Biophotonics_Concepts_to_Applications

photons as they interact with biological cells, organisms, molecules, tissues, and
substances. The applications of biophotonics processes include (a) 2D and 3D
imaging of cells, tissues, and organs, (b) noninvasive measurements of biometric
parameters such as blood oxygen and glucose levels, (c) therapeutic photonic
treatment of injured, diseased, or unwanted cells, (d) detection of injured or dis-
eased cells and tissue, (e) monitoring of wound healing and progress of therapeutic
treatments, and (f) surgical procedures such as laser cutting, tissue ablation, and
removal of cells and tissue.
The technologies supporting biophotonics include opticalfibers, optical sources
and photodetectors, test and measurement instrumentation, nanotechnology,
microscopy, spectroscopy, and miniaturization methodologies. Therefore, biopho-
tonics combines a wide variety of optical methods to investigate the structural,
functional, mechanical, biological, and chemical properties of biological material
and systems. In addition, biophotonics methodologies are being used extensively to
investigate and monitor the health and wellbeing of humans. The wavelengths used
for biophotonics typically range from 190 nm in the ultraviolet to 10.6μminthe
infrared region, with numerous applications being in the visible 400–700 nm
spectrum. Thus a broad range of diverse tools and techniques are employed in
biophotonics.
Several terms are commonly used when studying the characteristics of biological
cells, molecules, or tissues or when determining the behavior of such biological
samples when they are exposed to various external stimuli. These terms include the
following expressions.

• In vivo: The term in vivo (Latin for“in the living”) refers to tests or procedures
  on isolated biological components within whole, living organisms such as

Biology

Biotechnology

Chemistry Physics

Engineering Medicine

Molecules

Organelles

Cells

Tissue

Organs

Pharmaceuticals

Tissue repair

Biometrics

Biosensing

Chemical bonds

Chemical structures

Material properties

Reactions

Optics

Lasers/LEDs

Photodetection

Optical fibers

Acoustics

Electrical

Measurements

Packaging

Fluid mechanics

Cardiology

Dermatology

Oncology

Ophthalmology

Biophotonics

Fig. 1.2 Biophotonics draws from the resources of many technicalfields

1.1 What Is Biophotonics? 3