Abstract: A method of processing an optical fiber for coupling an external optical signal. The optical fiber has a longitudinal axis, an optical core, and an optical cladding. The method includes processing the optical cladding with a laser beam at a coupling point of the optical fiber along the longitudinal axis between a start and an end region. During the processing, an effective axis of the laser beam is arranged skew with respect to the longitudinal axis of the optical fiber so that the optical cladding is processed via an edge region of the laser beam, and the effective axis of the laser beam is guided along a movement axis which is parallel to or substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the optical fiber.

Abstract: A device for structuring a surface of a through opening in a component, in particular a cylinder opening of a cylinder crankcase for an internal combustion engine. The device comprises a lance, which can be moved into the through opening by a displacement device. The lance has means for emitting a laser beam from a laser light source in the direction of the surface of the through opening. A preferably plate-shaped cover is provided, which is designed for placement on an end face of the component. The cover forms a passage opening which is dimensioned such that the lance can be moved through it. A compressed gas feed is integrated into the cover and comprises a connector for connecting to a compressed gas source and forms one or more outlet openings at the edge of the passage opening.

Abstract: In a first aspect, the invention relates to the use of a UV-polymerizable composition as an embedding medium for biological samples. The UV-polymerizable composition is a composition with a refractive index ranging from n=1.45 to n=1.6 after a polymerization process. In another aspect, the invention relates to a method for producing embedded biological samples using said UV-polymerizable composition and to the embedded biological samples themselves. The biological samples can be used in a wide variety of areas, such as diagnostics among others, and are suitable in particular for RNA-based diagnostics.

Abstract: The present invention provides a device having an internal and an external functional element for producing a fluid stream having a core stream and an sheath stream. The device having an internal and an external functional element is distinguished by an internal component for shaping a core stream, an external functional element having a section for guiding an sheath stream and a section for focusing the sheath stream having core stream at the free end of the functional element, wherein the device having an internal and an external functional element is formed in such a manner that the functional element for shaping the core stream is spatially separated from the external functional element having a section for focusing the sheath stream and/or the section for guiding the sheath stream. In a further aspect, an apparatus for separating particles having this device having an internal and an external functional element is provided. In particular, this is a flow-cytometry apparatus in this case.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for examining samples (1) in a liquid (5), comprising a movable shaft (2), to which the sample (1) is fastened, and a cuvette (4), wherein the device further comprises a bath (3), which surrounds the movable shaft (2), and wherein the bath (3) is fillable with the liquid (5), the movable shaft (2) is configured to receive the sample (1) at the upper side (24) thereof, the movable shaft (2) reaches into the cuvette (4) from below, wherein said cuvette is open at least toward the bottom and configured to be immersed into the liquid (5) in the bath (3) with the underside thereof, and, moreover, means are provided to generate a pressure difference between the interior of the cuvette (4) and the region outside of the cuvette (4) such that the fill level (21) of the liquid (5) in the cuvette (4) is adjustable. Moreover, the invention relates to a method for examining samples (1) in a liquid (5).

Abstract: The invention relates to a device (10; 210; 310; 410; 510) for tomographic image recording. The device comprises a sample retainer (14), a light source (12), and a detector unit (16). The light source (12) is designed to produce a pencil beam (38), which has a beam direction (40) and which passes through a sample volume of the sample retainer (14) provided in order to accommodate a sample, and has an optical control element (30), which is able to move the pencil beam (38) passing through the sample retainer (14) transversely to the beam direction (40) while the beam direction (40) remains substantially unchanged. The detector unit (16) is designed to detect at least a portion of scattered radiation (64; 64?) escaping from a section of the pencil beam (38) within the sample volume or the sample retainer (14) in a non-spatially-resolved manner.

Abstract: A coupling arrangement according to the present invention comprises a target fiber, at least one feeding fiber and an intermediate fiber. The intermediate fiber comprises an input end and a converging taper portion, wherein the input end of the intermediate fiber is spliced to an output end of the feeding fiber in an axial way. Due to this coupling electromagnetic radiation being fed through the feeding fiber enters the intermediate fiber through its input end surface. The converging taper portion of the intermediate fiber is fused to the target fiber in the transfer region in a non-axial way. This leads to a non-axial coupling such that electromagnetic radiation, which entered the intermediate fiber through the input end surface thereof, is coupled into the target fiber.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and to a device for producing conjugates comprising or consisting of a metallic nanoparticulate component and an organic component. Said method enables activated or reactive nanoparticles containing metal to be produced by irradiating a metal body with a laser beam and prevents the modification and damage of organic components of said conjugates by laser irradiation. Said nanoparticulate metallic component comprises plasmon resonant metal. According to the invention, the claimed method of production enables particles having a metal centre and a metal-oxide covering to be produced, in particular when using a carrier fluid containing oxygen, e.g. alcohol or water.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device (10; 210; 310; 410; 510) for tomographic image recording. The device comprises a sample retainer (14), a light source (12), and a detector unit (16). The light source (12) is designed to produce a pencil beam (38), which has a beam direction (40) and which passes through a sample volume of the sample retainer (14) provided in order to accommodate a sample, and has an optical control element (30), which is able to move the pencil beam (38) passing through the sample retainer (14) transversely to the beam direction (40) while the beam direction (40) remains substantially unchanged. The detector unit (16) is designed to detect at least a portion of scattered radiation (64; 64?) escaping from a section of the pencil beam (38) within the sample volume or the sample retainer (14) in a non-spatially-resolved manner.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing micro-nano combined active systems in which nanoparticles of a first component are bonded to microparticles of a second component, comprising the following steps: (a) producing a low-ligand colloidal suspension containing nanoparticles of the first component, (b) adding microparticles to the colloidal suspension containing the nanoparticles or adding the colloidal suspension containing the nanoparticles to a dispersion containing the microparticles and intensively mixing so that the nanoparticles adsorb onto the microparticles, (c) separating the microparticles and the nanoparticles bonded thereto from the liquid and drying the microparticles and the nanoparticles bonded thereto.

