Beyond the frame rate: measuring high-frequency fluctuations with light-intensity modulation

Power-spectral-density measurements of any sampled signal are typically restricted by both acquisition rate and frequency response limitations of instruments, which can be particularly prohibitive for video-based measurements. We have developed a new method called intensity modulation spectral analysis that circumvents these limitations, dramatically extending the effective detection bandwidth. We demonstrate this by video tracking an optically trapped microsphere while oscillating an LED illumination source. This approach allows us to quantify fluctuations of the microsphere at frequencies over 10 times higher than the Nyquist frequency, mimicking a significantly higher frame rate. (C) 2009 Optical Society of America