Broadband Spectral Interferometric Polarized Coherent anti-Stokes Raman Scattering - a non-linear approach to fast all-optical chemical fingerprinting

Development in coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy (CARS) techniques has expanded greatly in the past two decades with research geared towards faster and more sensitive data acquisition, simplified experimental requirements and robust computational/optical methods to remove the associated non-resonant background (NRB) with CARS. Following on from research conducted by David Richards' group at KCL, this project aims to further expand the capabilities of the broadband CARS technique developed and patented by the group, spectral interferometric polarized CARS (SIPCARS), as well as work on broadband CARS in general. There are two main strands as to which this will be achieved; experimental studies and data analysis of hyperspectral CARS data.

The experimental strand will encompass both developments to the SIPCARS system and the usage of complex biological samples to characterise and demonstrate the validity and usefulness of SIPCARS as a means for obtaining rapid and accurate spectral data of biological specimen.

The data analysis strand will primarily focus on analysing hyperspectral data obtained from SIPCARS measurements. Typically, analysis of hyperspectral data is carried out using clustering techniques. Essentially, the purpose of this strand in the research programme will be to provide tools to extract information from biological hyperspectral data, thus creating a fully comprehensive system capable of measuring and analysing hyperspectral Raman data of complex biological samples with rapid acquisition rates and a high level of accuracy.