Abstract: A device for optically examining the interior of a body part by transillumination is provided. The device comprises: an illumination unit (2) adapted for emitting polarized light (8) towards a body part (5) to be examined; and a detector unit (6) adapted for detecting light in transmission. A polarizer (10) is arranged in front of the detector unit (6).

Abstract: A system and method is described for detecting a plurality of analytes in a sample. The characterization system (100) comprises an aperture array (108) and a lens array (110) for generating and focusing a plurality of excitation sub-beams on different sub-regions of a substrate. These sub-regions can be provided with different binding sites for binding different analytes in the sample. By detecting the different luminescent responses in a detector, the presence or amount of different analytes can be determined simultaneously. Alternatively or in addition thereto collection of the luminescence radiation can be performed using the lens array for directly collecting the luminescence response and for guiding the collected luminescence response to corresponding apertures.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the amplification and detection of amplified nucleic acid sequences employing methods and devices with distinct temperature zones. The methods and devices of the present invention may be used for quantitative analysis of target nucleic acid sequences, for simultaneous quantitative analysis of multiple target nucleic acid sequences or for analyzing a sample for the presence of a target nucleic acid.

Abstract: An illumination detection system comprises an excitation radiation source and associated radiation processing arrangement, and a focusing arrangement for focusing the excitation radiation from the radiation processing arrangement onto an analysis region of a sample. A radiation collection arrangement collects radiation from the analysis region of the sample resulting from the excitation, and a detector detects the collected radiation. The focused excitation radiation comprises an excitation line which is evanescent in the sample. This combines the advantages of line scanning (reduced analysis time) and evanescent excitation (reduced background signal) and therewith enables increased measurement speed and precision for point of care application.

Abstract: A detection system, comprising: a radiation source (24) for providing input radiation; a radiation focusing arrangement (26) for providing the input radiation to an analysis region of a sample (20);—a radiation collection (26) arrangement for collecting output radiation from the analysis region of the sample resulting from interaction of the input radiation with the sample; a radiation detector (28) for detecting the collected output radiation; operating means (40,50,60) for operating the detection device in a first detection mode and a second detection mode, wherein in the first detection mode the analysis has a first size and/or shape and wherein in the second detection mode the analysis region has a second size and/or shape that is different from the first size and/or shape.

Abstract: An optical beam shaper comprises a polarization-dependent phase adjustment member which applies a phase pattern of equal magnitude and opposite sign to two orthogonal polarization states. In a preferred embodiment the beamer shaper is a dif tractive element made of a birefringent material, such as a photo-polymerizable liquid crystal polymer frozen in a uniaxial alignment, said dif tractive element comprising a plurality of zones, each zone having a stepped thickness defining a plurality of steps. The beam shaper can be used to introduce astigmatism to a polarized light beam or to undo the astigmatism to a beam with an orthogonal polarization state. The beam shaper is advantageously used within a detection device, such as a fluorescence scanner.

Abstract: A detection system is described (100) for detecting luminescence sites on a substrate (6). The detection system (100) typically comprises an irradiation unit (102) for generating at least one excitation irradiation beam for exciting luminescence sites on the substrate (6). The at least one excitation irradiation beam may be a plurality of excitation irradiation beams. The detection system (100) also comprises a first optical element, e.g. refractive element (25), adapted for receiving at least two irradiation beams of different wavelengths or wavelength ranges, the at least two irradiation beams being excitation irradiation beam(s) to be focused on a substrate and/or luminescence irradiation beam(s) to be collected from the excited luminescence sites on the substrate (6). The detection system (100) also comprises an optical compensator for adjusting at least one of the at least two irradiation beams of different wavelengths or wavelength ranges so as to reduce or compensate for optical aberrations.

Abstract: A method and device are disclosed for writing data marks representing a sequence of channel bit values to an optical disc or a master disc along either one or more concentric or spiral data tracks or along at least one concentric or spiral metatrack consisting of two or more parallel concentric or spiral sub-tracks.