In this presentation, we will introduce some of the promising applications where mid-infrared supercontinuum lasers covering from 2-10 μm can have an advantage over competing technologies, such as multi-species gas spectroscopy, fiber evanescent wave spectroscopy, waveguide characterization, and photo-acoustic imaging. One novel application using mid-IR SC is non-destructive testing using optical coherence tomography. By combining broadband supercontinuum and upconversion detection, it is possible to penetrate deeper into materials while maintaining high resolution and real-time imaging capabilities. To demonstrate this, we show results with sub-surface inspection of marine and automotive paints and coatings for evaluation of thickness, uniformity, and defects.
|