An optical micro-particle detector including a light source, a gas channel and a plurality of optical detectors is provided. The light source is configured to generate a light beam. The gas channel has at least one curved segment. The curved segment has a light entrance and a plurality of light exits. The light beam from the light source enters the gas channel through the light entrance. The plurality of optical detectors are optically coupled to the light exits, respectively.

A cell culture apparatus includes a flow passage in which cell suspension containing at least one of cells or cell masses as granular bodies is to flow, and an imaging unit that is provided in a middle of the flow passage and continuously images the plurality of granular bodies contained in the cell suspension to acquire a plurality of images while the cell suspension flows in the flow passage.

An apparatus for optically measuring fluidal matter having fluid as medium and particles non-dissolved in the medium wherein the apparatus comprises a measurement chamber, which is configured to contain the fluidal matter, and a nozzle. The nozzle receives flowable matter and emits a jet of the flowable matter towards or fromwards an optical detector which is associated with the measurement chamber and receives optical radiation from the fluidal matter in the measurement chamber.

A particulate matter detector includes a light emitter configured to emit light, a first, a second and a third waveguide, a waveguide splitter, a detector, and a controller. The third waveguide is free of cladding. The first waveguide is coupled to the light emitter and guides emitted light toward the waveguide splitter. The first waveguide includes an interrogation region formed by a cladding-free surface of the first waveguide. During a measurement phase, a first intensity of the light in the first waveguide is set for determining a change in the intensity of the light detected by the detector. An indication of an opacity of the surface of the first waveguide with accumulated particulate matter is output. During a cleaning phase, a second intensity of the light in the first waveguide is set for directing the accumulated particulate matter from the interrogation region to the third waveguide via optical forces.

The invention, provides a method, apparatus and system for separating blood and other types of cellular components, and can be combined with holographic optical trapping manipulation or other forms of optical tweezing. One of the exemplary methods includes providing a first flow having a plurality of blood components; providing a second flow; contacting the first flow with the second flow to provide a first separation region; and differentially sedimenting a first blood cellular component of the plurality of blood components into the second flow while concurrently maintaining a second blood cellular component of the plurality of blood components in the first flow. The second flow having the first blood cellular component is then differentially removed from the first flow having the second blood cellular component. Holographic optical traps may also be utilized in conjunction with the various flows to move selected components from one flow to another, as part of or in addition to a separation stage,

An apparatus for particle characterisation, comprising: a sample cell for holding a sample; a light source configured to illuminate the sample with an illuminating beam and a plurality of light detectors, each light detector configured to receive scattered light resulting from the interaction between the illuminating beam and the sample along a respective detector path, wherein each respective detector path is at substantially the same angle to the illuminating beam.

A semiconductor laser device includes an active layer, a first layer, and a surface metal film. Multiple quantum well layers are stacked in the active layer; and the active layer is configured to emit laser light of a terahertz wave by an intersubband transition. The first layer is provided on the active layer and includes a first surface in which multiple pits are provided to form a two-dimensional lattice. The surface metal film is provided on the first layer and includes multiple openings. Each of the pits is asymmetric with respect to a line parallel to a side of the lattice. The laser light passes through the multiple openings and is emitted in a direction substantially perpendicular to the active layer.

A process for manufacturing an optical system includes forming a first hydrophobic surface at a semiconductor substrate, providing a first drop of transparent material having a first shape on the first hydrophobic surface, and allowing the first drop to harden to form a first optical element having the first shape. The optical system may be a particle detector, and the process may optionally further include forming a light source at the semiconductor substrate configured to generate a light beam that passes through the first optical element and a cavity to a photodetector.

An optical micro-particle detector including a light source, a gas channel and a plurality of optical detectors is provided. The light source is configured to generate a light beam. The gas channel has at least one curved segment. The curved segment has a light entrance and a plurality of light exits. The light beam from the light source enters the gas channel through the light entrance. The plurality of optical detectors are optically coupled to the light exits, respectively.

The invention provides a method, apparatus and system for separating blood and other types of cellular components, and can be combined with holographic optical trapping manipulation or other forms of optical tweezing. One of the exemplary methods includes providing a first flow having a plurality of blood components; providing a second flow; contacting the first flow with the second flow to provide a first separation region; and differentially sedimenting a first blood cellular component of the plurality of blood components into the second flow while concurrently maintaining a second blood cellular component of the plurality of blood components in the first flow. The second flow having the first blood cellular component is then differentially removed from the first flow having the second blood cellular component. Holographic optical traps may also be utilized in conjunction with the various flows to move selected components from one flow to another, as part of or in addition to a separation stage.