search.noResults

search.searching

note.createNoteMessage

search.noResults

search.searching

orderForm.title

orderForm.productCode
orderForm.description
orderForm.quantity
orderForm.itemPrice
orderForm.price
orderForm.totalPrice
orderForm.deliveryDetails.billingAddress
orderForm.deliveryDetails.deliveryAddress
orderForm.noItems
FOCUS BUSINESS NEWS


FOCUS BUSINESS NEWS


Mid- and near-infrared spectroscopy diagnostic tools developed under EU project


l MINERVA mid-IR system enables analysis of fats, proteins and DNA


l Project investigated mid-IR technology to speed up cancer diagnosis


A spectroscopy system for the early diagnosis of cancer has been developed by a project involving 13 industry and academic partners from across Europe. The device, which also has potential applications in environment and energy and security, has driven the introduction of new products including lasers, supercontinuum sources (SCSs), acousto- optic modulators and drivers, crystal and related components and detectors for the mid-IR. Co-ordinated by Gooch & Housego, the MINERVA project (MId- to NEaR infrared spectroscopy for improVed medical diAgnostics), which ran from 2012 to July 2017, was set up to investigate mid-infrared (mid-IR) technology to improve the early diagnosis of cancer. At the beginning of the project in 2012,


while it had become clear that mid-IR imaging spectroscopy could offer an effective tool for early cancer diagnosis and improved survival rates, the lack of suitable


of biological constituents, such as fats, proteins, and DNA. In addition to medicine and healthcare, this region of the spectrum offers possibilities for real-time molecular- sensing in environment and energy (for example monitoring exhaust gases) and security (detection of narcotics or explosives; food security). MINERVA has developed fibre, lasers


and broadband sources, components, modulators and detectors to access this


A demonstration showing histological features that can be resolved using a simplified MINERVA system. (a) H&E stained microscope image, (b) Visible light transmission image of sample, (c) Supercontinuum image obtained by point scanning (d) FTIR image obtained with a 128 x128 focal plane array


sources, detectors and components meant there was restricted progress. MINERVA aimed to develop the underlying photonic hardware, and investigate the potential for the technology. The MINERVA mid-infrared system enables the analysis of a wide variety


Tools and processes developed under MINERVA


The scientific achievements of the five-year-long MINERVA EU project are wide-ranging and ground-breaking. They include: l Chalcogenide fibres for infrared transmission and supercontinuum generation


l Ultra-low loss Pr-doped fibre for mid-IR fibre lasers


l First ever single-mode ZBLAN-fused fibre coupler


l Various acousto-optic tunable filters (AOTFs) for the wavelength range 1.5-4.5µm


l Acousto-optic q-switch suitable for 2.9µm operation


l A novel multi-channel ‘smart driver’ offering extremely flexible AOTF operation


l A new long-wavelength Ge- based acousto-optic modulator suitable for operation beyond 10µm


l Largest reported single crystal calomel crystals (35mm diameter)


l Highest peak power 2.9µm laser (10.6kW)


l Longest wavelength ZBLAN supercontinuum source


l Record long-wavelength average power (24mW >4.5μm) and long-wavelength supercontinuum bandwidth (1.4-13.3μm)


l Broadest mid-IR SCS in a tapered chalcogenide PCF spanning 1–11.5µm


l Advances in T2SL mid-IR based sensors (detectors and readout ICs)


l First evaluation of multivariate algorithms with high spatial resolution FTIR


l Human skin equivalent standardised models


l Segmentation and registration algorithms for identification of structures


l Algorithms for identification and differentiation of tumour cells from normal skin cells


l High resolution mid-IR imaging microscope based on SCS in the 3-4.5μm wavelength range


l Scanning modality microscope based on SCS in the 4-7.5µm wavelength range


“The MINERVA mid-infrared system enables the analysis of a wide variety of biological constituents, such as fats, proteins, and DNA”


important part of the spectrum. In parallel, it has identified analytical techniques using the new photonic hardware which, in due course, could help to improve early skin cancer diagnosis and the rapid automatic assessment of biopsy samples using a microscope (see list of scientific achievements below). With the addition of IR cameras and acousto-optic tunable filters (AOTFs), the performance can be expected to increase significantly.


4 Electro Optics November 2017


@electrooptics | www.electrooptics.com


Gooch & Housego


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36