The invention relates to a device (1) and a corresponding method for mid-infrared microscopy and/or analysis, the device (1) comprising at least one radiation unit (10) configured to generate radiation (11) of time-varying intensity, the radiation (11) comprising one or more wavelengths in the mid-infrared spectral range, at least one refractive and/or reflective optical unit (12) which is configured to focus and/or direct the radiation (11) to at least one region or point of interest (20) located on and/or with-in an object (2), at least one detection unit (18) configured to detect ultrasound waves (17) emitted by the object (2) at the at least one region or point of interest (20) in response to an interaction of the radiation (11) with the object (2) and to generate according detection signals, and an evaluation unit (25) configured to derive infor-mation regarding at least one property of the object (2) from the detection signals and/or to generate a spatial and/or spatio-temporal distribution of the detection sig-nals or of information derived from the detection signals obtained for the at least one region or point of interest (20) located on and/or within the object (2).

Techniques are disclosed relating to fluorescence-based flow cytometry. A flow cytometer may include a partially-reflective surface configured to reflect a first portion of fluorescent emissions from a sample to a first optical sensor and direct a second, greater portion of fluorescent emissions from the sample to a second optical sensor and a controller configured to determine a value representing the intensity of the fluorescent emissions based on a first measurement taken by the first optical sensor, a second measurement taken by the second optical sensor, or both. A flow cytometer may include a baseplate with a first side and a second, opposing side with a flow cell, a laser, and a reflective surface disposed above the first side and an optical sensor and isolating material disposed below the second side. The reflective surface receives fluorescent emissions and reflects at least a portion through the baseplate to the optical sensor. A flow cytometer may include a flow cell, a laser, a first optical sensor positioned to measure scattered laser light, a second optical sensor positioned to measure fluorescent emissions, and a controller configured to adjust the measurements taken by the second optical sensor based on a comparison of measurements taken by the first optical sensor with expected measurements based on a known beam profile of the laser beam.

The present invention relates to the design, construction, and operation of a laser air-sampling multi-spectrometer; its operation with variable laser energy to simultaneously and/or sequentially perform spectrometric techniques of LAS, LEFS, RSS, and LIBS. The combined spectrometric operation will detect gas and particulate chemicals directly in a flowing stream of air sample and/or particulate chemicals on filter collected from the flowing stream of air sample.

A sensor includes: a transmitting device which transmits radiation along a path to a medium, and a measuring device which receives measuring radiation resulting from an interaction of the transmitted radiation with the medium and determines a measurand of the medium, with which at least one property of the transmitted radiation interacting with the medium can be determined and/or monitored in a cost-effective, space-saving manner; a prism in the path, through which prism a first portion of the transmitted radiation propagates in the direction of the medium and at which a second portion of the transmitted radiation is reflected; and a reference detector which receives the second component reflected at the prism and provides an output signal representing at least one property of the second component of the transmitted radiation.

A sample observation device includes an imaging unit that images observation light generated due to irradiation with the planar light that is transmitted through a membrane filter and outputs fluorescent light image data, a partial image generation unit that specifies a first area corresponding to a first sample holding space and a second area corresponding to a second sample holding space in the fluorescent light image data, and generates first partial image data corresponding to the first area and second partial image data corresponding to the second area, an observation image generation unit that generates first observation image data and second observation image data on the basis of the partial image data, and an analysis unit that analyzes a sample on the basis of the first observation image data and the second observation image data.

A system for measuring temperature and dielectric properties of soil and other semi-solid materials on-the-go uses a long-wearing non-ferrous wear plate with two metal prongs supported by the wear plate to measure dielectric properties. The metal prongs each have a mounting end soldered to a printed circuit board containing a capacitance sensor circuit. The metal prongs have exposed ends arranged to contact the semi-solid material being measured. The sensor circuit has an oscillation frequency of 50 to 100 MHz to allow rapid dielectric measurements to be made as the sensor moves through the semi-solid material. In one embodiment, the system includes an implement for traversing a field, a shank with a leading edge for opening a furrow in soil, and a spring-loaded mounting system for biasing the wear plate downwardly relative to a shank to maintain a consistent pressure of the wear plate and metal prongs against the soil.

A sample observation device includes an irradiation unit that irradiates a sample with planar light, a scanning unit that scans the sample in one direction with respect to an irradiation surface of the planar light, an image formation unit that forms images of fluorescent light and scattered light from the sample, an imaging unit that outputs first image data based on a light image of the fluorescent light and second image data based on a light image of the scattered light, an image processing unit that generates a fluorescent light image on the basis of a plurality of pieces of first image data and generates a scattered light image on the basis of a plurality of pieces of second image data, and an analysis unit that specifies an area in which there is the sample in the fluorescent light image on the basis of the scattered light image, and sets an analysis area in the fluorescent light image on the basis of the area in which there is the sample.

A measurement apparatus (10) includes a generator (121) that irradiates electromagnetic waves on a measurement target (M) including a substance that undergoes a structural transition from a first substance with an unstable structure to a second substance with a stable structure due to entry of a foreign substance, a receiver (122) that receives the electromagnetic waves including information on a spectroscopic spectrum of the measurement target (M), and a controller (116) that acquires the measured spectroscopic spectrum based on the electromagnetic waves received by the receiver (122), calculates ratio information between the first substance and the second substance based on the acquired measured spectroscopic spectrum, and generates diagnostic information regarding entry of the foreign substance based on the ratio information.

The disclosure provides multimode configurable spectrometers, a method of operating a multimode configurable spectrometer, and an optical monitoring system. In one embodiment the multimode configurable spectrometer includes: (1) an optical sensor configured to receive an optical input and convert the optical input to electrical signals, wherein the optical sensor includes multiple active pixel regions for converting the optical input to the electrical signals, (2) conversion circuitry, having multiple selectable converting circuits, that is configured to receive and convert the electrical signals to a digital output according to a selected one of the selectable converting circuits, and (3) a sensor controller configured to set a synchronized operating mode to direct operation of the optical sensor and select, based on the synchronized operating mode, at least one of the selectable converting circuits to provide the digital output.

The present disclosure provides a sensing package. The sensing package includes a carrier configured to face an object to be inspected and an emitter disposed adjacent to the carrier. The emitter is configured to emit a first light propagating in a first direction. The sensing package further includes a component configured to change the first light into a second light propagating in a second direction different from the first direction. An optical module and a method for detecting light are also provided.