Abstract: A microfluidic device comprises inlets for a sample flow and an out-of-plane focusing sheath flow, and a curved channel section configured to receive the sample flow and out-of-plane focusing sheath and to provide hydrodynamic focusing of the sample flow in an out-of-plane direction, the out-of-plane direction being normal to a plane including the curved channel. Examples of the invention also include improved flow cytometers.

Abstract: A light source apparatus includes an optical resonator provided with a plurality of gain media that amplify light and an optical waveguide and a control unit configured to individually control amplification factors of the plurality of gain media, in which the plurality of gain media have mutually different maximum gain wavelengths whose amplification regions are mutually partially overlapped, and a wavelength at which a total gain by the plurality of gain media becomes a maximum value is set to be variable on the basis of the control on the amplification factors.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a system configured to split a light emitted from a light source into reference light and subject light, cause the subject light to enter into an object, and combine the subject light reflected by the object with the reference light, a detection unit configured to detect coherent light between the combined subject and reference lights, an element, provided within a light path of the reference light or the subject light, configured to change a path length difference between the reference light and the subject light and a relative position between the reference light and the subject light in a light receiving surface of the detection unit, and a position-variable mechanism configured to cause a position of the optical element to be changeable, wherein, by changing a position of the element, the optical path length difference and the relative position are independently adjusted.

Abstract: A method of improving sampling resolution in a distributed temperature measurement system using a fiber optic distributed sensor by means of programmed delayed trigger signals to a laser light source in order to improve the spatial resolution of such systems.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a phase object identification device and method which can identify a phase object in a completely different manner from conventional methods for observing or measuring a phase object. A phase object identification device 1 for identifying a phase object for changing the phase of light includes a light source 2, a sample holding means 3 for holding a phase object 31 to be identified, a holographic recording medium 4 on which a hologram 41 formed by interference between reference light 25 and object light 24 that is phase-modulated by a known phase object 32 is recorded, and a light detector 5, a phase of light 21 emitted from the light source is modulated by the phase object to be identified to generate sample light 22, the hologram of the holographic recording medium is irradiated with the sample light, reproduced light 23 reproduced from the hologram of the holographic recording medium is detected by the light detector.

Abstract: An optical measuring apparatus for measuring optical characteristics of a stereoscopic display device includes a test image supplier for generating a 3D test signal, a 3D display for displaying left-eye image and/or right-eye image based on the 3D test signal supplied from the test image supplier, a image selection member for selectively transmitting the left-eye image and right-eye image to be displayed on the 3D display, and a light measuring device for measuring intensity or color information of the image transmitted via the image selection member.

Abstract: A method for determining positions and offsets in a plasma processing system, the plasma processing system including at least a chuck and an upper electrode is provided. The method including moving a traversing assembly along a first plurality of paths to generate a first plurality of data sets, the traversing assembly including at least a light source, the light source providing a light beam, moving the traversing assembly along each path of the first plurality of paths causing the light beam to traverse the chuck and resulting in one or more data sets of the first plurality of data sets. The method also including receiving the first plurality of data sets and analyzing the first plurality of data sets to identify a first set of at least three discontinuities, wherein the first set of at least three discontinuities are related to three or more reflected light signals generated when the light beam encounters an edge of the chuck.

Abstract: A spectroscopic sensor that applies lights in a wavelength band containing plural wavelengths to an object and spectroscopically separates reflected lights or transmitted lights from the object using plural light band-pass filters that transmit the respective specific wavelengths and plural photosensor parts to which corresponding transmitted lights are input based on output results of independent photosensors. The spectroscopic sensor may be integrated in a semiconductor device or module by integration using a semiconductor process and downsizing may be realized.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a substrate and a plurality of nano-fingers attached at respective first ends to the substrate and freely movable along their lengths, in which a first set of the plurality of nano-fingers comprises a first physical characteristic, wherein a second set of the plurality of nano-fingers comprises a second physical characteristic, and wherein the first physical characteristic differs from the second physical characteristic.

Abstract: A sensor arrangement for a banknote validator or other document acceptor using optical transmissive measurements includes at least one light source located on a first side of a document path and arranged to transmit light around the document path to a second side of the document path, the second side being opposite the first side. Optical detectors are located on the first side of the document path and arranged to receive light sent from the light source and passing through the document transport path.

Abstract: Cross-interrogating photonic detection systems and methods are shown. A flow through photonic crystal membrane with a surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate is provided with pores which are distributed along multiple regions. The pores of one region have walls to which a first type of target specific anchor can be attached, while pores of another region have walls to which a second type of target specific anchor can be attached. An optical arrangement out-of-plane to the SERS substrate is also provided for enhanced sensitivity and identification of target organisms.

