Rapid polymer blend imaging with quantitative broadband multiplex CARS microscopy

Broadband multiplex coherent anti‐Stokes Raman scattering (MCARS) microscopy allows the rapid chemical mapping and molecular imaging of untreated material samples with three‐dimensional sectioning capabilities. It can be realized with a single laser in a simple and robust setup using supercontinuum generation in a microstructured fiber. The successful implementation of a MCARS microscope is discussed in detail, its parameters are characterized, and applications are shown for the identification and mapping of polymer blends. An evolutionary fitting routine is presented, which allows a fully quantitative analysis of the MCARS information resulting in high‐contrast chemical maps. The established setup enables reliable day‐to‐day operation as a valuable tool for rapid material characterization.