Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention includes: a modulated laser light source to transmit an interrogation light beam to a region including a substance for spectroscopic evaluation, a detector responsive to modulated light from the region to provide a corresponding modulated signal, and a signal processing subsystem responsive to the modulated signal to generate a spectroscopic absorption peak representation. This subsystem also estimates absorbance based on a derivative form of an absorption peak and a residual amplitude modulation level corresponding to the absorption peak.

Abstract: A gemstone fluorescence measuring device according to the invention generally includes an ultraviolet (“UV”) emission chamber, a UV radiation source, and a light meter assembly. The UV radiation source includes an upper light emitting diode (“LED”) and a lower LED that radiate a gemstone under test from both above and below the gemstone. The UV radiation source provides both trans-radiation and direct radiation to the gemstone, and the UV radiation source has an adjustable intensity, thus facilitating calibration of the fluorescence measuring device. The light meter assembly includes a light detector that detects the visible light emitted from the gemstone under test in response to the UV radiation. The light detector is configured to simulate the spectral characteristics of the human eye. The fluorescence measuring device converts the measured visible light into a numerical lux reading, which can then be converted into a fluorescence grade for the gemstone under test.

Abstract: An optical apparatus includes an optical device arranged on an optical path extending from a light source to a predetermined position, an optical sensor, and a measuring device which measures an optical characteristic or a change in an optical characteristic of the optical device on the basis of an output from the optical sensor. The optical sensor is arranged outside the optical path and senses light which is emitted from a second light source arranged outside the optical path and is reflected by the optical device.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a source of spectral light indicative of a sample to be measured, a camera to sense a spectrum, and a chromatic dispersion device to spatially separate light from the sample to be measured into the spectrum. The camera includes a sensor and control circuitry. The sensor is one of a CCD line sensor and a CCD TDI sensor. The sensor includes a plurality of pixels, a conversion node, a readout register coupled to the conversion node and a reset gate coupled to the conversion node. The control circuitry is capable of shifting the readout register to transfer charges onto the conversion node and capable of controlling the reset gate to reset the conversion node at varying intervals enabling the conversion node to integrate charges from a varying number of elements of the readout register.

Abstract: A method for obtaining an image using a selective combination of wavelengths of light includes dispersing a light in accordance with wavelength bands of the light using a dispersing member, irradiating the dispersed light onto an object to measure reflectivities of the light reflected from the object in accordance with the wavelength bands of the light, comparing reflectivity differences between an objective region and a peripheral region of the object, selecting wavelength bands having the reflectivity differences indicated as either positive values or negative values, adjusting the dispersing member to transmit only the light having the selected wavelength bands, passing light only having the selected wavelength bands through the dispersing member to irradiate the light that has passed through the dispersing member onto the object, taking photographs of the object using the irradiated light, and superposing the photographs of the object to obtain the image of the object.

Abstract: A container to be positioned in a ring-down optical cavity for containing a sample includes an outer surface having opposing first and second outer faces and an inner surface forming a void for containing the sample and having opposing first and second inner faces. The container may include a first portion forming the first outer face having a second index of refraction and a second portion forming the second outer face having a third index of refraction. The container may be placed in an optical cavity including a medium. The first and second outer faces of the outer surface and the first and second inner faces of the inner surface are oriented so that the cavity-to-container interfaces and the container-to-sample interfaces of the container transmit and receive a light beam at an incidence angle approximately equal to the Brewster's angle of the respective interface.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring an absorption coefficient includes a first diffusive material, a second diffusive material inside the first diffusive material separated from the first diffusive material by a cavity, and a transparent material proximate to an inner surface of the second diffusive material that holds an absorptive material. First and second light detectors measure light intensities in the first and second diffusive materials respectively. An absorption coefficient for the absorptive material may be determined based on the first and second light intensities measured when the cavity is illuminated by a light source.

Abstract: A method of determining one or more color characteristics of a colored microsphere comprising: providing a microarray of microspheres, including at least one colored microsphere which has a color characteristic; producing a magnified optical image of individual microspheres of the microarray; locating a microsphere in the aperture of a spectrometer to confine the color region of interest of the located microsphere in order to determine one or more color characteristics thereof; and determining one or more color characteristics of the located microsphere by means of the spectrometer.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for measuring Fe (II) and Fe (III) levels in a glass composition, for using those measured levels for determining a relative oxidation state of the glass material, and for further making a determination based on those measurements as to the quality of the glass material. In addition, methods are presented for determining the reliable quality of ultra fine/ultra thin glass in the time and labor efficient manner.

Abstract: In a preferred embodiment, an optical inspection machine for fasteners, including: an inspection station; a main dial rotatable through the inspection station and carrying thereon a plurality of fasteners; a reflective surface surrounding each of the plurality of fasteners to permit inspection light to reflect from the reflective surface and permit viewing of an entire outer circumference of a head of each of the plurality of fasteners to detect head cracks and bursts; and a lower surface of each of the plurality of fasteners being raised above the reflective surface. A method of optically inspecting fasteners is also provided.

Abstract: An organometallic compound vaporizing and feeding system includes a carrier gas feed passageway connecting a carrier gas source to a container containing an organometallic compound MO and having a carrier gas mass flow controller, an MO gas passageway connecting the container to an in-line monitor for transporting the MO gas, a sample gas passageway connecting the in-line monitor to a sample inlet of an ICP spectrometer, a standard gas passageway connecting a gas cylinder filled with a calibration standard gas to the sample gas passageway and having a standard gas mass flow controller, and a diluent gas passageway connected to the standard gas passageway for passing a diluent gas for adjusting the concentration of the standard gas and having a diluent gas mass flow controller.