OPTICALLY HETERODYNED COHERENT RAMAN SPECTROSCOPY

Author Institution: Departments of Physics and Electrical Engineering, University of Southern California; Department of Chemistry and Physics, Naval Postgraduate SchoolA convenient variation of Raman-induced Kerr effect spectroscopy which overcomes many of the previous limitations of coherent Raman spectroscopy is introduced. Quantum limited signal-to-noise ratios may be approached by the use of optical heterodyne detection. Detector current, linearly proportional and phase sensitive to the third-order nonlinear susceptibility and linearly proportional to the Raman scattering cross-section, is produced. Heterodyne detection in coherent Raman spectroscopy enables the detection of weak Raman signals that would otherwise be obscured by noise resulting from background sources