Apparatus and method for defining illumination parameters of a sample

1. A method for determining at least one optimal 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 at least one optimal illumination parameter for the sample as a function of the absorption band and the emission band of the sample wherein the at least one optimal illumination parameter defines a wavelength shorter than a wavelength of a spectral peak in the emission band.

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 , including the step of obtaining a Raman image of the sample wherein the sample is illuminated at a wavelength shorter than a 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 substantially 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 at least one optimal illumination parameter 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 and an upper wavelength; and

determining the at least one optimal illumination parameter 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 illumination parameter defines a wavelength shorter than the lower wavelength.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the illumination parameter defines an illumination wavelength so as to produce a Raman wavelength shorter than the lower wavelength.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the illumination parameter defines a laser line.

12. A method for determining at least one optimal illumination parameter 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 and an upper wavelength; and

determining the at least one optimal illumination parameter for the sample as a function of the absorption band and the emission band of the sample wherein the photons having the first wavelength are provided from a first photon source and the photons having a second wavelength are provided from a second photon source.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the photons having the first wavelength cause an emission from the sample.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the photons having the second wavelength form a plurality of Raman-scattered photons by the sample, the Raman scattered photons defining a Raman-wavelength shorter than the lower wavelength.

15. The method of claim 12 , further comprising illuminating the sample with photons having a wavelength about the same as the wavelength of the at least one illumination parameter.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the at least one optimal illumination parameter defines a wavelength shorter than the lower wavelength.

17. The method of claim 12 , including the step of obtaining a Raman image of the sample wherein the sample is illuminated at a wavelength that is shorter than a wavelength defined by the emission band.

18. The method of claim 12 , wherein the illumination parameter defines a laser line.

19. The method of claim 12 , 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.

20. A system for defining at least one optimal illumination parameter for a sample comprising an illumination source, an optical train and a processor programmed with instructions to:

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

obtain 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 and an upper wavelength; and

determine at least one optimal illumination parameter for the sample as a function of the absorption band and the emission band of the sample.

21. The system of claim 20 , wherein the photons having the first wavelength are provided from a first photon source and the photons having a second wavelength are provide from a second photon source.

22. The system of claim 20 , wherein the photons having the first wavelength cause an emission from the sample.

23. The system of claim 20 , wherein the photons having the second wavelength form a plurality of Raman-scattered photons from the sample, the Raman-scattered photons defining a Raman wavelength shorter than the lower wavelength.

24. The system of claim 20 , further comprising illuminating the sample with photons having a wavelength about the same as the wavelength of the at least one illumination parameter.

25. The system of claim 20 , wherein the at least one optimal illumination parameter defines a wavelength shorter than the lower wavelength.

26. The system of claim 20 , wherein the illumination parameter defines an illumination wavelength so as to produce a Raman wavelength shorter than the lower wavelength.

27. The system of claim 20 , wherein the illumination parameter defines a laser line.

28. The method of claim 1 wherein, subsequent to determining the at least one optimal illumination parameter, further comprising the steps of:

illuminating the sample at the at least one optimal illumination parameter; and

obtaining a first and a second image of the sample substantially simultaneously.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein the first image is an absorption image and the second image is an emission image.

30. The method of claim 12 wherein, subsequent to determining the at least one optimal illumination parameter, further comprising the steps of:

illuminating the sample at the at least one optimal illumination parameter; and

obtaining a first and a second image of the sample substantially simultaneously.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein the first image is an absorption image and the second image is an emission image.