Systems for measuring optical properties of a specimen are disclosed. The systems are configured to sample signals related to the measurement of the properties of a specimen, and perform software-based coherent detection of the signals to generate resulting measurements are based on the signals acquired at substantially the same time instance. This facilitates the displaying or generating of the desired measurements in real time. In one configuration, the system is configured to direct a modulated light signal at a selected wavelength incident upon a specimen. In another configuration, the system is configured to direct a combined light signal, derived from a plurality of light signals at different wavelengths and modulated with different frequencies, incident upon a specimen. In yet another configuration, the system is configured to direct a plurality of light signals modulated with different frequencies incident upon different regions of a specimen.

Technologies are described for monitoring characteristics of layers of integrated computational elements (ICEs) during fabrication using an in-situ spectrometer operated in step-scan mode in combination with lock-in or time-gated detection. As part of the step-scan mode, a wavelength selecting element of the spectrometer is discretely scanned to provide spectrally different instances of probe-light, such that each of the spectrally different instances of the probe-light is provided for a finite time interval. Additionally, an instance of the probe-light interacted during the finite time interval with the ICE layers includes a modulation that is being detected by the lock-in or time-gated detection over the finite time interval.

A metrology system includes an illumination source configured to generate an illumination beam, one or more illumination optics configured to direct the illumination beam to a sample, one or more collection optics configured to collect illumination emanating from the sample, a detector, and a hyperspectral imaging sub-system. The hyperspectral imaging sub-system includes a dispersive element positioned at a pupil plane of the set of collection optics configured to spectrally disperse the collected illumination, a lens array including an array of focusing elements, and one or more imaging optics. The one or more imaging optics combine the spectrally-dispersed collected illumination to form an image of the pupil plane on the lens array. The focusing elements of the lens array distribute the collected illumination on the detector in an arrayed pattern.

The present invention discloses an optical detection cell for detecting inorganic analytes in an aquatic environment. The optical detection cell comprises a microfluidic channel defining an optical detection path. First and second transparent windows are bonded at opposite locations on the microfluidic channel. The optical detection cell is provided with a UV-LED, and light detector respectively positioned proximally to the first and second transparent windows. The UV-LED configured to be driven by a constant electrical current having a value between 2.5 mA and 50.0 mA.

A referenced and stabilized optical measurement system includes a light source, a plurality of optical elements and optical fiber assemblies and a detector arranged to compensate for the effects of system variation which may affect measurement performance. A non-continuous light source provides a common source light on a common source path. A reference light and a measurement light are derived from the common source light and propagated across separate paths of optically matching optical components in order to produce a common signal variation on both the reference light signal and the measurement light signal. Light paths exposed to air are contained indiscrete volumes for purging gasses from the volumes. Ratios of the reference signal and measurement signal are acquired under various conditions for compensating the measurement signal for system variations.

A method for monitoring the shape of teeth including: producing a three-dimensional digital model of at least one portion of an arch of the patient or “initial reference model”; acquiring at least one two-dimensional image of the arches, referred to as “updated image”, under actual acquisition conditions; analysing each updated image and producing an updated map relating to a piece of discriminating information; optionally determining rough virtual acquisition conditions that approximate the actual acquisition conditions; searching each updated image for a final reference model corresponding to the shape of the teeth, and optionally to the positioning of the teeth, during the acquisition of the updated image; and comparing the shapes of the initial reference model and of the reference model obtained at the end of the preceding steps, referred to as “final reference model”, in order to determine the deformation and/or the movement of teeth between steps a) and b).

A method for monitoring the shape of teeth including: producing a three-dimensional digital model of at least one portion of an arch of the patient or “initial reference model”; acquiring at least one two-dimensional image of the arches, referred to as “updated image”, under actual acquisition conditions; analysing each updated image and producing an updated map relating to a piece of discriminating information; optionally determining rough virtual acquisition conditions that approximate the actual acquisition conditions; searching each updated image for a final reference model corresponding to the shape of the teeth, and optionally to the positioning of the teeth, during the acquisition of the updated image; and comparing the shapes of the initial reference model and of the reference model obtained at the end of the preceding steps, referred to as “final reference model”, in order to determine the deformation and/or the movement of teeth between steps a) and b).

A spectroscope device is provided to maintain the uniformity of the central transmitting wavelength in the field of view and to minimize the broaden of the bandwidth of the transmitting wavelengths in an optical lens using an optical tunable filter (variable wavelength filter), even with a wide field of view and/or a large numerical aperture. A space is defined in which, when each beam that is incident from each off-axial object point on the object surface toward the optical lens that includes a plurality of lens elements between an object surface and a conjugate real image surface reaches the optical tunable filter, the chief ray is maintained parallel to the optical axis. Therefore, if an optical tunable filter is disposed in this space, each beam is always incident normal to the filter, so only the narrow band components at the specific central wavelength can be transmitted.

The invention relates to a device (2) and to a method for characterizing an ultrashort laser pulse. Furthermore, the invention relates to use of a self-contained optical assembly in a device (2) for characterizing an ultrashort laser pulse. The device (2) comprises an imaging optical element (4) configured to image the incident laser pulse (6) in a direction of a straight line (L). A first optical element (10) is configured to apply predetermined varying group delay dispersion on the line focused laser pulse. A non-linear optical element (14) is configured to generate a second harmonic laser pulse (30). An optical grating (20) generates a diffraction of the second harmonic laser pulse, which is imaged on a flat sensor (24). A processing unit (36) determines a best fit for the captured image thereby calculating a frequency spectrum and a spectral phase of the laser pulse.

Optical computing devices may include capacitance-based nanomaterial detectors. For example, an optical computing device may include a light source that emits electromagnetic radiation into an optical train extending from the light source to a capacitance-based nanomaterial detector; a material positioned in the optical train to optically interact with the electromagnetic radiation and produce optically interacted light; and the capacitance-based nanomaterial detector comprising one or more nano-sized materials configured to have a resonantly-tuned absorption spectrum and being configured to receive the optically interacted light, apply a vector related to the characteristic of interest to the optically interacted light using the resonantly-tuned absorption spectrum, and generate an output signal indicative of the characteristic of interest.