High spectral energy density all-fiber nanosecond pulsed 1.7 μm light source for photoacoustic microscopy

We present a high spectral energy density all-fiber nanosecond pulsed 1.7 μm light source specifically designed for photoacoustic microscopy (PAM). The system targets the 1st overtone absorption of C–H bonds near 1720 nm within the near-infrared-III (NIR-III) window, where lipids exhibit strong opti...

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Main Authors: Seongjin Bak, Sang Min Park, Yuon Song, Jeesu Kim, Tae Won Nam, Dong-Wook Han, Chang-Seok Kim, Soon-Woo Cho, Brett E. Bouma, Hwidon Lee
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-08-01
Series:Photoacoustics
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213597925000679
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author Seongjin Bak
Sang Min Park
Yuon Song
Jeesu Kim
Tae Won Nam
Dong-Wook Han
Chang-Seok Kim
Soon-Woo Cho
Brett E. Bouma
Hwidon Lee
author_facet Seongjin Bak
Sang Min Park
Yuon Song
Jeesu Kim
Tae Won Nam
Dong-Wook Han
Chang-Seok Kim
Soon-Woo Cho
Brett E. Bouma
Hwidon Lee
author_sort Seongjin Bak
collection DOAJ
description We present a high spectral energy density all-fiber nanosecond pulsed 1.7 μm light source specifically designed for photoacoustic microscopy (PAM). The system targets the 1st overtone absorption of C–H bonds near 1720 nm within the near-infrared-III (NIR-III) window, where lipids exhibit strong optical absorption, and tissues benefit from reduced scattering and high permissible fluence. To achieve narrow-linewidth, high pulse energy, and high pulse repetition rate (PRR), we developed a master oscillator fiber amplifier architecture based on stimulated Raman scattering. A 1589.80 nm Raman pump and a custom-built narrow-linewidth Raman seed laser were employed to generate spectrally pure 1719.44 nm pulses (∼0.10 nm linewidth). The proposed light source delivers nanosecond pulses (∼5 ns) with high pulse energy (≥2.2 μJ) and tunable PRRs up to 300 kHz, resulting in a spectral energy density of approximately 22 μJ/nm—significantly higher than that of conventional 1.7 μm light sources. Performance of the NIR-PAM system was validated through resolution testing with a 1951 USAF target, demonstrating a spatial resolution of approximately 4.14 μm and an axial resolution of approximately 85.5 μm. Phantom imaging of CH2-rich polymer films and ex vivo lipid-rich biological tissues confirmed the system’s high spatial fidelity and strong contrast for lipid-specific structures. This compact, stable, and spectrally refined light source with high spectral energy density can offer an effective solution for high-resolution, label-free molecular imaging and represents a promising platform for clinical photoacoustic imaging applications involving lipid detection and metabolic disease diagnostics.
