Abstract: A laser focusing system (330) for use in an EUV radiation source is described, the laser focusing system comprising: •—a first curved mirror (330.1) configured to receive a laser beam from a beam delivery system (320) and generate a first reflected laser beam (316); •—a second curved mirror (330.2) configured to receive the first reflected laser beam (316) and generate a second reflected laser beam (317), wherein the laser focusing system (330) is configured to focus the second reflected laser beam (317) to a target location (340) in a vessel (350) of the EUV radiation source (360).

Abstract: The invention relates to detection the presence of a target molecule in a sample, wherein the sample is contacted with a substrate, the substrate subsequently being washed in a wash step. In particular, the invention relates to a method of detecting the presence of a target molecule in a sample, the method comprising: (a) contacting the sample (37) with a substrate having immobilized thereon probe molecules that specifically binds to the target molecule; (b) washing the substrate (38) in a wash step by a wash fluid in order to remove or dilute unbound target molecules; (c) detect the presence of resultant binding complexes (39) on the substrate to determine whether the target molecule is present in the sample—The wash fluid being substantially refractive index matched to the substrate.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a sensor device (100) for evaluating an assay with a sample. During the assay, optical measurements are made at a sensing surface (112), and at least one “homogeneity-image” of the sensing surface (112) is generated. From this image, an “homogeneity-indicator” is determined for at least one region of interest, and the optical measurements are then evaluated in dependence on said indicator. The homogeneity-indicator may for example be a binary value which indicates if an inhomogeneity was detected or not. If an inhomogeneity was detected, all optical measurements may be rejected, only measurements for the involved region of interest may be rejected, or measurements for a selected sub-area of the involved region of interest (ROI) may be rejected.

Abstract: During an assay, optical measurements are made at a sensing surface (112), and at least one “homogeneity-image” of the sensing surface (112) is generated. From this image, an “homogeneity-indicator” is determined for at least one region of interest, and the optical measurements are then evaluated in dependence on said indicator. The homogeneity-indicator may for example be a binary value which indicates if an inhomogeneity was detected or not. If an inhomogeneity was detected, all optical measurements may be rejected, only measurements for the involved region of interest may be rejected, or measurements for a selected sub-area of the involved region of interest (ROI) may be rejected.

Abstract: The invention relates to detection the presence of a target molecule in a sample, wherein the sample is contacted with a substrate, the substrate subsequently being washed in a wash step. In particular, the invention relates to a method of detecting the presence of a target molecule in a sample, the method comprising: (a) contacting the sample (37) with a substrate having immobilized thereon probe molecules that specifically binds to the target molecule; (b) washing the substrate (38) in a wash step by a wash fluid in order to remove or dilute unbound target molecules; (c) detect the presence of resultant binding complexes (39) on the substrate to determine whether the target molecule is present in the sample. The wash fluid being substantially refractive index matched to the substrate.

Abstract: The invention relates to detection the presence of a target molecule in a sample, wherein the sample is contacted with a substrate, the substrate subsequently being washed in a wash step. In particular, the invention relates to a method of detecting the presence of a target molecule in a sample, the method comprising: (a) contacting the sample (37) with a substrate having immobilized thereon probe molecules that specifically binds to the target molecule; (b) washing the substrate (38) in a wash step by a wash fluid in order to remove or dilute unbound target molecules; (c) detect the presence of resultant binding complexes (39) on the substrate to determine whether the target molecule is present in the sample—The wash fluid being substantially refractive index matched to the substrate.

Abstract: A substance determining apparatus determines a substance within a fluid where particles, which have attached the substance, are bound to a binding surface. A sensing unit is configured to generate a sensing signal being indicative of at least one of i) a distance between the particles bound on the binding surface and the binding surface, and ii) an in-plane position of the particles bound on the binding surface. A binding discrimination unit is configured to discriminate between different kinds of binding of the particles bound on the binding surface depending on the generated sensing signal. The binding discrimination unit may be a unit for determining the part of the sensing signal being caused by specifically bound particles and for determining the substance based on this determined part of the sensing signal.

Abstract: The invention relates to a substance determining apparatus (19) for determining a substance within a fluid. A location event determination unit (34) determines location events indicating that a particle, which may have attached the substance, is located in a sensing region and a property of the location events from the sensing signal generated by sensing the sensing region. A location events selection unit (70) selects a part of the location events having a property in a predefined property range, and a substance determination unit (40) determines the substance within the fluid (3) based on the selected part of the location events. This allows tuning the determination of the substance within the fluid to a desired property range, which can relate to a desired kind of bound particles, thereby reducing the influence of unwanted effects on the determination of the substance and, thus, improving the determination accuracy.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus comprises an illumination system configured to condition a radiation beam, a support constructed to support a patterning device, the patterning device being capable of imparting the radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam; a substrate table constructed to hold a substrate, a projection system configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of the substrate, and a sensor. The sensor (S) comprises a photodiode (2) provided on a face (8) of a semiconductor substrate (4) towards which the radiation beam is directed during operation of the lithographic apparatus, a first radiation blocking material (10) being provided around the photodiode on the face of the semiconductor substrate, and a second radiation blocking material (12) is provided on a side (14) of the semiconductor substrate upon which the radiation beam is incident during operation of the lithographic apparatus.

Abstract: The invention relates to a substance determining apparatus for determining a substance within a fluid. Particles attach the substance and bind to a binding surface (30), wherein a sensing signal is generated depending on the bound particles. Binding events indicating a binding of a particle on the binding surface (30) are determined from the generated sensing signal, and the substance within the fluid is determined based on the determined binding events. During a procedure of determining a substance within a fluid, particles may bind to the binding surface and may leave the binding surface. Therefore, during this procedure a number of binding events can be determined being much larger than the number of bound particles. The determination of the substance within the fluid can therefore be based on a very large amount of data, thereby increasing the accuracy of determining the substance within the fluid.