Abstract: A single-mode fiber with certain parameters into the core of another fiber with different parameters; in particular single-mode guided light of a shorter wavelength is coupled into the core of a fiber which is a single-mode fiber at a longer wavelength but acts as multimode fiber for the shorter wavelength. Fabrication involves use of a model to determine a length of a pre-taper.

Abstract: Copolymer-modified nanoparticles produced by a process in which nanoparticles are ablated by laser radiation from a surface of a substrate in a liquid include an amphiphilic copolymer.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and to a device for producing conjugates comprising or consisting of a metallic nanoparticulate component and an organic component. Said method enables activated or reactive nanoparticles containing metal to be produced by irradiating a metal body with a laser beam and prevents the modification and damage of organic components of said conjugates by laser irradiation. Said nanoparticulate metallic component comprises plasmon resonant metal. According to the invention, the claimed method of production enables particles having a metal centre and a metal-oxide covering to be produced, in particular when using a carrier fluid containing oxygen, e.g. alcohol or water.

Abstract: The invention refers to a method and an apparatus for fabricating a tridimensional solid object by sintering inorganic particles of controlled size distribution. The particles are directed onto a target area in a powdery stream in the shape of a conical surface which is coaxial to a simultaneous heating flux while an at least bidimensional relative movement is maintained between the target area, the powdery stream and the heating flux. As a result the particles sinterization occurs in a single operation directly onto the target area.

Abstract: The invention relates to a hearing aid device for humans with impaired hearing, who have an at least partially functional cochlea and a functional nervous signalling pathway from the cochlea via the auditory nerve to the brain. The hearing aid device contains a receiver, a transducer of the sound or other acoustic signals into electrical current serving as a signal representing a sound, a pulsed irradiation source connected to the transducer for receiving the electrical current and for generating modulated pulsed irradiation in dependence from the electrical current, and preferably one or more optical fibres optically coupled to the exit of the pulsed irradiation source, wherein the optical path for conduction of irradiation within the device ends directly opposite a functional element of the natural vibration transduction pathway, e.g.

Abstract: The invention provides a cochlea stimulator for implantation comprising optical fibres of which are coupled to an irradiation source that is controlled by a modulator to generate irradiation specific for a pre-determined range of sound-frequencies. The cochlea stimulator effects a frequency-specific activation of the organ of Corti needed for speech perception especially in noisy environment and more complex sounds. For imparting excitation signals which are generated by modulated pulsed laser irradiation conducted within an optical fibre in order to elicit nervous signals in residual functional organ of Corti sections, the auditory prosthesis preferably contains optical fibres which are dimensioned to terminate in end sections within the cochlea at different sites or sections of the organ of Corti. e.g. having different lengths for locating their end sections at different internal parts of the cochlea.

Abstract: A device for machining a material with ultrashort laser pulses is described. This device comprises: (a) a device (1) for generating a sequence of first laser pulses, where the first laser pulses each have a duration of less than 300 picoseconds and the repetition rate for the first laser pulses is in the range between 100 kHz and 1 GHz, (b) a converter (2) for converting a first set of the sequence of first laser pulses into a sequence of second laser pulses for application to and for machining of the material, where the second laser pulses each have a duration of less than 300 picoseconds and the repetition rate for the second laser pulses is in the range between 1 Hz and 1 MHz, as well as (c) a testing device (3, 5, 6, 7, 15) that is equipped to apply first laser pulses, which do not belong to the first set, to the material, to detect specific results of this application and to provide these detected results as information.

Abstract: Materials are exposed to laser energy, and after the material is heated, the thermal radiation of the material is measured. Following this, a material-specific evaluation takes place, based on optical and thermal material properties. At least one area on the surface of the material to be identified is subject to a short, point-shaped exposure of laser radiation. The material-specific thermal impulse response for the radiated surface area of the material is both locally and temporally measured, and evaluated as regarding the kind of material.