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spelling doaj-art-bc0ad741cd934bf4a29cabd17ff607982025-08-20T03:30:32ZengElsevierPhotoacoustics2213-59792025-08-014410074410.1016/j.pacs.2025.100744High spectral energy density all-fiber nanosecond pulsed 1.7 μm light source for photoacoustic microscopySeongjin Bak0Sang Min Park1Yuon Song2Jeesu Kim3Tae Won Nam4Dong-Wook Han5Chang-Seok Kim6Soon-Woo Cho7Brett E. Bouma8Hwidon Lee9Engineering Research Center for Color-Modulated Extra-Sensory Perception Technology, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of KoreaEngineering Research Center for Color-Modulated Extra-Sensory Perception Technology, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of KoreaDepartment of Cogno-Mechatronics Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of KoreaEngineering Research Center for Color-Modulated Extra-Sensory Perception Technology, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of Korea; Department of Cogno-Mechatronics Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of Korea; Corresponding authors at: Engineering Research Center for Color-Modulated Extra-Sensory Perception Technology, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of Korea.Department of Materials and Science and Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of KoreaDepartment of Cogno-Mechatronics Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of KoreaEngineering Research Center for Color-Modulated Extra-Sensory Perception Technology, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of Korea; Department of Cogno-Mechatronics Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of KoreaEngineering Research Center for Color-Modulated Extra-Sensory Perception Technology, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of Korea; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA; Corresponding authors at: Engineering Research Center for Color-Modulated Extra-Sensory Perception Technology, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of Korea.Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USAEngineering Research Center for Color-Modulated Extra-Sensory Perception Technology, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of Korea; Department of Cogno-Mechatronics Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of Korea; Corresponding authors at: Engineering Research Center for Color-Modulated Extra-Sensory Perception Technology, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of Korea.We present a high spectral energy density all-fiber nanosecond pulsed 1.7 μm light source specifically designed for photoacoustic microscopy (PAM). The system targets the 1st overtone absorption of C–H bonds near 1720 nm within the near-infrared-III (NIR-III) window, where lipids exhibit strong optical absorption, and tissues benefit from reduced scattering and high permissible fluence. To achieve narrow-linewidth, high pulse energy, and high pulse repetition rate (PRR), we developed a master oscillator fiber amplifier architecture based on stimulated Raman scattering. A 1589.80 nm Raman pump and a custom-built narrow-linewidth Raman seed laser were employed to generate spectrally pure 1719.44 nm pulses (∼0.10 nm linewidth). The proposed light source delivers nanosecond pulses (∼5 ns) with high pulse energy (≥2.2 μJ) and tunable PRRs up to 300 kHz, resulting in a spectral energy density of approximately 22 μJ/nm—significantly higher than that of conventional 1.7 μm light sources. Performance of the NIR-PAM system was validated through resolution testing with a 1951 USAF target, demonstrating a spatial resolution of approximately 4.14 μm and an axial resolution of approximately 85.5 μm. Phantom imaging of CH2-rich polymer films and ex vivo lipid-rich biological tissues confirmed the system’s high spatial fidelity and strong contrast for lipid-specific structures. This compact, stable, and spectrally refined light source with high spectral energy density can offer an effective solution for high-resolution, label-free molecular imaging and represents a promising platform for clinical photoacoustic imaging applications involving lipid detection and metabolic disease diagnostics.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213597925000679High spectral energy densityAll-fiber nanosecond pulsed light sourceStimulated Raman scattering (SRS)1.7 µm light sourceNarrow-linewidthPhotoacoustic microscopy (PAM)
spellingShingle Seongjin Bak
Sang Min Park
Yuon Song
Jeesu Kim
Tae Won Nam
Dong-Wook Han
Chang-Seok Kim
Soon-Woo Cho
Brett E. Bouma
Hwidon Lee
High spectral energy density all-fiber nanosecond pulsed 1.7 μm light source for photoacoustic microscopy
Photoacoustics
High spectral energy density
All-fiber nanosecond pulsed light source
Stimulated Raman scattering (SRS)
1.7 µm light source
Narrow-linewidth
Photoacoustic microscopy (PAM)
title High spectral energy density all-fiber nanosecond pulsed 1.7 μm light source for photoacoustic microscopy
title_full High spectral energy density all-fiber nanosecond pulsed 1.7 μm light source for photoacoustic microscopy
title_fullStr High spectral energy density all-fiber nanosecond pulsed 1.7 μm light source for photoacoustic microscopy
title_full_unstemmed High spectral energy density all-fiber nanosecond pulsed 1.7 μm light source for photoacoustic microscopy
title_short High spectral energy density all-fiber nanosecond pulsed 1.7 μm light source for photoacoustic microscopy
title_sort high spectral energy density all fiber nanosecond pulsed 1 7 μm light source for photoacoustic microscopy
topic High spectral energy density
All-fiber nanosecond pulsed light source
Stimulated Raman scattering (SRS)
1.7 µm light source
Narrow-linewidth
Photoacoustic microscopy (PAM)
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213597925000679
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