A polarimetry apparatus comprising a plurality of flexible light conduits each having first and second ends, and a respective polarization modulator associated with each light conduit, wherein each light conduit is configured to receive incident light from a different predetermined region in space via the first end, and deliver said light to a detector unit via the second end, and wherein the polarization modulator is configured to modulate the polarization of the light to enable a partial or complete polarization state of the incident light to be determined by the detector unit for each light conduit.

An apparatus and method for determining the concentration of chiral molecules in a fluid includes a first polarizer configure to polarize light in substantially a first plane to provide initially polarized light. A second polarizer is capable of polarizing the initially polarized light in a plurality of planes, at least one of the plurality of planes being different from the first plane, to provide subsequently polarized light. One or more receivers are included for measuring an intensity of the subsequently polarized light in one or more of the plurality of planes.

A sensor having a substrate is provided in which structures are disposed on a surface of the substrate. The structures can be, e.g., nanostructures. Polarized light is directed toward the sensor, and birefringence of the structures with respect to the light is measured. Target particles that interact with the structures are detected based on changes in the measured birefringence.

This patent application discloses techniques and devices for sensing or measuring electric currents and/or temperature based on photonic sensing techniques. An optical current sensor head is located near or at a current-carrying conductor so that a magnetic field associated with the current is present at a Faraday material and the optical detection unit detects the light from the Faraday material to determine a magnitude of the current. An optical temperature sensor head is located near or at a location so that the temperature at a temperature-sensing Faraday material is reflected by the optical polarization rotation which is detected to determine the temperature.

The invention relates to a device (1) for measuring the state of polarization of an incident wave of frequency 10 GHz to 30 THz, comprising a field effect transistor (2), a reception antenna (3). According to the invention, the antenna parts (31, 33) detect a component of polarization of the wave, collinear with a direction (X) causing in the transistor (2) an alternating detection voltage (Us), the parts (32, 33) detect a component of polarization of the wave, collinear with a direction (Y) causing the appearance in the transistor (2) of an alternating detection voltage (Ud), the transistor (2) being designed to generate, as electrical detection signal (ΔU) between the source terminal (21) and the drain terminal (22), a DC detection voltage (ΔU) a part of which is determined by the state of elliptical polarization of the wave by interference in the transistor (2) between the alternating voltages (Us, Ud).

The invention relates to a device (1) for measuring the state of polarization of an incident wave of frequency 10 GHz to 30 THz, comprising a field effect transistor (2), a reception antenna (3). According to the invention, the antenna parts (31, 33) detect a component of polarization of the wave, collinear with a direction (X) causing in the transistor (2) an alternating detection voltage (Us), the parts (32, 33) detect a component of polarization of the wave, collinear with a direction (Y) causing the appearance in the transistor (2) of an alternating detection voltage (Ud), the transistor (2) being designed to generate, as electrical detection signal (ΔU) between the source terminal (21) and the drain terminal (22), a DC detection voltage (ΔU) a part of which is determined by the state of elliptical polarization of the wave by interference in the transistor (2) between the alternating voltages (Us, Ud).

An optical component for illuminating a sample region with a periodic light pattern comprises: a first waveguide, a further waveguide and an optical splitter. The optical splitter has an input for receiving light, a first output and a second output. The first waveguide is optically coupled to the first output, to direct the first input light into the sample region in a first direction. The second output is optically coupled to the sample region to direct second input light into the sample region in a second direction. The further waveguide is arranged to receive third input light which is directed into the sample region in a third direction. The first direction, second direction and third direction are different from one another. The first and second input light interferes to form a periodic pattern in the sample region. The optical component may be used for structured illumination microscopy.

A system for a laser-scanning microscope includes an optical element configured to transmit light in a first direction onto a first beam path and to reflect light in a second direction to a second beam path that is different from the first beam path; a reflector on the first beam path; and a lens including a variable focal length, the lens positioned on the first beam path. The lens and reflector are positioned relative to each other to cause light transmitted by the optical element to pass through the lens a plurality of times and in a different direction each time. In some implementations, the system also can include a feedback system that receives a signal that represents an amount of focusing of the lens, and changes the focal length of the lens based on the received signal.

A multiple sensor fiber optic sensing system includes an optical fiber having at least first fiber optic sensors and second fiber optic sensors deployed along its length. In response to an interrogating pulse, the first fiber optic sensors generate responses in a first optical spectrum window, and the second fiber optic sensors generate responses in a second, different optical spectrum window. The responses in the first optical spectrum window are measured in a first optical spectrum channel, and the responses in the second optical spectrum window are measure in a second, different optical spectrum channel and provide simultaneous indications of one or more parameters, such as temperature and pressure, in the environment in which the sensors are deployed.

Illustrative embodiments of determining geometric characteristics of reflective surfaces are disclosed. In at least one illustrative embodiment, a method of determining geometric characteristics of reflective surfaces includes sensing electromagnetic waves with a sensor, where the electromagnetic waves have been reflected off a reflective surface of a specimen from a target structure including a feature point. The method further includes determining a displacement of the feature point of the target structure indicated by the sensed electromagnetic waves relative to reference data indicating a reference location for the feature point and determining a surface slope of a point of the reflective surface based on the determined displacement of the feature point of the target structure.