RUI: Rapid and high-resolution hyperspectral imaging using frequency combs

实时高光谱成像是一种强大的方法，通过记录几乎所有颜色的光以逐点的方式与物体相互作用的方式来获得物体的图像。然而，现有的技术有很大的局限性，特别是在它们如何区分目标物种的信号和背景的信号方面。在化学系化学测量和成像项目的支持下，Lomsadze教授和他在圣克拉拉大学的研究小组正在开发和实验展示一种革命性的高速高光谱成像方法。预计这种新方法将提供其他方法无法提供的功能，包括能够在明亮和动态的背景下“看到”感兴趣的项目的信号。这是一项很有价值的能力，因为它有可能在大量其他物品中提供某些微小物品的高度精确可视化，例如检查生物组织，检测混合物中有毒物质的单个颗粒，识别标本中的细菌或患病细胞，以及检查地球表面。这种新开发的方法将使现场可部署设备能够用于上述广泛的应用。该研究项目包括指导本科生，并通过他们亲自参与基于激光的高光谱成像系统的设计、建造和使用，对他们进行广泛的前沿光学成像和检测方法的教育。这些经历为本科生团队进入研究生院和/或高科技行业（如硅谷地区或其他地方）的研究工作做好了准备。这项研究进一步加强了圣克拉拉大学的科学界，并为有意义的地方推广活动提供了极好的方向，强调了重要的新信号检测应用的尖端现代技术。快速、高分辨率的高光谱成像是一种非常强大的光学方法，用于研究材料在单粒子水平上的光学特性。成像方法也广泛应用于研究实验室之外的实际应用。然而，许多现有的成像方法在区分目标物种和杂乱背景的信号方面面临挑战。此外，当过渡不均匀地扩大和来自不同物种的过渡重叠时，鉴定过程变得更加复杂和几乎不可能。Lomsadze教授和他在圣克拉拉大学的团队正在开发一种新的成像方法，通过使用他共同发明的三梳光谱学（TCS）方法来解决这些挑战，这是一种革命性的激光光谱学方法。TCS是一种快速、高分辨率和无背景的光学方法，可以在非均匀加宽系统中测量均匀线宽。它还提供了关于所测量的跃迁是否属于混合物中相同或不同的分析物的信息。基于tcs的显微成像技术的发展对基础化学和物理产生了巨大的影响，因为它将使材料光学性质的精确测量成为可能。此外，它为研究单个量子系统（分子、量子点和色心）的快速动力学和局部化效应提供了一个紧凑而强大的工具，这些系统是量子计算的有希望的候选者。从长远来看，这种成像方法显示出在尖端增强光谱学中的应用潜力，有望实现对单个物体（如纳米颗粒）的快速、高光谱和亚波长空间分辨率测量。Lomsadze教授计划整合学生研究、教育和推广活动，让学生，包括那些来自代表性不足群体的学生，有机会开发复杂的仪器，解决重要的测量挑战。该研究项目还为学生提供了丰富的经验，通过参与与硅谷公司的外展活动和探索未来的职业机会。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Real-time hyperspectral imaging is a powerful method for obtaining an image of an object by recording the way in which light of practically all colors interacts with the object in a point-by-point fashion. However, existing technologies have significant limitations, particularly in how well they can differentiate between the signals of target species and those of the background. With support from the Chemical Measurement and Imaging Program in the Division of Chemistry, Professor Lomsadze and his research group at Santa Clara University are developing and experimentally demonstrating a revolutionary approach to high-speed hyperspectral imaging. This novel method is predicted to provide capabilities that other methods cannot, including being able to "see" the signal of an item of interest against a bright and dynamic background. This is a valuable capability, as it has the potential to afford highly precise visualization of certain tiny items in a sea of others, such as when examining biological tissue, detecting individual particles of toxic materials in mixtures, identifying bacteria or diseased cells in specimens, and examining the surface of the Earth. This newly developed method will enable field-deployable devices for the broad spectrum of applications described above. This research project involves mentoring undergraduate students and educating them on a wide range of cutting-edge optical imaging and detection methods through their hands-on involvement in the design, construction, and use of a laser-based hyperspectral imaging system. These experiences prepare the undergraduate team well for opportunities in graduate school and/or research careers in high-technology industries, such as those in the local Silicon Valley region or elsewhere. The research further enhances Santa Clara University's scientific community and provide excellent directions for meaningful local outreach activities emphasizing cutting-edge, modern technologies for important new signal detection applications.Rapid and high-resolution hyperspectral imaging is an extremely powerful optical method that is used in fundamental science for studying optical properties of materials at the single-particle level. The imaging methods are also widely used outside the research laboratory for practical applications. However, many of these existing imaging methods face challenges in differentiating between signals from the target species and the cluttered background. In addition, the identification process becomes even more complex and near impossible when transitions are inhomogenously broadened and the transitions from different species overlap. Professor Lomsadze and his group at Santa Clara University are developing a novel imaging method that addresses these challenges by use of a method he coinvented, called tri-comb spectroscopy (TCS), a revolutionary approach to laser spectroscopy. TCS is a rapid, high-resolution and background-free optical method that enables the measurement of homogenous linewidth in inhomogenously broadened systems. It also provides information about whether the measured transitions belong to the same or different analytes in a mixture. The development of TCS-based microscopy imaging has a tremendous impact on fundamental chemistry and physics, as it will enable precision measurements of optical properties of materials. Furthermore, it provides a compact and powerful tool for studying the fast dynamics and localization effects of individual quantum systems (molecules, quantum dots and color centers) that are promising candidates for quantum computing. In the long term, this imaging method shows potential for application in tip-enhanced spectroscopy, which is anticipated to enable rapid, high-spectral, and sub-wavelength spatial resolution measurements of single objects, such as nanoparticles. Professor Lomsadze plans for integrating student research, education, and outreach activities, which exposes students, including those from underrepresented groups, to opportunities in the development of sophisticated instruments that address important measurement challenges. The research project also provides the students an experience enriched by participation in outreach activities with companies in Silicon Valley and exploration of future career opportunities.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.