Abstract: A method for examining a culture solution containing a pH indicator and accommodated in a culture container includes: measuring, as a baseline intensity, an intensity of light that has passed through a solution and the culture container; measuring, as a measurement intensity, an intensity of light that has passed through the culture solution and the culture container; obtaining light source information including first information pertaining to the light source that is provided when measuring the baseline intensity and second information pertaining to the light source that is provided when measuring the measurement intensity; and on the basis of the baseline intensity, the measurement intensity, and the light source information, calculating an absorbance of the pH indicator at at least one wavelength included in emitted light from the light source.

Abstract: A transient digital moire phase-shifting interferometric measuring device and method for a surface shape of an optical element solves a defect that an instantaneous vibration resistance needs to be sacrificed for a measurement range when using a two-step carrier splicing method, and expands the measurement range of a digital moire phase-shifting method while retaining instantaneous anti vibration characteristics of the digital moire phase-shifting method. The transient digital moire phase-shifting interferometric measuring device includes a light source, a beam splitter, a reference lens, a first polarization grating, a measured lens, a second polarization grating, a first imaging objective lens, a first camera, a second imaging objective lens and a second camera. Different carriers are loaded through a spectral performance of a polarization grating, and the polarization grating is used to separate two beams of an interference light, and two actual interference patterns are obtained at a same time.

Abstract: A test system may be used to measure biological samples and other samples. Samples may be placed on a test substrate such as a test slide or other transparent substrate. The substrate may have patches of reactant-coated gold nanorods or other nanostructures that exhibit plasmonic resonances. An accessory may be removably coupled to a portable electronic device such as a cellular telephone. The accessory may have a lens and a light source that emits light into an edge of the test slide. The light may scatter from the nanostructures in a perpendicular direction towards a camera in the portable electronic device so that the portable electronic device can gather images of the illuminated substrate and measure spectral shifts associated with reactions between the samples and the reactant, thereby helping to analyze the composition of the samples.

Abstract: Methods and systems are described for use in determination of the presence, type (static or AC), direction, and/or strength of an electric field. Methods include examination of a gaseous sample to determine the presence of perturbation effects brought about by dielectrophoretic forces acting on components of the gaseous sample, and thereby, to identify the presence of an electric field. Examination of a gaseous sample can include Raman spectroscopy. A gaseous sample can be analyzed to determine the presence of molecular polarization due to an induced dipole on a polarizable molecule.

Abstract: The invention generally relates to improved enhancement structures for use in surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) and/or surface-enhanced fluorescence-based analysis.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods of obtaining a derivative Raman spectrum using an excitation or Raman pump beam whose wavelength is modulated in any suitable manner such as, for example, stochastically. Shifting the wavelength of the input excitation by a small amount in approaches like SERDS can isolate the Raman scatter from other spectral artifacts and reduce the false detection rate. For example, an input excitation sequence can be correlated with the response of an individual pixel of a detector. From this, pixels that have captured Raman scattered photons can be separated from pixels capturing non-Raman photons. These techniques can be expanded to other fields and/or types of spectroscopies that utilize a dispersive element detector with time-dependent spectral features.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to laser interferometric systems, methods, and structures exhibiting superior laser phase noise tolerance particularly in seismic detection applications wherein laser requirements are advantageously relaxed by employing a novel configuration wherein the same laser which generates an outgoing signal is coherently detected using the same laser as local oscillator and fiber turnarounds are employed that result in the cancellation and/or mitigation of undesired mechanical vibration.

Abstract: An actively Q-switched laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) probe, utilizing an optical fiber, a pump beam transmitted through the optical fiber, a coupler, and a lens for collimating the pump beam. The actively Q-switched laser, coupled to a sensor which provides information to a computer that controls a high voltage pulser providing a pulse to a Pockels cell located within the laser which can selectively cause the laser to pulse, resulting in high energy pulses and a second lens for focusing the output pulse such that it creates a plasma or spark. The light from the spark is captured and directed back through an optical system to remote equipment for elemental and/or molecular analysis.

Abstract: A tactile and proximity sensor includes a light source, a light receiver, an elastic structure, and a reflecting mirror. The light source emits light. The light receiver receives light and generates a signal indicating a result of reception of the light. The elastic structure includes an elastic body deformable in response to an external force and includes a reflecting portion to reflect light and transmitting portions to transmit light. The reflecting mirror faces the light source to guide the light from the light source to the reflecting portion and the transmitting portion.

Abstract: Raman analysis apparatus capable of real-time Raman analysis while performing an experiment under elevated temperature and pressure conditions in surface or material property analysis of a powder solid sample, a single-crystal sample, a high-concentration liquid sample, or the like may be provided.

Abstract: Raman systems and methods use advantages offered by increased laser mobility/path length and photon migration to analyze diffusively scattering solids, including pharmaceuticals. A collimated laser excitation beam having a first diameter induces from a sample a backscattered collimated Raman collection beam with a second diameter. The collimated laser excitation beam and the collimated Raman collection beam form a counter-propagating collimated optical path, and the collimated laser excitation beam is preferably smaller in diameter than the diameter of the backscattered collimated Raman beam. The collection beam to a spectrograph for Raman analysis of the sample. A Raman calibration standard may be placed in the collimated optical path, and/or the sample may be supported in a reflective holder that may be at least partially spherical and/or may form part of a multi-well plate. The counter-propagating collimated optical path may be contained within a Raman microscope.

