Abstract: A fiber mode sorter includes an optical fiber including a waveguide structure configured to maintain an orbital angular momentum (OAM) of a beam propagating through the optical fiber, and an OAM mode sorter placed on a core of the optical fiber.

Abstract: A method of detecting a target within a population of molecules comprising: contacting a plurality of labeled probe molecules with the population of molecules potentially containing a target of the probe molecules; acquiring a probe specific signal emitted by said labeled probe molecules that bound to said target together with a background signal; preferentially modulating said probe specific signal by at least one of modulating said acquisition and modulating an emission of said probe specific signal; and detecting said probe specific signal over said background signal using said preferential modulation.

Abstract: A fiber mode sorter includes an optical fiber including a waveguide structure configured to maintain an orbital angular momentum (OAM) of a beam propagating through the optical fiber, and an OAM mode sorter placed on a core of the optical fiber.

Abstract: A method of manipulating an electron beam is disclosed. The method comprises transmitting the beam through a phase mask selected to spatially modulate a phase of the beam over a cross-section thereof.

Abstract: A method of detecting a target within a population of molecules comprising: contacting a plurality of labeled probe molecules with the population of molecules potentially containing a target of the probe molecules; acquiring a probe specific signal emitted by said labeled probe molecules that bound to said target together with a background signal; preferentially modulating said probe specific signal by at least one of modulating said acquisition and modulating an emission of said probe specific signal; and detecting said probe specific signal over said background signal using said preferential modulation.

Abstract: A method of detecting a target within a population of molecules comprising: contacting a plurality of labeled probe molecules with the population of molecules potentially containing a target of the probe molecules; acquiring a probe specific signal emitted by said labeled probe molecules that bound to said target together with a background signal; preferentially modulating said probe specific signal by at least one of modulating said acquisition and modulating an emission of said probe specific signal; and detecting said probe specific signal over said background signal using said preferential modulation.

Abstract: A method of manipulating an electron beam is disclosed. The method comprises transmitting the beam through a phase mask selected to spatially modulate a phase of the beam over a cross-section thereof.

Abstract: A method of manipulating an electron beam is disclosed. The method comprises transmitting the beam through a phase mask selected to spatially modulate a phase of the beam over a cross-section thereof.

Abstract: A method of detecting a target within a population of molecules comprising: contacting a plurality of labeled probe molecules with the population of molecules potentially containing a target of the probe molecules; acquiring a probe specific signal emitted by said labeled probe molecules that bound to said target together with a background signal; preferentially modulating said probe specific signal by at least one of modulating said acquisition and modulating an emission of said probe specific signal; and detecting said probe specific signal over said background signal using said preferential modulation.

Abstract: A method of detecting a target within a population of molecules comprising: contacting a plurality of labeled probe molecules with the population of molecules potentially containing a target of the probe molecules; acquiring a probe specific signal emitted by said labeled probe molecules that bound to said target together with a background signal; preferentially modulating said probe specific signal by at least one of modulating said acquisition and modulating an emission of said probe specific signal; and detecting said probe specific signal over said background signal using said preferential modulation.

Abstract: A method of manipulating an electron beam is disclosed. The method comprises transmitting the beam through a phase mask selected to spatially modulate a phase of the beam over a cross-section thereof.

Abstract: A scanning charged particle beam apparatus is described. The scanning charged particle beam apparatus includes a charged particle beam source configured for generating a primary charged particle beam; an objective lens configured for forming a probe on a specimen; a scanning deflection assembly configured for scanning the probe over a surface of the specimen; and an aberration correction aperture, wherein the aberration correction aperture includes an aperture body having a transparent aperture portion configured for having the primary charged particle beam pass through the transparent aperture portion; and a membrane portion including a solid material, wherein the membrane portion is provided at the transparent aperture portion and wherein the membrane portion is configured for having the primary charged particle beam pass through the solid material, wherein the membrane portion has a varying thickness.

Abstract: A method and system for beam shaping employing a non-collinear quasi phase-matched interaction in a crystal whose nonlinear coefficient was encoded by a computer generated hologram is provided herein. The same axis is used for both satisfying the phase-matching requirements and encoding the holographic information. This allows one-dimensional beam shaping using a very simple to fabricate nonlinear crystal pattern and two-dimensional beam shaping with high conversion efficiency. Both are demonstrated by converting a fundamental Gaussian beam into Hermite-Gaussian and Laguerre-Gaussian beams at the second harmonic in KTiOPO4 and stoichiometric lithium tantalate. The suggested scheme enables broad wavelength tuning by simply tilting the crystal.

