Faculty and Student Teams Program

Project Descriptions

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Development of Coherent ant-Stokes Raman Scattering (CARS) for Chemical Detection and Imaging

Requesting applications from science or engineering faculty members at institutions serving students underrepresented in science, engineering, mathematics and technology.

Project Description

Advancements in chemical detection and imaging lie in the development of novel techniques that provide 
high resolution, high sensitivity chemical information down to the single-molecule level. Of particular interest
in the Biophysics and Medical Physics Division at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is the
development of coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) spectroscopy and microscopy for
noninvasive chemical imaging and single molecule detection. CARS is a nonlinear optical process that uses
ultrashort laser pulses at multiple frequencies to probe molecular vibrational structures and conformations in
samples to generate strong, molecule-specific signals that can be used for molecular detection and imaging. 
This technique circumvents the issue of low sensitivity in spontaneous Raman spectroscopy. When combined
with surface enhancement (SE) techniques using metal nanoparticle structures (SE-CARS), one can approach
single molecule sensitivity. 

This project aims to support various programs at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, such as the National
Ignition Facility (NIF) for the analysis of glass materials, Stockpile Stewardship for surface and chemical analysis, 
pathogens detection related to Biosecurity, and high explosives detection. The scope of this project covers both 
technology development and testing and can be divided into three main areas:

 1)      CARS imaging – This project will focus heavily on the development of the CARS technique for chemical imaging. 
        This will involve identifying the laser parameters, such as average and peak powers, repetition rates, and laser
        wavelengths that will provide the most efficient imaging. Development of instrumentation and equipment is an
        essential component of this area. In addition, the use of spontaneous Raman spectroscopy to identify spectral
        markers will be an essential part of this project.  

2)      Surface-enhanced CARS spectroscopy – This project will involve the incorporation of metal nanoparticles to
enhance the CARS signal to achieve single molecule detection. Development of the nanostructures is a key 
component for this project, in addition to developing the laser technique.

3)      Photonic fiber-based CARS spectroscopy – This project will explore the use of photonic crystal fibers as a 
broadband light source for performing multiplexed CARS spectroscopy. Two goals are to define the laser
 conditions required to generate high intense broadband light from the fiber and then to apply it for generating
 CARS spectra of e.g. polystyrene beads prior to e.g. live cell spectroscopy.

The Biophotonics group in the Medical Physics and Biophysics Division of the Physics Directorate at Lawrence 
Livermore National Laboratory is seeking students and faculty to assist in the technology development of CARS 
and Raman microscopy for single molecule detection studies and imaging.   

Applicants Responsibilities and Relationship to Project

Applicants will receive support under the Department of Energy Faculty Student Team Research Program (FaST) to work collaboratively with the project research team at LLNL for up to 10 weeks during the year starting in June of 2006. Summer and academic year visits to LLNL will be scheduled by mutual agreement between staff in the Physics and Advanced Technologies Directorate department and the successful applicant. Ideally faculty will work at LLNL on the project for 10 weeks during the summer in the first year. Faculty will be expected to identify students from their campus to participate in the FaST program offered by the Department of Energy at LLNL. Faculty will provide mentorship and advising support to students during the summer research activities. It is desired that the Faculty member will define specific responsibilities and roles as it relates to the project and become an integral part of the research team working on this project, with the goal of supporting the project through the academic year on her or his campus.

Qualifications of Ideal Candidate

Support and Financial Commitments

See Financial Information.

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