An object carrier, a system and a method is disclosed for the back light inspection of transparent or semitransparent objects. The carrier has a carrier base layer with photo luminescent properties which carries the transparent or semitransparent object on top of the layer. The transparent or semitransparent object could be a wafer and the object carrier could be a wafer chuck. At least one light source being arranged above the object carrier such that excitation light emitted from the at least one light source is directed through the transparent or semitransparent object to the layer with photo luminescent properties. The light returned from the layer with photo luminescent properties is collected by an objective and registered by a sensor.

A light physical constant measurement method includes: virtually dividing an optical transmission medium along a propagation direction to set a plurality of first segments; and estimating light physical constants of the plurality of first segments based on the result of a first propagation simulation that uses a model in which an input optical signal of each of the plurality of intensities propagates sequentially through the plurality of first segments, and in the estimating of light physical constants of the plurality of first segments, the light physical constants of the plurality of first segments are searched for using an evaluation function of evaluating a difference between a measured power spectrum of an output optical signal and a power spectrum of the output optical signal obtained as a result of the first propagation simulation, to estimate the light physical constants of the plurality of first segments.

In an defect inspection method and device, in order to detect a minute defect present on a surface of a sample with a high degree of sensitivity, a defect inspection method includes imaging the same region of a sample in a plurality of image acquisition conditions and acquiring a plurality of images, processing the plurality of acquired images and extracting a defect candidate, clipping a partial image including the extracted defect candidate and a neighboring image of the defect candidate from the acquired images based on position information of the extracted defect candidate, obtaining feature quantities of the defect candidates in the plurality of clipped partial images, associating the defect candidates that have the same coordinates on the sample and are detected in different image acquisition condition, extracting a defect from among the associated defect candidates in a multi-dimensional feature quantity space, and outputting information of the extracted defect.

One or more modal characteristics are determined for a waveguide that supports more than two modes. In an example implementation, optical frequency domain reflectometry (OFDR) is used to couple light into the waveguide and detect Rayleigh scatter reflections associated with a segment of the waveguide. An original set of Rayleigh scatter data associated with the detected Rayleigh scatter reflections is generated. In addition, a scaled set of Rayleigh scatter data associated with the detected Rayleigh scatter reflections is generated. The original set of Rayleigh scatter data is correlated with the scaled set of Rayleigh scatter data. One or more modal characteristics of the waveguide are determined based on the correlation.

A method of measuring characteristics of a crystal unit, includes: driving a crystal unit having a cover transmitting light, a crystal substrate, a first excitation electrode disposed on a first surface of the crystal substrate facing the cover, and a second excitation electrode disposed on a second surface of the crystal substrate opposite to the first surface; irradiating light to the first excitation electrode through the cover in the driving state of the crystal unit; and measuring vibration characteristics of the crystal unit based on reflected light obtained from the irradiated light.

A self-contained monitor array for measuring at least one type of electromagnetic emission and at least one type of mechanical wave emission from a marine-based and/or terrestrial human activity or installation such as alternate energy sources. A multi-modal monitor system includes at least two such arrays, at least one clock, and at least one data storage unit. The monitor system is employed at the site of a turbine installation to measure at least one type of emission generated by the turbine and may comprise a controller to compare the emission signals with pre-determined acceptable value ranges and adjust the performance of the turbine accordingly.

Systems and methods for detecting a biological analyte are provided. The biological analyte can be, for example, cortisol. Detection can be achieved without external labels/mediators. Microfluidic systems can be incorporated into the optical sensor for enhanced point-of-care applications. The sensor can be used in a variety of low-power electronics for wearable applications.

A flow cytometry apparatus includes a flow cytometer having a suction or negative-pressure intake probe, a support for a microplate having a plurality of sample wells, and motive elements operatively connected to at least one of the probe and the support for moving the intake probe and the support relative to one another so that the intake probe is sequentially aligned with different sample wells of the microplate. The apparatus has no fluid pumping elements between the support and the flow cytometer so that a bubble-separated sample stream is forced to the flow cytometer solely by virtue of a negative pressure communicated via the intake probe.

There may be provided a system comprising a spectroscopic device; wherein the spectroscopic device is configured to analyze a fluid of a pool.

A method to calibrate measurements of a test analyte in a test sample including measuring at least one test-light level responsive to reactions of at least one reagent group and at least one reactive test analyte in the test sample and measuring at least one control-light level responsive to reactions of at least one reagent group and at least one control analyte in a control sample. Each control analyte is a known amount of at least one reactive test analyte. The method further includes determining a presence of the reactive test analyte in the test sample based on the measured test-light levels and control-light levels. The reagent group and the reactive test analyte react by attaching to each other.