Abstract: A method of detecting a target within a population of molecules comprising: contacting a plurality of labeled probe molecules with the population of molecules potentially containing a target of the probe molecules; acquiring a probe specific signal emitted by said labeled probe molecules that bound to said target together with a background signal; preferentially modulating said probe specific signal by at least one of modulating said acquisition and modulating an emission of said probe specific signal; and detecting said probe specific signal over said background signal using said preferential modulation.

Abstract: A system and method for improving conversion efficiency of a difference frequency generator (DFG) and/or for outputting a desired shape of the output signal, where the method includes providing a pump source, modifying the pump pulse temporal shape for optimal DFG conversion efficiency, and providing the modified pump pulse to the DFG. The pump source may be, for example, a MOPA laser or a diode or any other suitable source. In one embodiment, the pump pulse shape is modified such that an initial gain within the DFG is high, followed by a lower level signal for efficient conversion within the DFG. An example of such a shape is a double square pulse. Other configurations are possible as well such as a single rectangular pulse shape.

Abstract: A method (800) of detecting a target within a population of molecules comprising: contacting a plurality of labeled probe molecules with the population of molecules potentially containing a target of the probe molecules (810); acquiring a probe specific signal emitted by said labeled probe molecules that bound to said target together with a background signal (820); modulating said probe specific signal by at least one of modulating said acquisition and modulating an emission of said probe specific signal (830); and detecting said probe specific signal over said background signal using said preferential modulation (840). The target comprises one or more molecule type selected from the group consisting of a nucleic acid sequence, an amino acid sequence, a carbohydrate sequence, an ion and a feature of a protein determined by non-primary structure. The probe specific signal may be a fluorescent signal.

Abstract: A cA crystal configured to change a frequency of a laser through an optical parametric oscillation (OPO) process and a difference frequency generation (DFG) process is provided. The crystal includes: an OPO-DFG segment that is quasi-periodically poled to yield (i) a conversion of a laser pump light applied thereto, to a first signal and an idler, and (ii) a conversion of a first signal applied thereto, to a second signal and to the idler, by phase-matching a difference frequency generation (DFG) process and an OPO process therein simultaneously, wherein the laser pump light has a frequency that equals a sum of a frequency of the first signal and a frequency of the idler and wherein the frequency of the first signal equals a sum of a frequency of the second signal and the frequency of the idler.

Abstract: A cA crystal configured to change a frequency of a laser through an optical parametric oscillation (OPO) process and a difference frequency generation (DFG) process is provides. The crystal includes: an OPO/DFG segment that is quasi-periodically poled to yield (i) a conversion of a pump light applied thereto, to a first signal and an idler, and (ii) a conversion of a first signal applied thereto, to a second signal and to an idler signal, by phase-matching a difference frequency generation (DFG) process and an OPO process therein simultaneously, wherein the pump light has a frequency that equals a sum of a frequency of the first signal and a frequency of the idler and wherein the frequency of the first signal equals a sum of a frequency of the second signal and the frequency of idler.

Abstract: A system and method for improving conversion efficiency of a difference frequency generator (DFG) and/or for outputting a desired shape of the output signal, where the method includes providing a pump source, modifying the pump pulse temporal shape for optimal DFG conversion efficiency, and providing the modified pump pulse to the DFG. The pump source may be, for example, a MOPA laser or a diode or any other suitable source. In one embodiment, the pump pulse shape is modified such that an initial gain within the DFG is high, followed by a lower level signal for efficient conversion within the DFG. An example of such a shape is a double square pulse. Other configurations are possible as well such as a single rectangular pulse shape.

Abstract: A method (800) of detecting a target within a population of molecules comprising: contacting a plurality of labeled probe molecules with the population of molecules potentially containing a target of the probe molecules (810); acquiring a probe specific signal emitted by said labeled probe molecules that bound to said target together with a background signal (820); modulating said probe specific signal by at least one of modulating said acquisition and modulating an emission of said probe specific signal (830); and detecting said probe specific signal over said background signal using said preferential modulation (840). The target comprises one or more molecule type selected from the group consisting of a nucleic acid sequence, an amino acid sequence, a carbohydrate sequence, an ion and a feature of a protein determined by non-primary structure. The probe specific signal may be a fluorescent signal.