Abstract: A tunable laser has a solid state laser medium with optical gain region and generates coherent radiation through a facet. A lens collects the coherent radiation and generates a collimated light beam. An external cavity includes a reflective surface and an optical filter, the reflective surface reflecting the collimated beam back to the lens and laser medium, the optical filter positioned between the reflective surface and the lens and having two surfaces and a thermally tunable optical transmission band within the optical gain region of the laser medium. The optical filter (1) transmits a predominant portion of the collimated beam at a desired wavelength of operation, and (2) specularly reflects a remaining portion of the collimated beam from each surface, the collimated beam being incident on the optical filter such that the reflected collimated beams propagate at a non-zero angle with respect to the incident collimated beam.

Abstract: A microfluidic analyzer includes optical sources and optical detectors, the sources generating optical beams, and a multi-chamber fluid cell mounted for relative movement of the fluid cell and the beams to selectively align fluid chambers with beam paths for obtaining optical-response measurements. The cell is configured to reduce differential optical-response measurement between fluid chambers not attributed to a differential analyte in chamber fluids. A controller (1) generates actuator control signals to produce the relative movement of the fluid cell and beams through a sequence of measurement positions, (2) for each measurement position, obtains a set of detector output values, and (3) applies processing to the detector output values to obtain differential optical-response measurements for characterizing a differential analyte between chamber fluids of the cell.

Abstract: A tunable laser has a solid state laser medium with optical gain region and generates coherent radiation through a facet. A lens collects the coherent radiation and generates a collimated light beam. An external cavity includes a reflective surface and an optical filter, the reflective surface reflecting the collimated beam back to the lens and laser medium, the optical filter positioned between the reflective surface and the lens and having two surfaces and a thermally tunable optical transmission band within the optical gain region of the laser medium. The optical filter (1) transmits a predominant portion of the collimated beam at a desired wavelength of operation, and (2) specularly reflects a remaining portion of the collimated beam from each surface, the collimated beam being incident on the optical filter such that the reflected collimated beams propagate at a non-zero angle with respect to the incident collimated beam.

Abstract: A tunable laser has a solid state laser medium with optical gain region and generates coherent radiation through a facet. A lens collects the coherent radiation and generates a collimated light beam. An external cavity includes a reflective surface and an optical filter, the reflective surface reflecting the collimated beam back to the lens and laser medium, the optical filter positioned between the reflective surface and the lens and having two surfaces and a thermally tunable optical transmission band within the optical gain region of the laser medium. The optical filter (1) transmits a predominant portion of the collimated beam at a desired wavelength of operation, and (2) specularly reflects a remaining portion of the collimated beam from each surface, the collimated beam being incident on the optical filter such that the reflected collimated beams propagate at a non-zero angle with respect to the incident collimated beam.

Abstract: A tunable laser has a solid state laser medium with optical gain region and generates coherent radiation through a facet. A lens collects the coherent radiation and generates a collimated light beam. An external cavity includes a reflective surface and an optical filter, the reflective surface reflecting the collimated beam back to the lens and laser medium, the optical filter positioned between the reflective surface and the lens and having two surfaces and a thermally tunable optical transmission band within the optical gain region of the laser medium. The optical filter (1) transmits a predominant portion of the collimated beam at a desired wavelength of operation, and (2) specularly reflects a remaining portion of the collimated beam from each surface, the collimated beam being incident on the optical filter such that the reflected collimated beams propagate at a non-zero angle with respect to the incident collimated beam.

Abstract: A tunable laser has a solid state laser medium having an optical gain region and generates coherent radiation through a facet. A lens collects the coherent radiation and generates a collimated light beam. Components of an external cavity include a reflective surface and an optical filter, the reflective surface reflecting the collimated beam back to the lens and the laser medium, the optical filter positioned between the reflective surface and the lens and having two surfaces with a thermally tunable optical transmission band within the optical gain region of the laser medium. The optical filter (1) transmits a predominant portion of the collimated beam at a desired wavelength of operation, and (2) specularly reflects a remaining portion of the collimated beam from each surface, the collimated beam being incident on the optical filter such that the reflected collimated beams propagate at a non-zero angle with respect to the incident collimated beam.

Abstract: A fluid analyzer for analysis of analyte bearing fluids includes an optical source and an optical transducer defining a beam path of an optical beam; a fluid flow cell with a fluid channel, wherein an interrogation region is defined in which the optical beam interacts with the fluids resulting in transducer output signals; and a controller configured and operative to control operation of the fluid analyzer. In one example the fluid analyzer is controlled to (1) combine a third fluid with the first or second fluid, (2) conduct the first fluid and second fluid through the interrogation region in first and second intervals respectively, (3) measure the transducer output signals during the first and second time intervals, and (4) determine, from the transducer output signals measurement, values of the first and second fluids and an indication of a physical property of the first fluid.