Abstract: A biosensor system for the detection of particles includes a biosensor cartridge having a sensor surface. A biosensor magnet assembly is disposed on one side of the cartridge for generating a magnetic field effective at the cartridge and the sensor surface. The biosensor magnet assembly includes at least two magnetic sub-units separated by a gap. A first optical detection system detects the particles arranged at the same side of the cartridge as the magnet assembly. The magnet assembly and the first optical sensor are disposed such that the optical detection is accomplished through the gap of the magnet assembly.

Abstract: The invention relates to real-time array PCR cartridges. The cartridge (100) has a fluid chamber (101) for a fluid bath (102) and a first support element (200) for fixing a microarray (103) in the fluid chamber (101). Thereby the first support element (200) fixes the microarray (103) in such a way that a change of a size of the microarray (103) due to thermal expansion of the microarray (103) is possible without inducing substantial mechanical stress to the cartridge (100). Thereby the cartridge materials chosen independently from thermal expansion coefficients of different microarrays that are to be inserted and fixed into the cartridge (100).

Abstract: A biosensor system for the detection of particles includes a biosensor cartridge having a sensor surface. A biosensor magnet assembly is disposed on one side of the cartridge for generating a magnetic field effective at the cartridge and the sensor surface. The biosensor magnet assembly includes at least two magnetic sub-units separated by a gap. A first optical detection system detects the particles arranged at the same side of the cartridge as the magnet assembly. The magnet assembly and the first optical sensor are disposed such that the optical detection is accomplished through the gap of the magnet assembly.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus comprises an illumination system configured to condition a radiation beam, a support constructed to support a patterning device, the patterning device being capable of imparting the radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam; a substrate table constructed to hold a substrate, a projection system configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of the substrate, and a sensor. The sensor (S) comprises a photodiode (2) provided on a face (8) of a semiconductor substrate (4) towards which the radiation beam is directed during operation of the lithographic apparatus, a first radiation blocking material (10) being provided around the photodiode on the face of the semiconductor substrate, and a second radiation blocking material (12) is provided on a side (14) of the semiconductor substrate upon which the radiation beam is incident during operation of the lithographic apparatus.

Abstract: A biosensor system for the detection of particles includes a biosensor cartridge having a sensor surface. A biosensor magnet assembly is disposed on one side of the cartridge for generating a magnetic field effective at the cartridge and the sensor surface. The biosensor magnet assembly includes at least two magnetic sub-units separated by a gap. A first optical detection system detects the particles arranged at the same side of the cartridge as the magnet assembly. The magnet assembly and the first optical sensor are disposed such that the optical detection is accomplished through the gap of the magnet assembly.

Abstract: The invention relates to a substance determining apparatus (19) for determining a substance within a fluid. A location event determination unit (34) determines location events indicating that a particle, which may have attached the substance, is located in a sensing region and a property of the location events from the sensing signal generated by sensing the sensing region. A location events selection unit (70) selects a part of the location events having a property in a predefined property range, and a substance determination unit (40) determines the substance within the fluid (3) based on the selected part of the location events. This allows tuning the determination of the substance within the fluid to a desired property range, which can relate to a desired kind of bound particles, thereby reducing the influence of unwanted effects on the determination of the substance and, thus, improving the determination accuracy.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a sensor device (100) for evaluating an assay with a sample. During the assay, optical measurements are made at a sensing surface (112), and at least one “homogeneity-image” of the sensing surface (112) is generated. From this image, an “homogeneity-indicator” is determined for at least one region of interest, and the optical measurements are then evaluated in dependence on said indicator. The homogeneity-indicator may for example be a binary value which indicates if an inhomogeneity was detected or not. If an inhomogeneity was detected, all optical measurements may be rejected, only measurements for the involved region of interest may be rejected, or measurements for a selected sub-area of the involved region of interest(ROI) may be rejected.

Abstract: An illumination detection system includes an excitation radiation source and associated radiation processing arrangement for focusing the excitation radiation from the radiation processing arrangement onto an analysis region of a sample. A radiation collection arrangement collects radiation from the analysis region of the sample resulting from the excitation, and a detector detects the collected radiation. The focused excitation radiation includes an excitation line which is evanescent in the sample. This combines the advantages of line scanning (reduced analysis time) and evanescent excitation (reduced background signal) and therewith enables increase measurement speed and precision for point of care application.

Abstract: The invention relates to a cartridge (110) and an examination apparatus (100) for optical examinations of a sample. The cartridge (110) comprises a transparent bottom layer (113) that is of substantially uniform thickness and a top layer (111, 112) comprising a sample chamber (SC). The bottom layer and the top layer are preferably laminated onto each other, for example in a C roll-to-roll process. The bottom layer (113) is provided with structures like gratings (115) that allow the incoupling or outcoupling of light.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a system (100) for selectively processing a sample (130) according to one of a plurality of different assays, for example for detecting a certain target component in the sample. The system comprises a plurality of “specific reagent reservoirs” (120) that contain different sets of reagents, wherein each set is required for one of the assays. Moreover, the system (100) comprises a “universal reagent reservoir” in which reagents for several assays are provided, preferably reagents for all assays. The universal reagent reservoir may preferably be a cartridge (110) in which the processing of a sample (130) can take place and which comprises a plurality of binding sites that are selective for different target components. Depending on the assay to be performed with a sample (130) at hand, the appropriate specific reagent reservoir (121b) is chosen and processed in the universal cartridge (110).