Rapid identification of heterogeneous mixture components with hyperspectral coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering imaging

For the rapid analysis of complicated heterogeneous mixtures, we have developed a method to acquire and intuitively display hyperspectral coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) images. The imaging is performed with a conventional optical setup based around an optical parametric oscillator. Color coding each frame of the resulting hyperspectral data cube according to vibrational frequency results in a two-dimensional projection wherein each compound appears with a unique hue. We demonstrate the capabilities of this system by recording a hyperspectral CARS data stack of a heterogeneous mixture composed of seven crystalline amino acids and subsequently identifying each of them by direct visual analysis of the colored projection. Copyright (c) 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.