Surface enhanced raman spectroscopy point of care virus detection system

A method for detecting analytes, the method comprising:

• exciting an input target area with radiation to produce scattered light forming an input beam;
• reformatting, with an optical slicer system, the input beam to produce an output beam;
• dispersing the output beam to produce an output area;
• capturing excitation data from the output area with a Raman detector, wherein the output beam forms the output area on the Raman detector;
• determining, with a processor, a presence of a particular analyte in the input area based on the excitation data,
• wherein the input area is greater than 100 micron squared and less than one million microns squared,
• the reformatting maintains spectral characteristics of the input area,
• the output beam consists of light waves ranging from 3030 cm−1 to 33333 cm−1,
• reformatting maintains or enlarges spatial dimensions of the input area,
• the capturing comprises pixelating into pixels the output area to capture the excitation data, and
• the determining comprises comparing the excitation data from one or more of the pixels to a spectral fingerprint, and calculating a probability of the presence.

A system to detect analytes, the system comprising:

• a radiation source to excite an input area with radiation to produce an input beam;
• an optical slicer system to reformat the input beam to produce an output beam;
• a disperser to disperse the output beam to produce an output area;
• a detector to capture excitation data from the output area;
• and
• a processor to determine a presence of a particular analyte in the input area based on the excitation data,
• wherein the input area is greater than 100 micron squared and less than one million microns squared.