Abstract: A cavity ring-down spectrometer having a light-conveying structure, a mirror and an isolator. The structure may form a resonator cavity, and the resonator cavity may include a sample sub-cavity and a mirror sub-cavity. A preconcentrator medium may be within a sample sub-cavity, and the medium may adsorb a sample substance entering the sample sub-cavity. A heater may heat the medium to desorb the sample through which a light can propagate. The mirror may be within the mirror sub-cavity, and the mirror may direct light through the mirror sub-cavity and the sample sub-cavity. The isolator may reduce, inhibit or prevent the sample substance in the sample sub-cavity from entering the mirror sub-cavity and affecting the mirror in the mirror sub-cavity.

Abstract: A mesotube apparatus is disclosed which includes a header insulator in order to avoid premature breakdown at lower voltage that occurs between a cathode and an anode in a discharge assembly. A chamber can be mounted on a header base and can be located away from plasma surrounded with dielectric so that breakdown occurs outside the normal voltage operating range. A number of feed-through pins associated with the header base can be electrically isolated from the header base by a dielectric insulator. The dielectric insulator can also be placed over the header base and topside of the chamber in order to passivate from stray electrons and plasma. The header base can be thin which allows welding of the anode and the cathode to the feed-through pins with a weld tool attached to the side of the feed-through pins. The chamber can be located on the header base by tightly fitting to the feed-through pins.

Abstract: Devices and method for photo acoustically detecting a gas are disclosed. In one illustrative embodiment, a gas sensor includes an optical cavity defined by one or more optical segments separating at least two mirrors. A photo acoustic cell, configured to receive a gas from the surrounding environment, is provided at least partially within one or more of the optical segments of the optical cavity. One of the at least two mirrors is configured to couple electromagnetic radiation into the optical cavity and to interact with the gas. A detector is acoustically coupled to the photo acoustic cell to detect absorption of the electromagnetic radiation by the gas.

Abstract: A system includes a plurality of optical resonators, a light source, an optical fiber that couples the plurality of optical resonators to the light source, and a detector that is coupled to the plurality of optical resonators. The detector is configured to detect an energy in the plurality of optical resonators.

Abstract: A cavity ring-down sensor having an optical path of mirrors and an interface proximate to a mirror with a normal incidence optical fiber coupling. The interface may be a block of transmissive materials having different indices of refraction for receiving a light beam of normal incidence from an optical fiber and directing the beam into the optical path. The sensor may be used applications where the optical fiber needs to be straight into the sensor without unusual bending because of space limitations. One application of this sensor may be for ground water testing via a narrow well casing.

Abstract: A toxic gas sensor or device which is a cavity ring-down spectroscopy device having two or more mirror components. Each of the mirror components has two Brewster windows attached to it. The Brewster windows are resistant to toxic gases and together with the respective mirror form a hermetically sealed volume for the mirror surface to protect it from the environment or test gases. The Brewster windows may have a heating mechanism to remove contaminants, condensation, and provide temperature stabilization and other beneficial features.

Abstract: An approach for obtaining a transducer mirror structure made from silicon. The structure may have a center portion and a perimeter portion that have an attachment between them which is made flexible after certain etching between the two portions. The attachment may be a web of links or legs. A force applied to the center portion at one end of the structure may cause the center portion to move relative to the perimeter portion. A piezo electric transducer or actuator may be attached to apply the force. An oxide layer, a thin layer of silicon and a mirror may be formed on the other end of the structure. The web of links or legs between the center and the perimeter portions may be established with an RIE etch of gaps through the structure to the oxide layer and an undercutting of the gaps with a KOH etch.

Abstract: A gas sensor is provided for detecting one or more gases in a gas sample. The gas sensor includes a substrate, a solid electrolyte layer including lanthanum oxide for sensing carbon dioxide, a heating element thermally coupled to the solid electrolyte layer, and a controller coupled to the heating element and the solid electrolyte layer. The controller heats the heating element so that the solid electrolyte layer reaches an operating. Methods of sensing carbon dioxide and humidity are also disclosed.

Abstract: A metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) device includes a substrate, a lower sacrificial membrane adjacent to the substrate, an upper thin film structure adjacent to the lower membrane, and a MOS material deposited on the upper thin film structure.

Abstract: The invention is a method and apparatus capable of detecting constituents of a gas at extremely low concentrations comprising providing a medium that is absorbent of at least a first particular gas under a first environmental condition and desorbent of the particular gas under a second environmental condition, exposing the medium to a sample gas for a first period of time under the first environmental condition, during a second period of time after the first period of time, exposing the medium to the second environmental condition to cause the medium to desorb gas into an optical cavity of a cavity ring down spectrometer and introducing electromagnetic radiation into the cavity, during a third period of time after the second period of time, ceasing introduction of the electromagnetic radiation into the cavity and detecting the decay of the electromagnetic radiation in the cavity, and analyzing the decay of the light in the cavity to obtain a spectral analysis of the sample gas.

