Hybrid optical system

A method comprising:

• emitting a Stokes light with a first range of wavelengths and a pump light with a second range of wavelengths shorter than the first range of wavelengths, to a target;
• emitting a probe light with a range of wavelengths shorter than a range of wavelengths of a CARS light generated by the Stokes light and the pump light to the target;
• detecting another CARS light with a range of wavelengths shorter than the range of wavelengths of the probe light, generated by the Stokes light, the pump light, and the probe light at the target.

A nontransitory computer readable medium encoded with a computer program product for a computer to operate a device including a path for emitting a light to a target via an optical I/O path and a detector for detecting a light from the target, wherein the computer program includes executable codes for performing steps of:

• emitting a Stokes light with a first range of wavelengths and a pump light with a second range of wavelengths shorter than the first range of wavelengths to the target via the optical I/O path;
• emitting a probe light with a range of wavelengths shorter than a range of wavelengths of a CARS light generated by the Stokes light and the pump light to the target via the optical I/O path;
• detecting another CARS light, by the detector, with a range of wavelengths shorter than the range of wavelengths of the probe light, generated by the Stokes light, the pump light, and the probe light at the target.