Abstract: A system and method of selectively fastening a substrate to a limited travel staging system are disclosed. In accordance with one aspect of a substrate holder, a securing mechanism may be manually or automatically moved in a repeatable manner such that a selected region of a substrate can be moved into the precision travel range of a highly accurate staging system. Some embodiments of a substrate holder may comprise an indexing system enabling referenced movements such that one or more selected substrate regions may be moved relative to the stage.

Abstract: A fluorescence microscopy system and method allow selective and repeatable switching between Köhler illumination, providing a relatively large field of view, and Critical Illumination, providing a relatively higher axial resolution. This switching or toggle function may be facilitated by a feature associated with an alignment module that allows the focus of the fiber tip, for example, to be selectively and repeatably transitioned between the back aperture of the objective lens and the object plane without losing optical alignment.

Abstract: In one embodiment a bundle of optic fibers of different lengths are inserted through the case wall of a solid fuel or a hybrid rocket motor and extends through the wall of the fuel grain to the edge of the bore in center thereof. As the grain burns in a normal manner, from the center toward the outer periphery of the case, the bright flame of ignition is seen at the end of the fiber optic fiber adjacent to the flame. The length of each fiber in the bundle is used to determine the burn rate and amount of grain left to ignite. In another embodiment different length fibers of a bundle are looped into the grain and back to the exterior of the case and light emitting diodes are positioned at one end of each fiber with a light-detecting means at the other end. The light through the diodes is monitored to detect a no-light condition which exists when a fiber is destroyed by the burn. In yet another embodiment a single optic fiber is used with a light source and a light reception means at one end.