Abstract: An optical element is described that is a single molded piece. It includes a parabolic mirror configured to reflect substantially collimated light incident along a first axis. The reflected light converges towards a virtual focal point located along a second axis. The piece also includes a plane turning mirror positioned with respect to the parabolic mirror such that the converging light hits a surface of the plane mirror after traveling a distance less than a focal length of the parabolic mirror. The plane mirror reflects the incident converging light outward as exit light, which focuses at a final focus point located a nonzero distance from the plane mirror. The final focus point is located in a plane defined by the second axis and a third axis, and is offset at a nonzero angle from the third axis relative to a point on the surface of the plane mirror.

Abstract: Various systems and methods of monitoring laser safety by sensing contact of the system with a sample are provided. The system includes a focusing element for focusing an incident light from a laser light source onto a sample, an optical element having a collection zone for collecting a signal from the sample, a reflected light sensor for sensing a reflected light from the sample, wherein the reflected light sensor is located outside the collection zone of the optical element and on an inner surface of a housing of the system, an electrical circuit operably connected to the reflected light sensor and the laser light source and configured to control power to the laser light source in accordance with the reflected light sensed by the reflected light sensor and a spectral analyzer for processing the signal. Methods and other systems are also described and illustrated.

Abstract: An apparatus consisting of stacked slab waveguides whose outputs are vertically staggered is disclosed. At the input to the stacked waveguides, the entrances to each slab lie in approximately the same vertical plane. A spot which is imaged onto the input will be transformed approximately to a set of staggered rectangles at the output, without substantial loss in brightness, which staggered rectangles can serve as a convenient input to a spectroscopic apparatus. A slit mask can be added to spatially filter the outputs so as to present the desired transverse width in the plane of the spectroscopic apparatus parallel to its dispersion.

Abstract: An optical system is described where a portion of the Rayleigh light arriving from a sample is incident on the same image sensor as a Raman signal to be measured. As a result, the difference in wavelength between the measured Rayleigh line and the measured Raman peaks may be determined directly without the need for a separate sensor, optical path, or calibration.

Abstract: An apparatus consisting of stacked slab waveguides whose outputs are vertically staggered is disclosed. At the input to the stacked waveguides, the entrances to each slab lie in approximately the same vertical plane. A spot which is imaged onto the input will be transformed approximately to a set of staggered rectangles at the output, without substantial loss in brightness, which staggered rectangles can serve as a convenient input to a spectroscopic apparatus. A slit mask can be added to spatially filter the outputs so as to present the desired transverse width in the plane of the spectroscopic apparatus parallel to its dispersion.