Mid-infrared spectroscopic imaging enabled by an array of Ge-filled waveguides in a microstructured optical fiber...

We demonstrate mid-infrared spectroscopic imaging using a unique optical fiber probe consisting of an array of Ge waveguide cores embedded in a silica fiber matrix. Biological tissue slices are characterized to illustrate its potential endoscopic uses. The fiber probe based transmission measurements show excellent agreement with the result obtained from standard Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy transmission measurements in the wavelength range of 3289.8 nm to 3383.3 nm, where fat and muscle tissues could be spectroscopically distinguished.