An optical system for use in a spectroscopy procedure includes one or more semiconductor diodes configured to generate an input signal beam with a wavelength shorter than 2.5 microns that is amplified and communicated through optical fiber(s) to a nonlinear element configured to broaden the spectral width to at least 50 nm through a nonlinear effect. A subsystem includes lenses or mirrors to deliver an output beam having a broadened spectrum selected to obtain a desired penetration depth and substantially minimize water absorption with a temporal duration greater than about 30 picoseconds to a sample to perform spectroscopy to characterize the sample. The output beam may have a repetition rate between continuous wave and one Megahertz or higher with a time averaged output power of 20 mW or more and a time averaged intensity of less than approximately 50 MW/cm2.