Abstract: Device for detecting a gas having an excitation device for exciting the gas by an electromagnetic wave having a wavelength corresponding approximately to that of the gas; and a detection device for detecting the excitation of the gas, the detection device having a waveguide connected to the excitation device, a part of which forms a movable element designed to be in contact with the gas and capable of being set into vibration by the impact of the excited gas molecules; and a measurement sensor, for measuring the vibration of the element, the measurement sensor and the element forming the detection device.

Abstract: Device for detecting a gas, comprising: excitation means, for exciting said gas by means of an electromagnetic wave having a wavelength corresponding approximately to that of said gas; and detection means, for detecting the excitation of said gas, characterized in that it comprises: a waveguide (1) connected to said excitation means, a part (11) of which forms a movable element designed to be in contact with said gas and capable of being set into vibration by the impact of the excited gas molecules; and a measurement sensor (4), for measuring the vibration of said element, said measurement sensor and said element forming said detection means.

Abstract: The invention relates to the field of optical information recording. In order to prevent abusive or fraudulent use of storage media, the invention provides a process for intentional degradation of information by application of a laser power below the normal power for reading information recorded in super-resolution on the media. This process relies on the surprising observation that a laser power below the super-resolution read power produces an irreversible degradation of the information recorded. This observation has been made with regard to media composed of a three-layer structure comprising an InSb or GaSb layer between two ZnS/SiO2 layers. Application for protecting sensitive data.

Abstract: The invention relates to optical information storage. According to the invention, what is provided is a high-resolution optical information storage structure, comprising a substrate (10) provided with physical marks, the geometric configuration of which defines the information recorded, a superposition of three layers over the top of the marks on the substrate, and a transparent protective layer over the top of this superposition, the superposition comprising an indium antimonide or gallium antimonide layer (14) inserted between two ZnS/SiO2 dielectric layers (12, 16). The information may be prerecorded in the substrate with a resolution (in terms of size and space) better than the theoretical read resolution permitted by the wavelength of the read laser. The non-linearity in behaviour of the three-layer superposition allows the information to be read if the laser power is well chosen.

Abstract: The invention concerns a device for enhancing fluorescence comprising a support (10) carrying fluorescence enhancement means (11), the fluorescence enhancement means offering a reception surface for chemical or biological elements intended to be read by detection of a fluorescence signal emitted by a fluorophore, associated with the chemical or biological elements, under the effect of an excitation light beam. The fluorescence enhancement means (11) is made up of a thin, transparent, dielectric layer or a stack of thin, transparent, dielectric layers (12 to 16) ensuring a mirror function for the fluorescence signal and excitation light beam, the material of the thin layer or of each thin layer of the stack being chosen from among the following materials: TiO2, Ta2O5, HfO2, ZrO2, MgO, SiO2, Si3N4, MgF2 and YF3. The fluorescence enhancement device may be used for a biological or chemical optic sensor.

Abstract: A surface plasmon microsensor or a nanosensor for chemical or biological species including pads distributed on the surface of a support, the pads including an electrically conductive material and being capable of immobilizing the chemical or biological species. The pads have a dimension less than 1 ?m.

Abstract: A method for controlling directly and in real time positioning of a biological element on a zone of a support, in which the biological element is labeled with a tracer that emits a light radiation and the zone of the support is located in a layer of a material capable of trapping the light radiation. The biological element is positioned on the zone of the support. The intensity of the light radiation trapped in the layer is measured. The positioning of the biological element is determined by comparing the intensity thus measured with at least one reference value. The above operations can be carried out successively or simultaneously. A device can apply the method to the positioning of one or more biological elements on one or more zones of a support.

Abstract: A device for measuring the dimensional or structural characteristics of an object. A detector forms an optical Fourier transform image of an elemental surface of the object in an image focal plane. A processor produces data relating to at least one dimensional and/or structural characteristic of the object from the information provided by the detector.

Abstract: The invention relates to the field of optical information recording. In order to prevent abusive or fraudulent use of storage media, the invention provides a process for intentional degradation of information by application of a laser power below the normal power for reading information recorded in super-resolution on the media. This process relies on the surprising observation that a laser power below the super-resolution read power produces an irreversible degradation of the information recorded. This observation has been made with regard to media composed of a three-layer structure comprising an InSb or GaSb layer between two ZnS/SiO2 layers. Application for protecting sensitive data.

