Balanced-detection Raman Induced Kerr Effect microscopy

Here we introduce balanced-detection Raman Induced Kerr Effect (BD-RIKE) as a novel coherent Raman scattering (CRS) technique which combines the advantages of stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) (absence of non-resonant background (NRB), linear scaling with the concentration) and coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) (background-free signal). RIKE relies on the Raman-induced birefringence occurring when the pump-Stokes frequency detuning is in resonance with a vibrational transition, leading to a polarization rotation of the Stokes field that we measure using a balanced detection configuration.