Measuring Biological Analytes Using Time-Resolved Spectroscopy

Abstract

Systems and methods for time-resolved spectroscopy. Exemplary methods include: providing first light and second light using an excitation source; receiving first scattered light from a material responsive to the providing the first light; signaling the detector, after a delay, to provide a first spectrum of the received first scattered light; receiving second scattered light from the material responsive to the providing the second light; signaling the detector, after the delay, to provide a second spectrum of the received second scattered light; recovering a spectrum of the material using the first spectrum and the second spectrum; and identifying at least one molecule of the material using the recovered spectrum and a database of identified spectra.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for time-resolved spectroscopy comprising:
 providing a first light using an excitation source;   receiving first scattered light from a material responsive to the providing the first light using a detector;   signaling the detector, after a first delay of a predetermined duration commencing after the providing the first light, to provide a first spectrum of the received first scattered light;   providing a second light using the excitation source;   receiving second scattered light from the material responsive to the providing the second light using the detector;   signaling the detector, after a second delay of the predetermined duration commencing after the providing the second light, to provide a second spectrum of the received second scattered light;   recovering a spectrum of the material using the first spectrum, and the second spectrum; and   identifying at least one molecule of the material using the recovered spectrum and a database of identified spectra.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined duration of the first delay and the second delay is an amount of time during which scattered light from the material responsive to the provided light is present, and after which the scattered light from the material responsive to the provided light is obscured by fluorescence. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined duration is in a range of 500 ps to 1,500 ps. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the detector comprises an array of single-photon avalanche diodes. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first light, and the second light are provided sequentially at a predetermined frequency, such that a period of the predetermined frequency is greater than a lifetime of fluorescence from the material. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the predetermined frequency is within a range from 1 KHz to 100 KHz. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the providing the first light and the second light has a predetermined duration within a range from 500 ps to 1,500 ps. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first light and the second light have a predetermined wavelength within a range from 650 nm to 950 nm. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the excitation source is a tunable laser. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the material is at least one of living plant and animal tissue. 
     
     
         11 . A system for time-resolved spectroscopy comprising:
 a monochromatic light source, the monochromatic light source:
 providing a first light, and a second light; 
   a detector, the detector:
 receiving first scattered light from a material responsive to the providing the first light; 
 receiving second scattered light from the material responsive to the providing the second light; and 
   a circuit, the circuit:
 signaling the detector, after a first delay of a predetermined duration commencing after the providing the first light, to provide a first spectrum of the received first scattered light; and 
 signaling the detector, after a second delay of the predetermined duration commencing after the providing the second light, to provide a second spectrum of the received second scattered light; and 
   a processor, the processor:
 recovering a spectrum of the material using the first spectrum and the second spectrum; and 
 identifying at least one molecule of the material using the recovered spectrum and a database of identified spectra. 
   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the predetermined duration of the first delay and the second delay is an amount of time during which scattered light from the material responsive to the provided light is present and after which the scattered light from the material responsive to the provided light is obscured by fluorescence. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the delay is in a range of 500 ps to 1,500 ps. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the detector comprises an array of single-photon avalanche diodes. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the first light and the second light are provided sequentially at a predetermined frequency, such that a period of the predetermined frequency is greater than a lifetime of fluorescence from the material. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the predetermined frequency is within a range from 1 KHz to 100 KHz. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the providing the first light and the second light has a predetermined duration within a range from 500 ps to 1,500 ps; and   the first light and the second light have a predetermined wavelength within a range from 650 nm to 950 nm.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the monochromatic light source is a tunable laser. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the material is at least one of living plant and animal tissue. 
     
     
         20 . A system for time-resolved spectroscopy comprising:
 means for providing first light using an excitation source;   means for receiving first scattered light from a material responsive to the providing the first light using a detector;   means for signaling the detector, after a first delay of a predetermined duration commencing after the providing the first light, to provide a first spectrum of the received first scattered light;   means for providing second light using the excitation source;   means for receiving second scattered light from the material responsive to the providing the second light using the detector;   means for signaling the detector, after a second delay of the predetermined duration commencing after the providing the second light, to provide a second spectrum of the received second scattered light;   means for recovering a spectrum of the material using the first spectrum and the second spectrum; and   means for identifying at least one molecule of the material using the recovered spectrum and a database of identified spectra.