Abstract: The present invention relates to systems and methods for quantitative three-dimensional mapping of refractive index in living or non-living cells, tissues, or organisms using a phase-shifting laser interferometric microscope with variable illumination angle. A preferred embodiment provides tomographic imaging of cells and multicellular organisms, and time-dependent changes in cell structure and the quantitative characterization of specimen-induced aberrations in high-resolution microscopy with multiple applications in tissue light scattering.

Abstract: The present invention relates to systems and methods for quantitative three-dimensional mapping of refractive index in living or non-living cells, tissues, or organisms using a phase-shifting laser interferometric microscope with variable illumination angle. A preferred embodiment provides tomographic imaging of cells and multicellular organisms, and time-dependent changes in cell structure and the quantitative characterization of specimen-induced aberrations in high-resolution microscopy with multiple applications in tissue light scattering.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of time gated scattered light, for determining the location and composition of material within various organs of the human body. The systems and methods of the present invention provide for medical imaging in three dimensions of internal body structures for diagnostic purposes.

Abstract: In a single-atom microlaser, a pair of opposed reflectors define a high-finesse or "high-Q" optical cavity therebetween. A source delivers a stream of multiple-energy-level atoms or particles into the cavity. Each individual atom in the stream is excited by a pump from a lower energy level to an upper energy level before injection into the cavity. The cavity resonance frequency is substantially matched to the frequency of a photon emitted by each atom as it enters the cavity. The photon is emitted due to a transition in energy between the upper level and lower level of each atom. In this manner, upon entry of a sequence of individual atoms into the cavity for example, the average number of photons resonating in the cavity exceeds one and the average number of atoms in the cavity is less than one. The photons are sustained in the high-Q cavity for a long enough time period such that the photon field interacts with the next atom in the stream.