Rapid and high-sensitivity measurements of broadband optical activity with interferometric Fourier-transform balanced detection

Soumen Ghosh; Georg Herink; Antonio Perri; Fabrizio Preda; Cristian Manzoni; Dario Polli; Giulio Cerullo

doi:10.1117/12.2609891

4 March 2022 Rapid and high-sensitivity measurements of broadband optical activity with interferometric Fourier-transform balanced detection

Soumen Ghosh, Georg Herink, Antonio Perri, Fabrizio Preda, Cristian Manzoni, Dario Polli, Giulio Cerullo

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 11986, Real-time Measurements, Rogue Phenomena, and Single-Shot Applications VII; 1198606 (2022) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2609891
Event: SPIE LASE, 2022, San Francisco, California, United States

Abstract

Optical activity spectroscopy such as circular dichroism (CD) and optical rotatory dispersion (ORD) is frequently employed to investigate (bio)-molecular structures and chiroptical responses of materials. Here we present an innovative, simple configuration for the quick and sensitive measurements of broadband optical activity spanning the visible and nearinfrared. A linearly polarized light illuminates a chiral sample to create a chiral free-induction decay field (CFID), along with an orthogonally polarized achiral transmitted field which serves as the phase-locked local oscillator for heterodyne amplifications. A common-path birefringent interferometer varies the relative delay between the chiral and achiral components and a balanced photodetector records their delay-dependent interferogram from which broadband CD and ORD spectra are obtained by the Fourier transform. Using an incoherent thermal light source, we achieve state-of-the-art sensitivity for broadband CD and ORD spectra, with a measurement time of just a few seconds. The setup allows highly sensitive measurements of glucose concentration and real-time monitoring of fast asymmetric chemical reactions. In comparison to standard spectropolarimeters, our setup is considerably faster, more compact, and cost-effective, as it does not require any monochromator, photo-elastic modulator, or lock-in amplifier. The setup also accepts ultrashort pulses, thus paving the way towards broadband transient optical activity spectroscopy and broadband CD imaging.

Conference Presentation

Citation Download Citation

Soumen Ghosh, Georg Herink, Antonio Perri, Fabrizio Preda, Cristian Manzoni, Dario Polli, and Giulio Cerullo "Rapid and high-sensitivity measurements of broadband optical activity with interferometric Fourier-transform balanced detection", Proc. SPIE 11986, Real-time Measurements, Rogue Phenomena, and Single-Shot Applications VII, 1198606 (4 March 2022); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2609891

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available