequentially illuminated volume elements to produce a response representative of said characteristic in each of said volume elements.