System for performing chemical spectroscopy on samples from the scale of nanometers to millimeters or more with a multifunctional platform combining analytical and imaging techniques including dual beam photo-thermal spectroscopy with confocal microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, fluorescence detection, various vacuum analytical techniques and/or mass spectrometry. In embodiments described herein, the light beams of a dual-beam system are used for heating and sensing.

A method and system for rapid, label free nanoscale chemical imaging and tomography (3D) with multiplexing for speed, and engineered coherent illumination and detection to achieve 3-D resolution at twice the Abbe limit. A sample undergoes photo-thermal heating using a modulated infrared light source and the resulting probe beam modulation is measured with one or more visible laser probes. Varying the infrared wavelength results in a spectrum which characterizes the chemical composition of the sample. Optionally, inelastically scattered light generated as a result of the probe beam interacting with the sample is collected simultaneously to yield additional chemical information.

A computer software product adapted for use in a weld inspection system is executed by a processor and is stored in an electronic storage medium of the weld inspection system adapted to facilitate the inspection of a weld of a work product. The computer software product includes a first module and a combination module. The first module is configured to transform first and second raw thermal images, associated with respective first and second heat pulses of at least a portion of the work product having the weld, into respective first and second binary images. The combination module is configured to transform the first and second binary images into a combined binary image for the reduction of noise.

Mid-infrared photothermal heterodyne imaging (MIR-PHI) techniques described herein overcome the diffraction limit of traditional MIR imaging and uses visible photodiodes as detectors. MIR-PHI experiments are shown that achieve high sensitivity, sub-diffraction limit spatial resolution, and high acquisition speed. Sensitive, affordable, and widely applicable, photothermal imaging techniques described herein can serve as a useful imaging tool for biological systems and other submicron-scale applications.

The invention relates to analyzing a substance. An optical medium is arrange on a substance surface with at least one region of the optical medium surface in contact with the substance surface. An excitation light beam is emitted through the contacting region of the medium surface to the substance surface. A measurement light beam is emitted through the optical medium to the contacting region of the medium surface such that the measurement light beam and the excitation light beam overlap on the interface of the optical medium and of the substance surface, on which the measurement light beam is reflected. A deflection of the reflected measurement light beam is detected in dependence on the wavelength of the excitation light beam. The substance is then analyzed based on the detected deflection of the measurement light beam in dependence on the wavelength of the excitation light beam.

The invention relates, inter alia, to an apparatus (10) for analyzing a material (101), comprising an excitation emission device (100) for generating at least one electromagnetic excitation beam (SA), in particular an exciting light beam, having at least one excitation wavelength, further comprising a detection device (106) for detecting a reaction signal (SR), and a device (107) for analyzing the material on the basis of the detected reaction signal (SR).

A system and method for photo-thermal imaging of a lateral flow immunoassay (LFA) device are provided. The system includes an intensity modulated heat source directed at a surface of the LFA device to selectively excite chromophore particles of interest and a thermal capture device configured to capture thermal waves emitted from the surface of the LFA device as a radiometric signal. A computing device, in communication with the thermal capture device, receives the radiometric signal and executes lock-in demodulation to detect surface or subsurface inhomogeneities of the LFA device.

Apparatuses and methods for microscopic analysis of a sample using spatial light manipulation to increase signal to noise ratio are described herein.

A method includes directing a first plurality of probe laser pulses through a sample, dividing each of the first plurality of probe laser pulses to generate a first interferogram, and generating first image data reproducible as a first phase image of the sample. A plurality of pump laser bursts are directed onto the sample to heat the sample. A second plurality of probe laser pulses are directed through the sample at a predetermined time delay. Each of the second plurality of probe laser pulses are divided to generate a second interferogram. Second image data is generated that is reproducible as a second phase image of the sample. A transient phase shift is determined in the second phase image relative to the first phase image. A vibrational spectroscopy property is determined of the sample based on the transient phase shift, thereby allowing an identification of chemical bond information of within the sample.

A method includes directing a first plurality of probe laser pulses through a sample, dividing each of the first plurality of probe laser pulses to generate a first interferogram, and generating first image data reproducible as a first phase image of the sample. A plurality of pump laser bursts are directed onto the sample to heat the sample. A second plurality of probe laser pulses are directed through the sample at a predetermined time delay. Each of the second plurality of probe laser pulses are divided to generate a second interferogram. Second image data is generated that is reproducible as a second phase image of the sample. A transient phase shift is determined in the second phase image relative to the first phase image. A vibrational spectroscopy property is determined of the sample based on the transient phase shift, thereby allowing an identification of chemical bond information of within the sample.