Patent US 6,930,779

Quantum based systems for detecting materials in a sample, including biological, chemical and physical materials are described. The systems are based on exciting the sample containing the material with a femtosecond to nanosecond probe pulse of collimated light, which is tailored to optimize detection of a given material by separating the probe pulse into component features of frequency, polarization, phase and/or amplitude. The component features are independently shaped and formed into a composite pulse selected to optimize a signature response pulse received from the material. Selection of the appropriate shapes for the component features of the pulse for a given material is accomplished by testing variations in the features on the material, assigning a fitness value to variants that tend to optimize a distinctive spectral response from the material, and using a genetic algorithm to select the combination of component features that enhances the distinctiveness of the response received over a typical background.