Ultra-sensitive Field-resolved Infrared Spectroscopy for Early Disease Detection

Early detection is one of the most effective ways to improve the survival rate for diseases like cancer.

However, current diagnoses often rely on invasive procedures and specialized tests, posing challenges for regular monitoring.Field-resolved infrared spectroscopy, which probes the ""molecular fingerprint"" of human blood, has achieved remarkable detection sensitivity by combining ultrafast laser technology with electric-field infrared detection.

Despite its potential, the technique has yet to meet the stringent requirements of early screening, including single nanogram per millilitre sensitivity, 10^12 dynamic range, and long-term stability.The proposed project — 'Ultra-sensitive field-resolved infrared spectroscopy for early disease detection' aims to overcome these challenges by developing a ground-breaking instrument for field-resolved infrared fingerprinting of human blood plasma samples and demonstrate its performance for health monitoring.

In particular, the researcher intends to develop: (i) a multi-kHz delay scanning system based on two Cr:ZnS lasers, synchronized down to single-femtosecond timing precision which aims to record measurements faster than most laser noise contributions, (ii) super-octave-spanning field-resolved infrared detection with a dynamic range exceeding 10^12, and (iii) an ultra-rapid referencing scheme that simultaneously records reference infrared electric fields with the measurement to realize standardization of the infrared molecular fingerprints and the long-term reproducibility.By addressing these limitations, the project will achieve unprecedented levels of sensitivity, dynamic range and stability.

It provides an avenue for analyzing serum and plasma samples across a wide range of individuals and time frames, potentially uncovering spectral markers for different diseases.

The system will be a minimally invasive and cost-effective method of early disease detection to improve patient prognosis and overall healthcare outcomes.