Apparatus and method for defining illumination parameters of a sample

1. A method for determining an illumination parameter for a sample, the method comprising:

obtaining an absorption band of the sample;

obtaining an emission band of the sample; and

determining the illumination parameter for the sample as a function of the absorption band and the emission band of the sample.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of obtaining an absorption band of the sample further comprises the step of illuminating the sample.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein a suitable Raman wavelength occurs at a shorter wavelength defined by the emission band of the sample.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the illumination parameter defines a laser line.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of illuminating the sample with photons in a mode selected from the group consisting of wide field, Raman chemical imaging, multipoint, single point and line illumination.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the steps of obtaining an absorption band and obtaining an emission band are implemented simultaneously.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the steps of obtaining an absorption band and obtaining an emission band are implemented sequentially.

8. A system for defining illumination parameters for a sample comprising an illumination source, an optical train and a processor programmed with instructions for

obtaining an absorption band of the sample;

obtaining an emission band of the sample, the emission band including a lower wavelength range and an upper wavelength range; and

determining the illumination parameters for the sample as a function of the absorption band and the emission band of the sample.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the step of obtaining an absorption band of the sample further comprises illuminating the sample.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the illumination parameters define a wavelength below the lower wavelength range of the sample.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein a suitable Raman wavelength occurs at a wavelength below the lower wavelength range of the sample.

12. The system of claim 8 , further comprising the step of illuminating the sample with photons in a mode selected from the group consisting of wide field, Raman chemical imaging, multipoint, single point and line illumination.

13. A method for determining illumination parameters for a sample, the method comprising:

simultaneously illuminating the sample with illuminating photons, the illuminating photons defining a first wavelength and a second wavelength;

obtaining at least one of an emission band and an absorption band of the sample from the illuminating photons interacting with the sample, the emission band defining a lower wavelength range and an upper wavelength range; and

determining the illumination parameters for the sample as a function of the absorption band and the emission band of the sample.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising illuminating the sample with photons having wavelength within the illumination parameters.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the step of obtaining an absorption band of the sample further comprises illuminating the sample.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein a suitable Raman wavelength occurs at a wavelength shorter than the emission band.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the step of illuminating the sample includes illuminating the sample with photons in a mode selected from the group consisting of wide field, Raman chemical imaging, multipoint, single point and line illumination.