Abstract: An optical system having a closed loop light path with a source for providing light in a direction parallel to the normal of an input to the light path. The light may be provided via a refracting mechanism to the input. The system may be a cavity ring-down sensor or some other optical device. The light path may be formed in a laser gyroscope type cavity. A light source may have a beam aligned to a spot, indicator or indicator or mark may be determined in accordance with parameters of the refracting mechanism and/or cavity. A fixture for holding the light source may be secured so that placement of the source in the fixture will automatically result in an aligned light source. Then the refracting mechanism may be inserted to further complete fabrication of the optical system.

Abstract: A cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS) mirror is constructed to resist migration of a maximum reflectance peak during use where the CRDS mirror may become accreted with contamination that would otherwise cause the maximum reflectance peak to migrate. The mirror includes a mirror stack disposed on a mirror substrate and a plurality of alternating laminates including a first film with a first index of refraction and a second film with a second index of refraction. Each film is a one-quarter wavelength thickness of a given light energy that is to illuminate the mirror. A subsequent laminate is disposed on the plurality of alternating laminates. The subsequent laminate includes a quarter wavelength thickness first film and a second film with a wavelength thickness in a range from greater than 1.5 quarter wavelength and less than 2 quarter wavelength.

Abstract: A system having a multiple-mirror ring-down cavity with one mirror where light may be input into the cavity and light from the cavity may be detected. A valve may permit light to enter or not to enter the cavity. An amplifier may be connected to a detector for detecting light from the cavity. The amplifier may be off or set at a low gain when light is entering the cavity and be on at a medium or high gain at a time when light is not entering the cavity.

Abstract: A system having a flow channel for conveying a sample and having fluid light guides for projecting light to the sample target area and collecting light from the sample target area. The system may have fluid light guides on or off the card containing the flow channel. Accurate alignment may be provided by the fluid light guides in lieu of requiring precise alignment for the light source and detectors. The flow channel may be part of a cytometer system.

Abstract: An apparatus for assembling an electronic device is disclosed, which includes one or more grid holders for maintaining one or more grids in association with a plurality of conducting components positioned perpendicular to the grid(s). One or more insulating components are also provided for mounting and supporting the conducting components. The grid holder(s) can be pushed onto the conducting components in order to eliminate the need for applying spot weld currents to the conducting components and thereby provide a weldless assembly apparatus for the precise construction of an electronic device.

Abstract: Detection systems and methods for capturing and analyzing particles within a particle sample are provided. The detection system may include, for example, a particle concentrator that can be used to collect and concentrate particles on a sample collection surface, an energy source for providing energy to induce fluorescence in the particles, and a detector for detecting at least some fluorescence induced in the particles by the energy source. The detection system may include a heater and/or cooler for controlling the temperature of the particle sample during testing.

Abstract: A UV flame sensor for detecting a run-on condition in a flame detector tube is disclosed. The UV flame sensor comprises a pair of secondary electrodes that are enclosed in a mesotube to form a breakdown chamber in order to detect the run-on condition. These secondary electrodes are exposed to UV through an aperture in a cathode plate and are energized continuously by a lower voltage. The mesotube is expected to break down when the run-on condition occurs. The secondary electrodes can be placed in the same gas environment as the main electrodes that may take different forms, shapes and locations.

Abstract: A multispectral imaging array system and method of forming the same. A substrate and a group of antennas can be located with respect to one another on the substrate, such that respective gaps are formed between each antenna group and wherein different antenna sizes may be used for different spectral ranges. Additionally, one or more nanowires can be located within one or more gaps among the respective gaps, such that the nanowires in communication with the antennas and the substrate comprise a multispectral imaging system in which the use of the nanowire(s) decreases the thermal time constant and therefore the read out rate from the antennas while decreasing the ambient gas cooling speed relative to the read out rate to increase the manufacturability of the multispectral imaging array system.

Abstract: A surface enhanced Raman scatter (SERS) analyte analyzer. The analyzer has floating surfaces for enhancement of the Raman scattered light from sample molecules. An injector may provide a spray of charged nanoparticles suspended in droplets of an evaporable solution into a chamber. When the solution quickly evaporates, droplets of nanoparticles are left without a supporting solution. These droplets or cloud of charged nanoparticles may then explode into a dispersion or aerosol. The charged nanoparticles may attract molecules of a sample for attachment to their surfaces. A laser light may impinge the attached molecules which may result in surface enhanced Raman scattered light received by a detector or a light spectrometer. Wavelength signatures may then be obtained from the spectrometer. The signatures may provide information about the molecules.

Abstract: A method and system for groundwater contaminant monitoring is described. Groundwater is pumped to a stage above the groundwater table where at least a portion of the groundwater is vaporized. The vapor is sampled using cavity ring down spectrometer and the measured vapor concentration of a contaminant is converted to a liquid contaminant concentration.