Abstract: This invention discloses a laser assisted cold plasma device for overcoming the antimicrobial resistance and effectively killing the microbes. The microbes are first illuminated with laser light, which inactivates the antioxidant enzyme of the microbes and renders them susceptible to reactive oxygen species (ROS) attack. The microbes are then treated and killed with cold plasma. The synergy between the two treatments improves the effectiveness of microbe eradication by several orders of magnitude.

Abstract: This invention discloses a cold plasma therapy device with enhanced safety. The plasma therapy device comprises a dielectric barrier made of a material with high dielectric constant (i.e., relative permittivity). Hence the thickness of the dielectric barrier can be increased to produce similar plasma intensity in comparison to a dielectric barrier with a low dielectric constant. The increased thickness enhances the mechanical durability of the dielectric barrier. When the thickness of the dielectric barrier is larger than the maximum discharge gap of the ambient air (or the supplied gas medium) under the voltage applied, no arc discharge will be produced even when there is a crack across the thickness of the dielectric barrier. This minimizes the risk of subject tissue damage from possible electric shocks.

Abstract: In a laser based curing apparatus, the acts both as the curing light and the excitation source for a Raman spectroscopic sensor. The spectroscopic sensor provides real-time, in situ, non-invasive curing status monitoring via Raman spectroscopy. The spectroscopic information can be further used to control the operation parameters of the laser to achieve the optimum cure result.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring properties of physical matters by means of Raman spectroscopy including a laser element, a wavelength dispersion element, an array or single element detector, and a control and data processing unit. The laser element, which is used to excite Raman scattering, is spectrum narrowed and stabilized by attachment of a Bragg grating device. The grating can be either a volume Bragg grating (VBG) written inside a glass substrate or a fiber Bragg grating (FBG) written inside an optical fiber. A laser element can be provided with a wavelength modulation capability for fluorescence background suppression.