Abstract: A system for providing active refraction feedback for devices with a variable index of refraction includes a reference beam generator and an altered reference beam sensor. The reference beam generator is configured to generate a reference beam and to apply the reference beam to a variable-index-of-refraction (VIR) device. The VIR device is configured to generate an altered reference beam based on the reference beam and based on an index of refraction for the VIR device. The altered reference beam sensor is configured to detect the altered reference beam and to sense a characteristic of the altered reference beam corresponding to the index of refraction.

Abstract: A vehicular dust sensor may include a case having an inner space, a light source module disposed in the inner space of the case, and irradiating an air passage with light, the air passage being provided in the light source module for introduction and pass of air and dust, a condensing lens to collect light, emitted from the light source module and scattered by dust in air in the air passage, a light receiving module receiving the scattered light collected by the condensing lens to output an electric signal corresponding to a dust concentration, and an inner housing disposed in the inner space of the case to form the air passage.

Abstract: A method for determining a headlight range alignment of at least one first headlight of a motor vehicle. The motor vehicle includes at least one optical sensor which is designed for detecting at least one part of a first illuminated area of the first headlight and generating a first image having the part of the first illuminated area. The method includes the following steps: reading in the first image from the optical sensor, selecting at least one first image area in the first image, whereby a cut-off line of the first headlight is intended to be imaged in the first image area, and determining the headlight range alignment as a function of the first image area.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for supercontinuum generation using a laser beam and a plurality of condensed state transparent plates are presented. As an example, plate material to be used for one of the plurality of plates is determined. A thickness of the one of the plurality of plates is also determined. An allowable laser intensity of the laser beam is then determined to be ?/(2n0n2L), where ? is the central incident wavelength in vacuum, n0 is the linear refractive index, n2 is the third-order nonlinear coefficient. A location of a next plate is then determined to be a distance downstream from the one of the plurality of plates where a laser intensity of the laser beam returns to a value of the determined allowable laser intensity.

Abstract: A sheet of colloidal crystals immobilized in resin exhibiting intense structural color and allowing easy observation thereof from squarely facing direction against the surface; and application thereof are provided. The sheet includes crystal domains comprising colloidal crystals immobilized in resin. The Bragg reflection intensity resulting from crystal domains according to back reflection spectrum measurement to the sheet surface satisfies the following conditions (1) and (2). (1) When elevation angle from the sheet surface is in a range of at least 60° and less than 90° and measurement is performed at a predetermined azimuth angle on the sheet surface, intensity is not 0 and (2) when elevation angle from the sheet surface is in the range of at least 60° and less than 90° and azimuth dependency on the sheet surface is measured, the intensity exhibits a maximum value at the predetermined azimuth angle.

Abstract: Described are devices, methods, and systems that are suitable for rapidly and simultaneously determining the concentration of suspended particles in a sample. The devices, methods, and systems allow for the rapid and simultaneous interrogation of a large number of sample wells in a single vessel, for example, samples contained in a two-dimensional array or micro-titer plate, without the need for moving reading heads or moving the sample vessel. The nephelometry system allows the user to rapidly and simultaneously measure the concentration of the particles in numerous samples, adjust the concentration of the particles in the sample with a sample handling system, and re-measure the concentration of the samples in order to achieve a desired concentration.

Abstract: Optical apparatus includes a primary radiation source, which emits first optical radiation along a first optical axis. A DOE includes at least an entrance surface, upon which the first optical radiation from the primary radiation source is incident, and an exit surface, through which one or more primary diffraction orders of the first optical radiation are emitted from the DOE. At least one secondary radiation source is configured to direct second optical radiation to impinge on the DOE along a second optical axis, which is non-parallel to the first optical axis, causing at least a part of the second optical radiation to be diffracted by the DOE such that one or more secondary diffraction orders of the second optical radiation are emitted through the entrance face of the DOE. At least one detector is configured to sense at least one of the secondary diffraction orders of the second optical radiation.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining a radius of particles suspended in a medium includes superposing first and second Doppler-shifted optical waves having a variable frequency shift between them in the medium such that there is a gain in energy of the first optical wave with respect to the second optical wave, varying the frequency shift and measuring the gain while varying the frequency shift to determine the value of the frequency shift at which there is a peak in the gain, and determining the radius of the particles based on the value of the frequency shift at which there is a peak in the gain.

Abstract: Within area where of four heads installed on a wafer stage, heads included in the first head group and the second head group to which three heads each belong that include one head different from each other face the corresponding areas on a scale plate, the wafer stage is driven based on positional information which is obtained using the first head group, as well as obtain the displacement (displacement of position, rotation, and scaling) between the first and second reference coordinate systems corresponding to the first and second head groups using the positional information obtained using the first and second head groups. By using the results and correcting measurement results obtained using the second head group, the displacement between the first and second reference coordinate systems is calibrated, which allows the measurement errors that come with the displacement between areas on scale plates where each of the four heads face.

