Abstract

Absorption characteristics of biological substances aid in wavelength selection for optical devices. Traditionally, only visible to near-infrared (NIR) wavelengths were explored due to hardware limitations. However, recent hardware advances have expanded the range to the short-wave infrared (SWIR). This region offers distinct absorption peaks for lipids, proteins, and water, which are difficult to characterize in the visible and NIR. We developed a protocol to accurately measure the absorption spectra of water, lipids, melanin, oxygenated hemoglobin, and deoxygenated hemoglobin from the visible to SWIR. These spectra and protocol will enable faster biomedical exploration and clinical applications in the SWIR range.

Folaoluwashewa G. Shofu, Hannah D. R. Gruensfelder, Megan S. Michie, Mikhail Y. Berezin, Leonid Shmuylovich, and Christine M. O'Brien "Absorption spectra library and protocol for measuring biological absorbers spanning the visible to the short-wave infrared", Proc. SPIE PC13339, Reporters, Contrast Agents, and Molecular Probes for Biomedical Applications XVI, PC133390B (21 March 2025); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3043872