Abstract: A method of assaying the interaction of a molecule and a lipid bilayer is described. The method employs a microfluidic device comprising a substrate having at least one concave microcavity with a metallic surface defining an aperture and a liquid disposed within the microcavity, a lipid bilayer suspended across the aperture, and a microfluidic channel containing a liquid disposed on top of the substrate in fluid communication with the lipid bilayer. The method comprises the steps of passing a liquid containing a test molecule across the microfluidic channel, and monitoring lipid bilayer molecule interactions by plasmonically enhanced Raman or fluorescence spectroscopy configured for plasmonic enhancement of a detection signal evolving from the test molecule or lipid bilayer. Also described in a microfluidic device configured to perform the method of the invention.

Abstract: The invention describes a metrology system allowing for the reduction of the errors caused by vibration of the production floor and allowing for measurements of the thickness of wafers in motion. This is accomplished by performing simultaneous measurements of spectra containing interference signals containing distance information using a plurality of probes positioned on both sides of the measured wafer on the same detector at the same time or by means of plurality of synchronized detectors. System is also able to measure thickness of the individual optically accessible layers present in the sample.

Abstract: An optical metrology device performs multi-wavelength polarized confocal Raman spectroscopy. The optical metrology device uses a first light source to produce a first light beam with a first wavelength and a second light source to produce a second light beam with a second wavelength. A dichroic beam splitter partially reflects the first light beam and transmits the second light beam to combine the light beams along a same optical axis that is incident on a sample. The dichroic beam splitter directs the Raman response emitted from the sample in response to the first light beam and the second light beam together towards at least one spectrometer and directs the first light beam away from the at least one spectrometer. A chopper may be used to isolate the Raman response to the first and second light beams that is received and spectrally measured by the at least one spectrometer.

Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a mechanism for aligning and orienting a probe in an optical system. The mechanism includes a sensor head, which are defined with one or more provisions. Further, the mechanism includes at least one block member, which is movably disposed within the one or more provisions in the sensor head. The at least one block member is defined with a cavity to accommodate a probe. During contact of the probe with a surface of the subject, a torque is generated, which facilitates in aligning the probe on the surface of the subject. The block member is configured to tilt corresponding to movement of the probe, for aligning the probe at an angle on the surface of the subject.

Abstract: There are provided a substrate including a three-dimensional (3D) nanoplasmonic composite structure, a method of fabricating the same, and a rapid analysis method using the same. More specifically, there are provided a substrate including a 3D plasmonic-nanostructure/target-molecule composite thin film composed of an analyte and a plasmonic nanostructure and formed by applying a voltage to a plasmonic electrode in an electrochemical cell including an analyte and a metal precursor to induce an analyte molecule on the electrode and performing electrochemical deposition (or electrodeposition), a method of fabricating the same, and a rapid analysis method using the same.

Abstract: A gas detection device and process detect a target gas for monitoring an area for the target gas. A radiation source emits electromagnetic radiation (50) that penetrates the area and impinges on an array of filters (15, 25) that distributes the impinging radiation (50) onto a first gas photosensor (35), a second gas photosensor (37) and a reference photosensor (36). The first gas photosensor (35) is only sensitive to radiation in a first wavelength range, the second gas photosensor (37) is only sensitive to radiation in a second wavelength range and the reference photosensor (36) is only sensitive to radiation in a reference wavelength range. The wavelength ranges are spaced apart from one another. An analysis unit (10) analyzes signals [Sig(35), Sig(36), Sig(37)] from the three photosensors (35, 36, 37) and carries out three pair comparisons to determine whether or not the target gas is present.

Abstract: An optical multimodal detection system for targeted detection of cancer biomarkers in blood serum. The system comprises of a nano-biosensor, a chamber for receiving the nano-biosensor, a localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) based detector, a plasmon enhanced fluorescence (PEF) based detector and a surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) based detector. The nano-biosensor comprises of a glass substrate provided with an active site for receiving a sample of blood serum, and is dimensioned to define a flow channel for introducing the sample of blood serum into the nano-biosensor. The nano-biosensor is provided with a layer of amino-silane compound coating over the glass substrate and a plurality of gold nano-urchins (GNU) bound to the layer of silicone compound.

Abstract: Methods of producing augmented probe system images and associated probe systems. A method of producing an augmented probe system image includes recording a base probe system image, generating the augmented probe system image at least partially based on the base probe system image, and presenting the augmented probe system image. The augmented probe system image includes a representation of at least a portion of the probe system that is obscured in the base probe system image. In some examples, a probe system includes a chuck, a probe assembly, an imaging device, and a controller programmed to perform methods disclosed herein.

Abstract: A method and system for classifying a tissue specimen is provided. The method includes: a) interrogating a tissue specimen with a first interrogation light; b) detecting first light from the tissue specimen resulting from the interrogation, wherein the first light includes a first scattered light component and a first fluorescence light component, and producing first signals; c) interrogating the tissue specimen with a second interrogation light at a second excitation wavelength, wherein the first and second excitation wavelengths are within about 2 nm of each other; d) detecting second light from the tissue specimen resulting from the interrogation, wherein the second light includes a second scattered light component and a second fluorescence light component, and producing second signals; e) determining a difference between the first and second lights; f) determining a fluorescence spectrum produced by the interrogation of the tissue specimen; and g) classifying the tissue specimen.