Higher-order modulations of fs laser pulses for GHz frequency domain photon migration system.

Except the fundamental modulation frequency, by higher-order-harmonic modulations of mode-locked laser pulses and a simple frequency demodulation circuit, a novel approach to GHz frequency-domain-photon-migration (FDPM) system was reported. With this novel approach, a wide-band modulation frequency comb is available without any external modulation devices and the only electronics to extract the optical attenuation and phase properties at a selected modulation frequency in FDPM systems are good mixers and lock-in devices. This approach greatly expands the frequency range that could be achieved by conventional FDPM systems and suggests that our system could extract much more information from biological tissues than the conventional FDPM systems. Moreover, this demonstration will be beneficial for discerning the minute change of tissue properties.