Abstract: Methods of forming two-dimensional nanopatterns are provided. The method may comprise periodically contacting a vibrating tool comprising a patterned grating edge with a substrate along a first direction in a grating-vibrational indentation patterning process. The patterned grating edge defines a plurality of rows and a plurality of interspersed troughs. The periodic contacting creates a two dimensional array of discontinuous voids in a single-stroke across the surface of the substrate. In other aspects, a microfluidic device for selective arrangement of a microspecies or nanospecies is provided, that includes a substrate comprising a surface defining a two-dimensional pattern of microvoids or nanovoids. In yet other aspects, the present disclosure provides a method for selective arrangement of a microspecies or nanospecies on a substrate.

Abstract: An optical analysis apparatus, that irradiates a liquid sample with light and analyzes the sample, includes a measurement unit that measures the sample, a light source portion that emits light with which the sample is irradiated, and a light receiving portion that receives the light transmitted through the sample. The measurement unit includes a housing provided with an opening portion for flowing in and out of the sample, an accommodation region connected to the opening portion and provided inside the housing, a movable portion provided inside the accommodation region to be movable inside the accommodation region, an irradiation portion which receives the light emitted from the light source portion and in which an inside of the accommodation region is irradiated with the light, and a light collection portion which collects the light transmitted through the sample inside the accommodation region and outputs the light to the light receiving portion.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for checking value documents marked with feature substances, and to the corresponding feature substances. The feature substances are detected on the basis of Raman or SERS spectroscopy also at high transport speeds with a spatial resolution in the low millimeter region or better and reliably identified.

Abstract: In an example implementation, a substance detection device includes a chamber with chamber walls, a chamber top, and a chamber bottom. A substrate comprises imprinted nanostructures positioned within the chamber, and the substrate is coupled to the chamber walls to form the chamber bottom. An inert gas is sealed within the chamber.

Abstract: A display inspection device includes a light source, a light condenser unit, a light splitter unit, and a photoelectric converter that are arranged, in sequence, externally of a display-to-be-inspected. The light condenser unit provides constant-frequency excitement to the inspection light beam so as to make constant-frequency variation of focus of the inspection light beam. The range of variation of the focus of the inspection light beam always covers a focus point on a surface of the display-to-be-inspected so that the inspection device possess an active focusing function, allowing a surface configuration, reflectivity, or defect of the display-to-be-inspected to be reflected in variation of intensity of a reflected light beam and also allowing the focusing point of the inspection light beam not to be constrained to focus on the surface of an objected-to-be-inspected thereby greatly increasing an inspection range of the device and improving inspection efficiency.

Abstract: Provided is a handheld device for validation authenticity of a banknote including one or more printed elements printed with at least one security ink, the security ink having defined light reflecting properties. Further provided is a method for validating the authenticity of a banknote utilizing the disclosed device.

Abstract: A particle sizing system is provided that includes an optical source generating a light beam for illuminating particles in a monitored volume, a plurality of light deflectors, each positioned to receive and deflect light scattered by the particles, and an image capture device collecting scattered light deflected by each light deflector. The image capture device outputs an image including a plurality of sub-images, each generated from the collected light deflected from a respective one of the light deflectors. Each particle is imaged as a spot in each sub-image, the plurality of spots associated with each particle corresponding to a plurality of scattering angles. The system also includes a processing unit configured to identify the spots associated with the each particle in the sub-images, compute a spot parameter associated with each spot, and determine the size of each particle from its related spot parameters. A particle sizing method is also provided.

Abstract: An optical analysis apparatus, that irradiates a liquid sample with light and analyzes the sample, includes a measurement unit that measures the sample, a light source portion that emits light with which the sample is irradiated, and a light receiving portion that receives the light transmitted through the sample. The measurement unit includes a housing provided with an opening portion for flowing in and out of the sample, an accommodation region connected to the opening portion and provided inside the housing, a movable portion provided inside the accommodation region to be movable inside the accommodation region, an irradiation portion which receives the light emitted from the light source portion and in which an inside of the accommodation region is irradiated with the light, and a light collection portion which collects the light transmitted through the sample inside the accommodation region and outputs the light to the light receiving portion.

Abstract: A method and device for the optical scanning of a chromatographic sample (3), where a sample plate (2) holding the sample (3) is illuminated with light from a first illumination device (13) and the light emitted by the sample plate (2) is detected by an optical detector device (15) which detects in cell form or area form, a second illumination device (14) is preferably firstly activated in a preparation step. The sample plate (2) is displaced in a first displacement direction relative to the detector device (15), illuminated by the first illumination device (13) and a first measurement image is recorded. The sample plate (2) is displaced in a second displacement direction relative to the detector device (15), illuminated by the second illumination device (14), and a second measurement image is recorded.

Abstract: An innovative portable reflected light sensor for non-destructively measuring characteristics of performance enhancement coatings applied to substrates such as solar photovoltaic panels is described. The innovative portable sensor provides a light source and a photodetector for measuring light incident on a substrate surface from the light source, and reflected to the photodetector. The spot size of the illuminated region of the substrate is at least 1 cm2 in area, thus averaging over a relatively wide portion of the substrate surface relative to existing fiber optic devices. A single measurement may then be representative of the coating. The innovative portable reflected light sensor is adapted to measure substrates in the field, and is especially adapted for assessing coating quality during the coating process. The innovative sensor also comprises a signal processing circuit that performs analysis of the measurements and feeds back status of the coating to the operator for coating process control.

