Supercontinuum:

In cooperation with Grundfos and NKT-Photonics, we use supercontinuum sources (a type of laser producing light across a large part of the visible and infrared spectrum) for spectroscopy. Our interests are primarily focused on scattering on small (5-500 nm) particles (virus, bacteria, nanoparticles, etc.). These particles represent an increasing threat to our groundwater, and therefore there is an increasing demand for techniques that can identify them. Our hypothesis is that a supercontinuum source is able to measure the amount and the size distribution of particles in water. This project is characterized by close relationships to the participating companies.

Another experiment revolves around breath analysis and spectroscopy. Some illnesses can be diagnosed by breath analysis. For instance, a marker for diabetes is the presence of acetone in the breath. Furthermore, patients with cystic fibrosis have trace amounts of hydrogen cyanide in their breaths. Using supercontinuum sources in the infrared, we have developed an ultra-sensitive setup, where the spectrum of a single breath can be measured. One important goal is to measure the exact concentration of various anaesthetics in a patients breath, to instantly monitor his/her status during an operation or medical procedure.

Relevant publications:

Agger, C. et al.Supercontinuum generation in ZBLAN fibers-detailed comparison between measurement and simulation, Optical Society of America B, 29, 635-645 (2012)

Dupont, S. et al.IR microscopy utilizing intense supercontinuum light source, Optics Express, 20, 4887-4892 (2012)

Ramsay, J. et al. Generation of infrared supercontinuum radiation: spatial mode dispersion and higher-order mode propagation in ZBLAN step-index fibers, Optics Express, 21, 10764-10771 (2013)

Petersen, C. et al. Mid-infrared supercontinuum covering the 1.4–13.3 μm molecular fingerprint region using ultra-high NA chalcogenide step-index fibre, Nature Photonics, 8, 830-834 (2014)