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Ultra‐low background Raman sensing using a negative‐curvature fibre and no distal optics
Author(s) -
Yerolatsitis Stephanos,
Yu Fei,
McAughtrie Sarah,
Tanner Michael G.,
Fleming Holly,
Stone James M.,
Campbell Colin J.,
Birks Tim A.,
Knight Jonathan C.
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
journal of biophotonics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.877
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1864-0648
pISSN - 1864-063X
DOI - 10.1002/jbio.201800239
Subject(s) - raman spectroscopy , materials science , optics , laser , optical fiber , raman scattering , curvature , optoelectronics , physics , geometry , mathematics
Measuring Raman spectra through an optical fibre is usually complicated by the high intrinsic Raman scatter of the fibre material. Common solutions such as the use of multiple fibres and distal optics are complex and bulky. We demonstrate the use of single novel hollow‐core negative‐curvature fibres (NCFs) for Raman and surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) sensing using no distal optics. The background Raman emission from the silica in the NCF was at least 1000× smaller than in a conventional solid fibre, while maintaining the same collection efficiency. We transmitted pump light from a 785‐nm laser through the NCF, and we collected back the weak Raman spectra of different distal samples, demonstrating the fibre probe can be used for measurements of weak Raman and SERS signals that would otherwise overlap spectrally with the silica background. The lack of distal optics and consequent small probe diameter (<0.25 mm) enable applications that were not previously possible.