Methods, devices and systems for confocal microscopy of human tissues or other samples are described that can be manufactured at a low cost, and are small and portable. One apertureless confocal microscope includes a dispersion element that produces output beams having different spectral components for illumination of a target, such as a tissue. The confocal microscope also includes one or more lenses that receive reflected beams from the target and focus the reflected beams onto a linear variable filter. The linear variable filter is positioned to receive the focused light to allow a particular range of spectral components of light to pass through the linear variable filter that is a function of a spatial location of the focused light incident on the linear variable filter. The described confocal microscopes, among other features and benefits, can greatly facilitate disease diagnosis in medical applications.

A multimode laser that generates laser emissions that are transmitted into an optical coupling then an optical filter to test for failures or faults within that optical filter is provided herein. Multimode lasers generate emissions which many different modes are present in the gain curve. Due to this, typical multi-mode laser failure-cases can be observed in the output frequency signal of laser emissions passing through an optical component. By using a spectrometer to analyze the exiting laser wavelengths, specific failure-cases of the optical component can be identified and related to root causes.

A temporal-spectral multiplexing sensor for simultaneous or near simultaneous spatial-temporal-spectral analysis of an incoming optical radiation field. A spectral encoder produces a time series of spectrally encoded optical images at a high sampling rate. A series of full panchromatic spectrally encoded optical images are collected at a rate similar to the sampling rate. A detector records at least one spatial region of the spectrally encoded optical image. A processor is configured to process two series of spectrally encoded optical images to produce an artifact-free spectral image. The processing includes using the panchromatic images to normalize the spectrally encoded images, and decoding the normalized encoded images to produce high fidelity spectral signatures, free of temporal artifacts due to fluctuations at frequencies slower than the sampling rate for polychromatic images.

An integrated photonics chip for thermal imaging comprises a photonics substrate including a plurality of receiver elements. Each receiver element comprises a first grating coupler optically coupled to a first waveguide filter and configured to receive a first wavelength of light at a given angle, with the first waveguide filter configured to pass the first wavelength of light; and a second grating coupler optically coupled to a second waveguide filter and configured to receive a second wavelength of light at the given angle, with second waveguide filter configured to pass the second wavelength of light. Each receiver element receives the wavelengths of light from an object of interest that emits the light due to blackbody radiation, and receives the wavelengths of light at respectively different angles. Each grating coupler receives a unique wavelength of light with respect to the other wavelengths of light received by the other grating couplers.

A subject identification device includes: an illuminator configured to generate illumination light including components at a plurality of wavelength bands, each of the components having a characteristic in accordance with a respective one of settings; an imager configured to generate an image signal by capturing light from a subject under the illumination light having the illumination characteristic; and a processor including hardware. The processor is configured to: define an illumination characteristic of the illumination light; analyze the image signal to acquire spectral information of the subject; and cross check the spectral information of the subject with subject identification information in order to identify the subject. When the subject is not identified, the processor is configured to define another illumination characteristic that causes spectral information of potentials for the subject to be identified, and subsequently each of the imager and the processor performs a process.

A spectroscope includes a first substrate and a second substrate opposite to each other; a light introducing assembly on a side of the first substrate facing away from the second substrate; a temperature adjusting assembly between the first substrate and the second substrate; a liquid crystal dimming assembly between the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein the temperature adjusting assembly is configured to adjust a temperature of the liquid crystal dimming assembly, so as to adjust spectrum of light passing through the liquid crystal dimming assembly; a spectroscopic grating on the first substrate; a reflector on the second substrate and configured to reflect incident light introduced by the light introducing assembly to the spectroscopic grating; and a plurality of sensors configured to receive the incident light after being subjected a light splitting by the spectroscopic grating. A wavelength of the incident light received by each sensor is different.

A temporal-spectral multiplexing sensor for simultaneous or near simultaneous spatial-temporal-spectral analysis of an incoming optical radiation field. A spectral encoder produces a time series of spectrally encoded optical images at a high sampling rate. A series of full panchromatic spectrally encoded optical images are collected at a rate similar to the sampling rate. A detector records at least one spatial region of the spectrally encoded optical image. A processor is configured to process two series of spectrally encoded optical images to produce an artifact-free spectral image. The processing includes using the panchromatic images to normalize the spectrally encoded images, and decoding the normalized encoded images to produce high fidelity spectral signatures, free of temporal artifacts due to fluctuations at frequencies slower than the sampling rate for polychromatic images.

An integrated wavelength-selective filter device comprises a first optical element, for directing received radiation into a direction defined by a first angle, and a second optical element being a diffractive element configured for diffracting the directed radiation under a second angle. The second angle is such that for a single reference wavelength the diffracted radiation is directed into a propagation medium for advancing therein towards a predetermined position on the first optical element or on a further optical element for filtering radiation having a wavelength substantially matching the reference wavelength from radiation having a substantially different wavelength. The propagation medium is formed from a material that is different from any material of the substrate of the first and the second optical element.

A spectroscope includes a first substrate and a second substrate opposite to each other; a light introducing assembly on a side of the first substrate facing away from the second substrate; a temperature adjusting assembly between the first substrate and the second substrate; a liquid crystal dimming assembly between the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein the temperature adjusting assembly is configured to adjust a temperature of the liquid crystal dimming assembly, so as to adjust spectrum of light passing through the liquid crystal dimming assembly; a spectroscopic grating on the first substrate; a reflector on the second substrate and configured to reflect incident light introduced by the light introducing assembly to the spectroscopic grating; and a plurality of sensors configured to receive the incident light after being subjected a light splitting by the spectroscopic grating. A wavelength of the incident light received by each sensor is different.

A multi-stage parallel spectroscopy system has a plurality of dispersion stages, with the output of one dispersion stage serving as input to the next dispersion stage. Each dispersion stage separates input radiation into respective spectral components along a respective dispersion axis. In embodiments, the dispersion axes for the dispersion stages are substantially parallel to each other. Thus, the disclosed systems may be considered single-axis parallel spectroscopy configurations, in contrast to cross-axis parallel spectroscopy configurations. An optical system disposed in an optical path between dispersion stages can spatially filter a set of wavelengths from the input to the next dispersion stage to increase spectral extinction without sacrificing throughput or parallel operation. In some embodiments, the same dispersive element provides the spectral separation for multiple dispersion stages, by way of a recirculating optical system that redirects the spectral output from the dispersive element back to its input.