Patent Document ID: 7771938
Application ID: 11228042
Patent Flag: 1

Claim One:
1. A method for identifying the occurrence of an interaction involving a first molecule and a second molecule, the method comprising the steps of: a) providing the first molecule; b) contacting the first molecule with the second molecule; c) directing onto the first molecule and the second molecule a first coherent light having a first selected wavelength and a second coherent light having a second selected wavelength that is different from the first selected wavelength, wherein the first and second coherent lights have spatially separated propagation axes that intersect at the first molecule, and wherein the first and second coherent lights excite molecular vibrations in the first molecule or the second molecule or both the first and the second molecules; d) detecting a signal beam of light propagating along an axis that is spatially separated from the propagation axes of the first and second coherent lights, the signal beam of light resulting from the interaction of the first and second molecules in the presence of the first and second coherent lights, wherein the signal beam of light has an intensity, an amplitude, and a polarization; and e) identifying the occurrence of the interaction involving the first molecule and the second molecule based on the presence of the signal beam.