Abstract: A method and a device, using a system of plural cavity resonators, enabling to measure the light absorption or diffusion of biological samples. A measurement of low absorption or diffusion can be achieved and for example be applied for measuring the hybridization of DNA strands.

Abstract: A method for controlling directly and in real time positioning of a biological element on a zone of a support, in which the biological element is labeled with a tracer that emits a light radiation and the zone of the support is located in a layer of a material capable of trapping the light radiation. The biological element is positioned on the zone of the support. The intensity of the light radiation trapped in the layer is measured. The positioning of the biological element is determined by comparing the intensity thus measured with at least one reference value. The above operations can be carried out successively or simultaneously. A device can apply the method to the positioning of one or more biological elements on one or more zones of a support.

Abstract: A surface plasmon microsensor or a nanosensor for chemical or biological species including pads distributed on the surface of a support, the pads including an electrically conductive material and being capable of immobilizing the chemical or biological species. The pads have a dimension less than 1 ?m.

Abstract: A device for measuring the dimensional or structural characteristics of an object. A detector forms an optical Fourier transform image of an elemental surface of the object in an image focal plane. A processor produces data relating to at least one dimensional and/or structural characteristic of the object from the information provided by the detector.

Abstract: The invention relates to a biochip support comprising a substrate supporting at least one porous layer of material on a first face, the said layer being designed to fix biological molecules onto the said layer and in the volume of this layer, the said support being characterized in that the said layer is a thin optical layer of material prepared by the sol-gel method and for which the refraction index is less than the refraction index of the substrate. The invention also relates to a process grafting of biological molecules onto and into the thin layer of material prepared by the sol-gel method on the first face of the biochip support.

Abstract: A process for characterizing, quantifying or mapping a nucleic acid or a nitrogenous base fixed on a support by using a photothermal (mirage effect) method. An improved process for manufacturing a nucleic acid biochip on which at least one nucleic acid synthesized in situ is fixed. A device for implementing these processes.

Abstract: The invention relates to an analytical support for determining an analyte such as a DNA or RNA target, by carrying out a specific reaction of binding (hybridization) of said analyte with a ligand specific for this analyte, and determining the binding reaction by means of at least two fluorescent labels present on the analyte. This determination is carried out by applying an excitatory field and detecting the fluorescent emission of the various fluorescent labels. According to the invention, the support comprises a substrate coated with one or more layers of material(s) forming an assembly capable of decreasing or increasing the excitatory field for at least one of the fluorescent labels compared to the others. The ligands are attached to the final layer of the assembly. A layer of SiO2 on a substrate of silicon can be used with the fluorescent labels Cy3 and Cy5.

Abstract: The present invention proposes a method as well as a device enabling in particular the absorption or the light diffusion of biological samples to be measured. It enables the measurement of low absorption or diffusion and can for example be applied for measuring the hybridization of DNA strands.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a substrate coated with a transparent organic film, to a process for the manufacture of this substrate coated with the transparent organic film and to its use. The substrate coated with a film is characterized in that the film is an electrical insulator organic polymer which is transparent in at least one wavelength range and in that the said film is combined with a label which emits at least in the said wavelength range. It has an application in particular in a means for the detection of a chemical entity, for example a biochip, in a process for the quality control, a process for the certification or a process for the authentication of an object.

Abstract: A device and process for the amplification of fluorescence emitted by an areal sample. The device includes a support transmitting all or part of a fluorescence signal and configured to support the areal sample and a thin layer interposed between the support and the areal sample. The thin layer has a refractive index greater than the refractive index of the support and than the refractive index of a medium flooding the areal sample during a fluorescence measurement. The thickness of the thin layer is chosen so that the thin layer transmits all or part of the fluorescence signal which is measured after passing through the support.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for detection of a molecular recognition reaction without labelling and a device for using this method. This invention concerns the general field of detection and analysis of molecular recognition between a first and a second molecule, for example a biological molecule. The method of the present invention consists of the detection of the molecular recognition by a photothermal method.