Polarization-resolved coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering microscopy

Abstract

We have implemented a polarization-resolved coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) microscopy, based on the continuous variation of the incident linear polarization at the pump and Stokes wavelengths, together with a polarized analysis of the anti-Stokes signal. In isotropic media, such as solutions, this technique can be a powerful way to probe microscopic-scale information, such as the vibrational symmetry properties of the molecular bonds. In ordered media, additional macroscopic-scale structural information can be obtained, such as the orientation of the unit-cell of a crystal in 3D.