Coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering hyperspectral tissue imaging with a wavelength-swept system

We present a wavelength-swept coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (WS-CARS) spectroscopy system for hyperspectral imaging in thick tissue. We use a strategy where the Raman lines are excited sequentially, circumventing the need for a spectrometer. This fibre laser system, consisting of a pump laser synchronized with a rapidly tunable programmable laser (PL), can access Raman lines over a significant fraction of the high wavenumber region (2700-2950 cm-1) at rates of up to 10,000 spectral points per second. To demonstrate its capabilities, we have acquired WS-CARS spectra of several samples as well as images and hyperspectral images (HSI) of thick tissue both in forward and epi-detection. This instrument should be especially useful in providing local biochemical information with surrounding context supplied by imaging. (C) 2011 Optical Society of America