Abstract: A tunable laser has a solid state laser medium having an optical gain region and generates coherent radiation through a facet. A lens collects the coherent radiation and generates a collimated light beam. Components of an external cavity include a reflective surface and an optical filter, the reflective surface reflecting the collimated beam back to the lens and the laser medium, the optical filter positioned between the reflective surface and the lens and having two surfaces with a thermally tunable optical transmission band within the optical gain region of the laser medium. The optical filter (1) transmits a predominant portion of the collimated beam at a desired wavelength of operation, and (2) specularly reflects a remaining portion of the collimated beam from each surface, the collimated beam being incident on the optical filter such that the reflected collimated beams propagate at a non-zero angle with respect to the incident collimated beam.

Abstract: A tunable laser has a solid state laser medium having an optical gain region and generates coherent radiation through a facet. A lens collects the coherent radiation and generates a collimated light beam. Components of an external cavity include a reflective surface and an optical filter, the reflective surface reflecting the collimated beam back to the lens and the laser medium, the optical filter positioned between the reflective surface and the lens and having two surfaces with a thermally tunable optical transmission band within the optical gain region of the laser medium. The optical filter (1) transmits a predominant portion of the collimated beam at a desired wavelength of operation, and (2) specularly reflects a remaining portion of the collimated beam from each surface, the collimated beam being incident on the optical filter such that the reflected collimated beams propagate at a non-zero angle with respect to the incident collimated beam.

Abstract: A tunable laser has a solid state laser medium having an optical gain region and generates coherent radiation through a facet. A lens collects the coherent radiation and generates a collimated light beam. Components of an external cavity include a reflective surface and an optical filter, the reflective surface reflecting the collimated beam back to the lens and the laser medium, the optical filter positioned between the reflective surface and the lens and having two surfaces with a thermally tunable optical transmission band within the optical gain region of the laser medium. The optical filter (1) transmits a predominant portion of the collimated beam at a desired wavelength of operation, and (2) specularly reflects a remaining portion of the collimated beam from each surface, the collimated beam being incident on the optical filter such that the reflected collimated beams propagate at a non-zero angle with respect to the incident collimated beam.

Abstract: A tunable laser has a solid state laser medium having an optical gain region and generates coherent radiation through a facet. A lens collects the coherent radiation and generates a collimated light beam. Components of an external cavity include a reflective surface and an optical filter, the reflective surface reflecting the collimated beam back to the lens and the laser medium, the optical filter positioned between the reflective surface and the lens and having two surfaces with a thermally tunable optical transmission band within the optical gain region of the laser medium. The optical filter (1) transmits a predominant portion of the collimated beam at a desired wavelength of operation, and (2) specularly reflects a remaining portion of the collimated beam from each surface, the collimated beam being incident on the optical filter such that the reflected collimated beams propagate at a non-zero angle with respect to the incident collimated beam.

Abstract: A tunable laser has a solid state laser medium having an optical gain region and generates coherent radiation through a facet. A lens collects the coherent radiation and generates a collimated light beam. Components of an external cavity include a reflective surface and an optical filter, the reflective surface reflecting the collimated beam back to the lens and the laser medium, the optical filter positioned between the reflective surface and the lens and having two surfaces with a thermally tunable optical transmission band within the optical gain region of the laser medium. The optical filter (1) transmits a predominant portion of the collimated beam at a desired wavelength of operation, and (2) specularly reflects a remaining portion of the collimated beam from each surface, the collimated beam being incident on the optical filter such that the reflected collimated beams propagate at a non-zero angle with respect to the incident collimated beam.

Abstract: An optical device including: a glass substrate; a crystalline silicon layer bonded to the glass substrate; and a thermally tunable thin-film optical filter fabricated on top of the crystalline silicon layer.

Abstract: An apparatus for depositing films on a substrate, the apparatus including: a plasma deposition chamber having a first electrode and a second electrode that defines a target plane in which the substrate is held during deposition, and wherein during deposition a plasma is sustained between the first and second electrodes, said deposition chamber also including an input window and an output window; and a monitoring system which includes a light source and an optical detector, both located outside of the deposition chamber, said optical monitoring system also including an optical system that directs a beam from the light source through the input window and into the deposition chamber as a measurement beam, wherein the measurement beam arrives at the target plane along a path that is approximately normal to the target plane and wherein during operation said measurement beam interacts with the substrate to generate a return measurement beam that passes from the substrate out of the chamber through the output window