Method and system for examining biological materials using low power CW excitation raman spectroscopy
US6151522A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 16, 1999 |
| Grant date | Nov 21, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 16, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61B5/0086
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method and system for examining biological materials using low-power cw excitation Raman spectroscopy. In accordance with the teachings of the invention, a low-power continuous wave (cw) pump laser beam and a low-power cw Stokes (or anti-Stokes) probe laser beam simultaneously illuminate a biological material and traverse the biological material in collinearity. The pump beam, whose frequency is varied, is used to induce Raman emission from the biological material. The intensity of the probe beam, whose frequency is kept constant, is monitored as it leaves the biological material. When the difference between the pump and probe excitation frequencies is equal to a Raman vibrational mode frequency of the biological material, the weak probe signal becomes amplified by one or more orders of magnitude (typically up to about 10.sup.4 -10.sup.6) due to the Raman emission from the pump beam. In this manner, by monitoring the intensity of the probe beam emitted from the biological material as the pump beam is varied in frequency, one can obtain an excitation Raman spectrum for the biological material tested. The present invention may be applied to in the in vivo and/or in vitro diagnosis …
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.