Pars imaging methods

Abstract

A method for visualizing details in a sample including directing an excitation beam to an excitation location below a surface of the sample, to generate signals in the sample; directing an interrogation beam toward the excitation location of the sample; directing a signal enhancement beam to the sample, to raise a temperature of a portion of the sample by 5 Kelvin or less, compared to a temperature of the portion of the sample in absence of the signal enhancement beam; detecting a portion of the interrogation beam returning from the sample that is indicative of the generated signals.

1 .- 28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . A method for visualizing details in a sample, the method comprising:
 directing an excitation beam to an excitation location being focused on the sample, to generate signals in the sample;   directing an interrogation beam toward the excitation location of the sample;   directing a signal enhancement beam to the sample, to raise a temperature of a portion of the sample, compared to a temperature of the portion of the sample in absence of the signal enhancement beam, wherein the portion of the sample is within a focal point of the interrogation beam; and   detecting a portion of the interrogation beam returning from the sample that is indicative of the generated signals.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the excitation beam has a pulse width in a nanosecond, picosecond, or femtosecond range, and the signal enhancement beam has a longer pulse width or is a continuous beam. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the signal enhancement beam is a light source capable of targeting an optical absorption of a specific target within the sample. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 29 , further including detecting pressure signals, temperature signals, fluorescence signals returning from the portion of the sample. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein directing the signal enhancement beam to the sample modifies an optical property of the portion of the sample, compared to a value of the portion of the sample in the absence of the signal enhancement beam. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the modified optical property includes a local refractive index or a Gruneisen parameter of the portion of the sample. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the modified optical property is an intensity modulation of the portion the interrogation beam returning from the sample, the intensity modulation being increased by the signal enhancement beam, due to the raised temperature of the sample within the focal point of the interrogation beam. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the intensity modulation elicits an increase in an amplitude of the observed generated signals, wherein the amplitude is increased by a square of the intensity modulation, the square of the intensity modulation being based on the value of the portion of the sample in the absence of the signal enhancement beam. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the interrogation, excitation, or signal enhancement beams have a wavelength in a nanometer to micron range, the wavelength being varied to unmix a plurality of constituent chromophores from within the sample. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein detecting a portion of the interrogation beam returning from the sample that is indicative of the generated signals further includes extracting absorption signals from a returning portion or portions of the interrogation beam, and the method further includes:
 determining scattering intensity from the returning portion or portions of the interrogation beam; and   generating a combined image from the extracted absorption signals and the determined scattering intensity.   
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the signal enhancement beam has a first wavelength and the excitation beam has a second wavelength, the first wavelength being higher than the second wavelength, and wherein directing the signal enhancement beam to the sample, generates a temperature increase in the sample due to a difference between the first wavelength and the second wavelength. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the temperature increase enhances a depth field of the combined image or improves a signal to noise ratio of the combined image. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein, due to the difference between the first wavelength and the second wavelength, the combined image includes an absorption contrast provided by the first wavelength. 
     
     
         42 . A remote sensing system for visualizing details in a sample, the system comprises:
 one or more light sources, wherein the one or more light sources are configured to generate:
 an excitation beam configured to be directed toward an excitation location being focused on the sample, to generate signals in the sample, 
 an interrogation beam configured to be directed toward the excitation location of the sample, and 
 a signal enhancement beam configured to raise a temperature of a portion of the sample, compared to a temperature of the portion of the sample in absence of the signal enhancement beam, wherein the portion of the sample is within a focal point of the interrogation beam; and 
   an optical detector configured to detect a portion of the interrogation beam returning from the sample that is indicative of the generated signals.   
     
     
         43 . The system of  claim 42 , wherein the signal enhancement beam is configured to modify an optical property of the portion of the sample, compared to a value of the portion of the sample in the absence of the signal enhancement beam. 
     
     
         44 . A remote sensing system for visualizing details in a sample, the system comprises one or more light sources, wherein the one or more light sources are configured to generate:
 an excitation beam,   an interrogation beam, and   a signal enhancement beam,   wherein one of the excitation beam, the interrogation beam, or the signal enhancement beam forms a first focal spot on the sample, wherein one of the excitation beam, the interrogation beam, or the signal enhancement beam forms a second focal spot on the sample, and wherein one of the excitation beam, the interrogation beam, or the signal enhancement beam forms a third focal spot on the sample.   
     
     
         45 . The system of  claim 44 , wherein the first, second, and third focal spots are nearly equivalent to each other. 
     
     
         46 . The system of  claim 44 , wherein the first focal spot is smaller than the second focal spot and the second focal spot is smaller than the third focal spot. 
     
     
         47 . The system of  claim 46 , wherein the first, second, and third focal spots overlap each other. 
     
     
         48 . The system of  claim 44 , wherein the first, second, and third focal spots are displaced in a vertical, lateral, or axial direction relative to each other. 
     
     
         49 . The system of  claim 44 , wherein the first focal spot is displaced in a vertical, lateral, or axial direction relative to the second and third focal spots, the second and third focal spots overlapping each other and in the same direction relative to each other.