Abstract: A device is provided for demonstrating and testing the cosmetic qualities of an ophthalmic lens by viewing, the device comprising both a bearing wall (2) for bearing against a fixed surface and provided on its face opposite from its bearing face with a viewing target (3), and also a support wall (4) for supporting said lens and placed at a distance lying in the range 20 mm to 50 mm from said face of said bearing wall (2) that is provided with the target. According to the invention, the device is constituted by a support part (1) constituted by a channel-section member having its flanges forming said bearing surface (2) and said support wall (4), the support wall being provided with at least one orifice (5) of dimensions smaller than the dimensions of said lens, and said bearing surface and said support surface being inclined relative to each other by an angle lying in the range 0° to 25°.

Abstract: Disposable, pre-sterilized, and pre-calibrated, pre-validated sensors are provided. The sensor comprises a disposable fluid conduit or reactor bag and a reusable sensor assembly. An optical bench or inset optical component is integrated within the disposable fluid conduit or bioreactor bag, which provides an optical light path through the conduit or bag. These sensors are designed to store sensor-specific information, such as calibration and production information, in a non-volatile memory chip on the disposable fluid conduit or bag and on the reusable sensor assembly. Methods for calibrating the sensor and for determining a target property of an unknown fluid are also disclosed. The devices, systems and methods relating to the sensor are suitable for and can be outfitted for turbidity sensing.

Abstract: A surface-enhanced Raman scattering substrate includes a carbon nanotube film structure and a plurality of metallic particles disposed on the carbon nanotube film structure. The carbon nanotube film structure includes a number of carbon nanotubes joined by van der Waals attractive force therebetween. The carbon nanotube film structure is a free-standing structure.

Abstract: A first thread feature is measured by detecting with an optical sensor 2 light that reaches from a light source 21 located on the opposite side of a pipe axis and runs substantially in parallel to thread grooves A4. A contact probe 31 of a contact sensor 3 is contacted with a thread flank surface A8 to detect the space coordinates of the contact probe 31 at the time of contact, so that a second thread feature is measured. The first and second thread features thus detected are combined with each other by a processor 4, and thread features of the thread provided as a measurement object are thereby calculated.

Abstract: An optical coherence tomography apparatus includes a light source, a light coupling module, and an optical path difference generating module. The light source emits a coherent light. The light coupling module divides the coherent light into a first incident light and a second incident light. The first incident light is emitted to an item to be inspected and a first reflected light is generated. The second incident light is emitted to the optical path difference generating module, a second reflected light is generated according to the second incident light by the optical path difference generating module through changing the transparent/reflection properties of at least one optical devices of the optical path difference generating module, so that there is a optical path difference between the first reflected light and the second reflected light.

Abstract: A robotic optical sedimentation recorder is described for the recordation of carbon flux in the oceans wherein both POC and PIC particles are captured at the open end of a submersible sampling platform, the captured particles allowed to drift down onto a collection plate where they can be imaged over time. The particles are imaged using three separate light sources, activated in sequence, one source being a back light, a second source being a side light to provide dark field illumination, and a third source comprising a cross polarized light source to illuminate birefringent particles. The recorder in one embodiment is attached to a buoyancy unit which is capable upon command for bringing the sedimentation recorder to a programmed depth below the ocean surface during recordation mode, and on command returning the unit to the ocean surface for transmission of recorded data and receipt of new instructions.

Abstract: A process is proposed for testing a laser device that has been set up to emit pulsed focused laser radiation, the focal position of which is adjustable both in and across the direction of propagation of the laser radiation. The laser device includes a contact element that is transparent to the laser radiation, with an abutment surface for abutment of an object to be machined. Within the scope of the process, a test object that is transparent to the laser radiation at least in a machining region is applied onto the abutment surface of the contact element. Then laser radiation is beamed into the test object bearing against the abutment surface and in the process the focal position is moved in accordance with a predetermined test pattern, in order to generate enduring machining structures in the test object.

Abstract: A clamp-point active circuit is provided. The clamp-point active circuit includes a rate amplifier configured to receive an output from a device transitioning between at least two levels. The clamp-point active circuit has at least one switching device configured to receive an output from the rate amplifier. The at least one switching device is in at least one respective feedback loop of the rate amplifier. A switching of the at least one switching device causes the rate amplifier to amplify with high linearity in a desired operating range and to clamp outputs received from the transitioning device that are outside the desired operating range to a fixed level.

Abstract: An apparatus for performing surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) includes a substrate and a plurality of nano-pillars, each of the plurality of nano-pillars having a first end attached to the substrate, a second end located distally from the substrate, and a body portion extending between the first end and the second end, in which the plurality of nano-pillars are arranged in an array on the substrate, and in which each of the plurality of nano-pillars is formed of a polymer material that is functionalized to expand in the presence of a fluid to cause gaps between the plurality of nano-pillars to shrink when the fluid is supplied onto the nano-pillars.