Abstract: A system to generate multiple beam lines in an oblique angle multi-beam spot scanning wafer inspection system includes a beam scanning device configured to scan a beam of illumination, an objective lens oriented at an oblique angle relative to the surface of a sample and with an optical axis perpendicular to a first scanning direction on the sample, and one or more optical elements positioned between the objective lens and the beam scanning device. The one or more optical elements split the beam into two or more offset beams such that the two or more offset beams are separated in a least a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The one or more optical elements further modify the phase characteristics of the two or more offset beams such that the two or more offset beams are simultaneously in focus on the sample during a scan.

Abstract: A photonic sensor system includes: a photodetector; a signal processor coupled to the photodetector; and a sensor structure configured to provide fluid-response selectivity, spatially distribute light, and to receive light from a light source and convey light to the photodetector. The sensor structure includes a plurality of fluid sensitive interferometric nanostructure layers manufactured on a substrate; wherein the plurality of fluid sensitive interferometric nanostructure layers includes alternating high and low porosity layers.

Abstract: A spot scanning imaging system with run-time alignment includes a beam scanning device configured to linearly scan a focused beam of illumination across a sample, one or more detectors positioned to receive light from the sample, and a controller communicatively coupled to the beam scanning apparatus, the sample stage, and the one or more detectors. The controller is configured to store a first image, transmit a set of drive signals to at least one of the beam scanning device, the sample stage, or the one or more detectors, compare at least a portion of the second sampling grid to at least a portion of the first sampling grid to determine one or more offset errors, and adjust at least one drive signal in the set of drive signals based on the one or more offset errors such that the second sample grid overlaps the first sample grid.

Abstract: A device for mass spectroscopy comprising a chamber configured to provide an atomization source, a boost device configured to provide radio frequency energy to the chamber, and a mass analyzer in fluid communication with the chamber and configured to separate species based on mass-to-charge ratios is disclosed. In certain examples, a boost device may be used with a flame or plasma to provide additional energy to a flame or plasma to enhance desolvation, atomization, and/or ionization.

Abstract: The invention discloses a technique that estimates micro roughness from a total sum of detection signals from plural detection systems and signal ratios, using a light scattering method. The technique rotates and translates a wafer at high speed to measure the entire surface of the wafer with high throughput. The relationship between the micro roughness and the intensity of scattered light varies according to a material of the wafer and a film thickness thereof. Moreover, calibration of an apparatus is also necessary. Thus, for instance, the invention provides a technique that has a function of correcting an optically acquired detection result using a sample which is substantially the same as a measurement target and makes the optically acquired detection result come close to a result measured by an apparatus, such as an AFM, using a different measurement principle.

Abstract: The invention relates to a measuring frame (106) for optically ascertaining a perforation position of a projectile (134) through a target surface (102) in a contactless manner. In addition, the invention relates to a corresponding measurement and analysis method. The invention further relates to a display system which uses at least one such measuring frame (106). The measuring frame comprises at least one first (120) radiation source for emitting a first diverging radiation field, at least one second radiation source for emitting a second diverging radiation field, said first and second radiation fields intersecting at an angle on a plane transverse to a perforation direction, and at least one first (126) and at least one second (126?) optical receiving device, which are paired with the at least one first and second radiation source, respectively.

Abstract: A tool for detecting deformation of a nominally straight element includes a first body element having first straight edge, means for biasing the first straight edge against the straight element, and a light source arranged to illuminate any space present between the straight element and the first straight edge of the first body element.

Abstract: Various embodiments of tools with associated optical measurement devices are described. An apparatus may include a tool to be applied to a workpiece, an optical measurement device in a feed path of the tool, and a controller. The optical measurement device may generate displacement measurements indicative of displacement of the workpiece as the workpiece traverses the feed path toward the tool. The controller may generate a measurement of the workpiece based on the plurality of displacement measurements.

Abstract: With a blood-derived specimen on top of a metal film on a measurement chip, the intensity of reflected excitation light, the resonance angle of excitation light, the intensity of plasmon-scattered light, or the enhancement angle of excitation light is measured, and the acquired measurement is used to obtain a whole-blood hematocrit value. Using the obtained whole-blood hematocrit value, a first signal value that indicates how much of an analyte the specimen contains is converted to a second signal value that indicates how much of said analyte the liquid part of the specimen contains.

Abstract: Provided herein is an apparatus, including an optical characterization device; a photon detector array configured to sequentially receive a first set of photons scattered from surface features of an article and a second set of photons scattered from surface features of the article and subsequently processed by the optical characterization device; and a chemical characterization means for chemically characterizing the surface features of the article, wherein the chemical characterization means is configured for processing the first set of photons received by the photon detector array and the second set of photons received by the photon detector array.

Abstract: An alignment adjusting device is provided for an optical focal plane assembly, wherein the optical focal plane assembly has a detector with a detector plane and is adapted to be mounted to an optics assembly having an optical focal plane. The alignment adjusting device is adapted for allowing an alignment of the detector plane representing an image area and the optical focal plane. The alignment adjusting device includes a detector support for receiving the detector; a plurality of members, wherein a first member of the plurality of the members is connected to the detector support and a second member is connected to a flange that is adapted to be connected to the optics assembly. The first member, the second member and the remaining number of the members are pairwise moveable connected to each other by a number of springs and/or supporting elements.