Abstract: An apparatus for enhanced transmission of radiation, comprising at least one radiation source (12), a metal plate (18) with a first (20) and a second (22) surface and at least one aperture (24) provided in the metal plate (18) and extending from the first (20) to the second (22) surface, the metal plate (18) having a periodic surface topography (26) provided on at least one of the first (20) and the second (22) surfaces, and radiation (13) coming from the radiation source (12) and being incident on one of the surfaces (20,22) of the metal plate (18) interacts with a surface plasmon mode on at least one of the surfaces of the metal plate (18), thereby enhancing transmission of radiation through the at least one aperture (24) of the metal plate (18).

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for localizing objects in turbid media. The device can be used for optical mammography. In optical mammography the interior of the part of the breast to be examined is imaged. The device includes a holder for receiving the part of the breast of a female. This holder is provided with light sources and photodetectors. The holder also contains a matching liquid in order to provide an optical coupling between the light sources and the part of the breast and as well as an optical coupling between the part of the breast and the photodetectors. In order to obtain such images, the part of the breast of a female to be examined is positioned in the holder and a resilient sealing ring is placed around the part of the breast and the upper side of the holder. The resilient sealing ring improves the filling of the holder with matching liquid, thus reducing imaging artefacts in the reconstructed images.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of localizing an object in a turbid medium. After measurement of the intensities for a plurality of light paths between the light sources and the detectors, the measured intensities are normalized. Subsequently, an image of the interior of the turbid medium is reconstructed on the basis of the measured intensities. In order to counteract artefacts in the reconstructed image, the combination includes a weighting factor which reduces the effect exerted on the reconstructed image by the measured intensities with a high noise factor in comparison with the effect exerted thereon by the measured intensities with a low noise factor.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of localizing an object in a turbid medium. After measurement of the intensities for a plurality of light paths between the light sources and the detectors, the measured intensities are normalized. Subsequently, an image of the interior of the turbid medium is reconstructed on the basis of the measured intensities. In order to counteract artefacts in the reconstructed image, the combination includes a weighting factor which reduces the effect exerted on the reconstructed image by the measured intensities with a high noise factor in comparison with the effect exerted thereon by the measured intensities with a low noise factor.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of localizing an object in a turbid medium. The invention also relates to a device for carrying out such a method. The method can be used in optical mammography during which a part of a breast of a female body is examined by means of light. To this end, the part of the breast is introduced into a holder of the device, said holder being provided with light sources and detectors. In order to realize an optical coupling between the light sources and the detectors and the breast, a calibration medium is introduced. After measurement of the intensities for a plurality of light paths between the light sources and the detectors, the measured intensity is normalized. In order to counteract artifacts which are caused by deviations of the optical properties of the calibration medium and the mean optical properties of the part of the breast, according to the invention the measured intensities are corrected prior to the reconstruction of the interior of the breast.

Abstract: A device for imaging a turbid medium, for example a breast of a female, includes a holder for receiving the turbid medium, a light source, a photodetector and a processing unit for deriving the image from the intensities measured. The holder is adapted to receive besides the turbid medium also an adaptation medium having substantial identical optical parameters as the optical parameters of the turbid medium. In this way artefacts in the reconstructed image due to the boundary effect between the turbid medium and the holder can be reduced. When a liquid is used as the adaptation medium a perfect match between the holder and the shape of the turbid medium can be obtained. Further, also intensity differences in the image due to different path lengths between light source and photodetector can be equalized.

Abstract: A device (700) for localizing an object (726) in a turbid medium (710) includes one light source (722) and two detectors (723,724), being symmetrically situated relatively to the light source (722), around a turbid medium (710). By applying a pulse modulated light source an optimal frequency could be determined to perform measurement at optimal sensitivity of the system. To enable a fast scanning system that could be used in for example mammography, a plurality of light sources (1209) and plurality of detectors (1201 to 1208) could be used. A processing system (105) selects then repetitively one light source (1209) and a different detector pairs, that are symmetrically situated relatively towards the light source (1209). Another embodiment that could be used in the mammography includes rotating mirrors (1303,1309) to scan a measuring space (1304) adapted to contains an object (1305), for example a human breast. The detector used in this embodiment includes a streak camera (1313).

Abstract: An electro-optical measurement device for the sampling of an electric signal (SI) in an electronic component by means of a radiation beam. Special embodiments of the electro-optic measurement device are described. An electro-optic sensor element is provided with an electrically conductive tip at one side and with an electrode at the other side, so that an absolute and calibrated measurement is possible. The measurement beam can be high-frequency pulsed with a pulse (Lp) per period of the test signal (SI). The pulse series is low-frequency modulated and the pulses exhibit, relative to the test signal, a constant phase relationship during the first half periods of the modulation signal and a varying phase relationship during the second half periods so that accurate and reliable measurement is possible.