Abstract: A technique for acquiring target's coordinates for industrial dimensional metrology involves a target that serves both as a 2D contrast target and a 3D contact target, and a metrology tool. The target has proximal and distal surfaces, at least some of which being primarily flat and facing a common normal direction. At least 3 mm separate the proximal and distal surfaces in the normal direction. Reflectivity factors of the distal and proximal surfaces differ by at least 20%. Risers connecting pairs of the proximal and distal surfaces are sufficiently undercut so that none of the risers are in view at nominal viewing angles. At least two reference edges are defined where risers meet proximal surfaces. The tool has meeting features for registration with the edges and primarily flat surfaces, in at least two registered positions, to permit a retroreflector of the tool to acquire coordinates the target centre.

Abstract: A device for checking a windshield wiper blade of a motor vehicle, includes an at least partially transparent body having a contact side which is designed for contacting with the windshield wiper blade to be checked; a light-incidence side which is designed to allow light to enter into the body; and a light-exit side. The at least partially transparent body is designed in such a way that light entering the body through the light-incidence side is reflected at least partially at the contact side, and reflected light exits the body through the light-exit side.

Abstract: First and second reflective portions are angled (e.g., included angle of approximately 178 degrees) with respect to one another to produce a parallax image of a structured light pattern (e.g., linear pattern) projected onto a surface of an object to determine at least one dimension (e.g., range, height, width) associated with the object. The reflections may be detected by a light sensor (e.g., a single linear image sensor) as dual “differential” parallax images of the structured light pattern, which advantageously inherently causes errors to cancel out.

Abstract: An improved optical flow cell adapted for use in a flow cytometer for differentiating formed bodies (e.g., blood cells) in liquid suspensions. Preferably manufactured by assembling, aligning, and optically joining at least two elements made from transparent material, the improved flow cell has a seamless internal flow channel of preferably non-circular cross-section in a cylindrical first element through which prepared samples can be metered and an independent second element having an external envelope suited to acquisition of optical parameters from formed bodies in such suspensions, the second element being conforming and alignable to the first element so that non-axisymmetric refractive effects on optical characterizing parameters of formed bodies passing through the flow channel in the first element may be minimized before the two elements are optically joined and fixed in working spatial relationship.

Abstract: An apparatus, method and device for measuring the size of an object, comprising a depth sensor (2), a sensor bracket (1), a correction assistance apparatus (5), an object placement platform (4) and a computer (3). The correction assistance apparatus (5) is used for assisting in the correction of a plane of the depth sensor (2), comprises a fabric or a printing substance having black-and-white chessboard textures, and comprises a transparent flat plate, the fabric or the printing substance being laid on the object placement platform (4), and the transparent flat plate being pressed against the fabric or the printing substance. The depth sensor (2) is disposed on the sensor bracket (1) and is located in a space above the object placement platform (4). The computer (3) is connected to the depth sensor (2). The device and the method contribute to efficient and accurate calculation of the size of an object.

Abstract: A method using electric field assisted glass sealing (anodic bonding) to create strong, adhesive-free optical cells using a thin layer of metal between two layers of glass. The cells can be used as simple optical cells, liquid or gas flow cells, and as acousto-optical flow cells, where acoustic standing waves are used within the flow cell.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for checking value documents marked with feature substances, and to the corresponding feature substances. The feature substances are detected on the basis of Raman or SERS spectroscopy also at high transport speeds with a spatial resolution in the low millimeter region or better and reliably identified.

Abstract: Method and system to remove background noise with a differential approach in optical imaging is disclosed. The differential approach moves the sample position laterally over a small distance, and a differential image is generated from the images recorded before and after the lateral translation. This approach can significantly improve the image quality of objects, including single DNA molecules, for label-free optical imaging techniques, such as surface plasmon resonance imaging. Disclosed imaging technique provides high-resolution genome-wide restriction maps of single DNA molecules.

Abstract: An illumination system, an inspection tool and a method for inspecting an object are disclosed. A configurable area light source is arranged in an illumination optical axis of an illumination beam path, wherein the configurable area light source is configured such that different beam diameters are settable. At least one illumination lens is positioned in the illumination beam path for directing a collimated beam at least onto a field of view on a surface of the object, wherein a value of an angle of incidence of the illumination optical axis of the illumination beam path equals a value of an angle of reflectance of the imaging optical axis of the imaging beam path. The invention allows the combination of the functionality of a wide angle coaxial illumination and a collimated coaxial illumination in one illumination system.

Abstract: A defect of a film is accurately inspected. A film inspection device includes: a light-receiving device generating a signal by receiving light which returns via a film after having been applied to the film, the signal being for detecting a defect included in the film; and a reflecting roller carrying the film while supporting the film from a side opposite to the light-receiving device in a field of view of the light-receiving device.