Shedding light on the variability of optical skin properties: finding a path towards more accurate prediction of light propagation in human cutaneous compartments.

Finding a path towards a more accurate prediction of light propagation in human skin remains an aspiration of biomedical scientists working on cutaneous applications both for diagnostic and therapeutic reasons. The objective of this study was to investigate variability of the optical properties of human skin compartments reported in literature, to explore the underlying rational of this variability and to propose a dataset of values, to better represent an in vivo case and recommend a solution towards a more accurate prediction of light propagation through cutaneous compartments. To achieve this, we undertook a novel, logical yet simple approach. We first reviewed scientific articles published between 1981 and 2013 that reported on skin optical properties, to reveal the spread in the reported quantitative values. We found variations of up to 100-fold. Then we extracted the most trust-worthy datasets guided by a rule that the spectral properties should reflect the specific biochemical composition of each of the skin layers. This resulted in the narrowing of the spread in the calculated photon densities to 6-fold. We conclude with a recommendation to use the identified most robust datasets when estimating light propagation in human skin using Monte Carlo simulations. Alternatively, otherwise follow our proposed strategy to screen any new datasets to determine their biological relevance.

Many-wavelength interferometry with thousands of lasers for absolute distance measurement.

We demonstrate a new technique for absolute distance measurement with a femtosecond frequency comb laser, based on unraveling the output of an interferometer to distinct comb modes with 1 GHz spacing. From the fringe patterns that are captured with a camera, a distance is derived by combining spectral and homodyne interferometry, exploiting about 9000 continuous wave lasers. This results in a measurement accuracy far within an optical fringe (λ/30), combined with a large range of nonambiguity (15 cm). Our technique merges multiwavelength interferometry and spectral interferometry, within a single scheme.

Long distance measurement with femtosecond pulses using a dispersive interferometer.

We experimentally demonstrate long distance measurements with a femtosecond frequency comb laser using dispersive interferometry. The distance is derived from the unwrapped spectral phase of the dispersed interferometer output and the repetition frequency of the laser. For an interferometer length of 50 m this approach has been compared to an independent phase counting laser interferometer. The obtained mutual agreement is better than 1.5 µm (3×10(-8)), with a statistical averaging of less than 200 nm. Our experiments demonstrate that dispersive interferometry with a frequency comb laser is a powerful method for accurate and non-incremental measurement of long distances.

Time-frequency distribution of interferograms from a frequency comb in dispersive media.

We investigate general properties of the interferograms from a frequency comb laser in a non-linear dispersive medium. The focus is on interferograms at large delay distances and in particular on their broadening, the fringe formation and shape. It is observed that at large delay distances the interferograms spread linearly and that its shape is determined by the source spectral profile. It is also shown that each intensity point of the interferogram is formed by the contribution of one dominant stationary frequency. This stationary frequency is seen to vary as a function of the path length difference even within the interferogram. We also show that the contributing stationary frequency remains constant if the evolution of a particular fringe is followed in the successive interferograms found periodically at different path length differences. This can be used to measure very large distances in dispersive media.

High-accuracy long-distance measurements in air with a frequency comb laser.

We experimentally demonstrate that a femtosecond frequency comb laser can be applied as a tool for long-distance measurement in air. Our method is based on the measurement of cross correlation between individual pulses in a Michelson interferometer. From the position of the correlation functions, distances of up to 50 m have been measured. We have compared this measurement to a counting laser interferometer, showing an agreement with the measured distance within 2 microm (4x10(-8) at 50 m).