Fluorescence enhanced photothermal infrared spectroscopy and confocal fluorescence imaging
AssigneePhotothermal Spectroscopy Corp.
InventorCraig Prater
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Embodiments disclosed include methods and apparatus for Fluorescent Enhanced Photothermal Infrared (FE-PTIR) spectroscopy and chemical imaging, which enables high sensitivity and high spatial resolution measurements of IR absorption with simultaneous confocal fluorescence imaging. In various embodiments, the FE-PTIR technique utilizes combined/simultaneous OPTIR and fluorescence imaging that provides significant improvements and benefits compared to previous work by simultaneous detection of both IR absorption and confocal fluorescence using the same optical detector at the same time.
Claims20
A method of obtaining fluorescence enhanced photothermal infrared
- measurements from a sample to characterize a chemical composition thereof, the method comprising:
- illuminating a region of the sample with an infrared beam;
- illuminating at least a portion of the region of the sample with a probe beam to excite a fluorescent emission from the sample;
- modulating the probe beam and modulating the infrared beam;
- collecting at least a portion of the fluorescent emission from the sample;
- determining a change of the collected fluorescence emission in response to infrared absorption by the sample;
- and
- using the change of the fluorescence emission to create a signal indicative of IR absorption by the sample, wherein the signal indicative of IR absorption is based on the chemical composition of the sample.
A microscope system for obtaining fluorescence enhanced photothermal infrared measurements from a sample to characterize a chemical composition thereof, the microscope system comprising:
- a modulated infrared light source configured to illuminate a region of the sample with an infrared beam;
- a modulated probe light source configured to illuminate at least a portion of the region of the sample with a probe beam to excite a fluorescent emission from the sample;
- a detector arranged to collect at least a portion of the fluorescent emission from the sample;
- and
- a processor configured to determine a change of the collected fluorescence emission that is indicative to infrared absorption by the sample.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.