Methods are disclosed for improving one or more of jitter/timing, signal-to-noise ratio, signal integrity, stability, and repeatability of generation and measurement of Second Harmonic Generation (SHG) signals generated by a sample upon illumination by a light beam. The method may use precision hardware to control the generation of SHG signal and synchronize it with the optical detection process to improve the reliability and accuracy of measured SHG signals. A precise measurement of the initial SHG signal (I.sub.o) involves accurate temporal alignment between optical excitation and detection of the resulting SHG signal. Various disclosed systems and methods use high-speed Pockels Cell (PC) for controlling incident light, and precision electronics for synchronization.

An imaging flow cytometry apparatus and method which allows registering multiple locations across a cell, and/or across multiple flow channels, in parallel using radio-frequency-tagged emission (FIRE) coupled with a parallel optical detection scheme toward increasing analysis throughput. An optical source is modulated by multiple RF frequencies to produce an optical interrogation beam having a spatially distributed beat frequency. This beam is directed to one or more focused streams of cells whose responsive fluorescence, in different frequencies, is registered in parallel by an optical detector.

An imaging flow cytometry apparatus and method which allows registering multiple locations across a cell, and/or across multiple flow channels, in parallel using radio-frequency-tagged emission (FIRE) coupled with a parallel optical detection scheme toward increasing analysis throughput. An optical source is modulated by multiple RF frequencies to produce an optical interrogation beam having a spatially distributed beat frequency. This beam is directed to one or more focused streams of cells whose responsive fluorescence, in different frequencies, is registered in parallel by an optical detector.

An analytical device including an optically opaque cladding, a sequencing layer including a substrate disposed below the cladding, and a waveguide assembly for receiving optical illumination and introducing illumination into the device. The illumination may be received from a top, a side edge, and a bottom of the device. The waveguide assembly may include a nanoscale aperture disposed in the substrate and extending through the cladding. The aperture defines a reaction cell for receiving a set of reactants. In various aspects, the device includes a sensor element and the illumination pathway is through the sensor element. Waveguides and illumination devices, such as plasmonic illumination devices, are also disclosed. Methods for forming and operating the devices are also disclosed.

In methods of high-resolution imaging a structure of a sample, the structure being marked with fluorescence markers, the sample is subjected to a light intensity distribution including an intensity maximum of focused fluorescence excitation light to selectively scan partial areas of interest of the sample. Fluorescence light emitted out of the sample is registered and allocated to a respective location of the light intensity distribution in the sample. The subjection of the sample to at least one part of the light intensity distribution is terminated at each location of the light intensity distribution, if at least one criterion of the following criteria is met: (a) a predetermined maximum light amount of the fluorescence light emitted out of the sample has been registered, and (b) a predetermined minimum light amount of the fluorescence light emitted out of the sample has not been registered within a predetermined period of time.

An electro-optic modulator is disclosed. The electro-optic modulator includes a modulator material film layer. The modulator material film layer includes a polymer matrix. Liquid crystals and getter molecules are dispersed within the polymer matrix. The liquid crystals are configured to modulate light transmissivity through the electro-optic modulator. The getter molecules capture or coordinate with cationic impurities present within the polymer matrix. By gettering the cationic impurities, switching of the device at modulated low frequencies are improved as well as a reduction on the switching voltage of the device. Three classes of getter molecules have been so far demonstrated to work: inorganic ion traps (dihydrogen ammonium phosphate), organic cation traps (EDTA), and organic ion extractors (nicotinic acid). An amount for the getter molecules may be 0.01 to 1.0 percent by weight of the polymer matrix.

An imaging flow cytometry apparatus and method which allows registering multiple locations across a cell, and/or across multiple flow channels, in parallel using radio-frequency-tagged emission (FIRE) coupled with a parallel optical detection scheme toward increasing analysis throughput. An optical source is modulated by multiple RF frequencies to produce an optical interrogation beam having a spatially distributed beat frequency. This beam is directed to one or more focused streams of cells whose responsive fluorescence, in different frequencies, is registered in parallel by an optical detector.

An analytical assembly within a unified device structure for integration into an analytical system. The analytical assembly is scalable and includes a plurality of analytical devices, each of which includes a reaction cell, an optical sensor, and at least one optical element positioned in optical communication with both the reaction cell and the sensor and which delivers optical signals from the cell to the sensor. Additional elements are optionally integrated into the analytical assembly. Methods for forming and operating the analytical system are also disclosed.

The present invention provides an inspection device that is capable of detecting foreign matter with high accuracy, the inspection device including: a light source; an electro-optic element on which light from the light source is incident and which changes a phase of the light into at least two states; and a controller. The controller corrects a phase fluctuation of the electro-optic element itself, using intensity modulation characteristics of the eletro-optic element which are obtained by changing an applied voltage that is input to the electro-optic element.

An objective cell is irradiated with laser beam of a predetermined wavelength. Only Stokes light is selected out of detected light including reflected light and scattered light of the laser beam, and a Raman scattering spectrum is obtained by dispersion of the selected Stokes light. A transcriptome of the objective cells is estimated, based on the Raman scattering spectrum. It is preferable to estimate the transcriptome of the objective cells, based on N-dimensional Raman data obtained by dimensional reduction of the Raman scattering spectrum. This configuration only needs to irradiate the objective cell with the laser beam and does not require to destroy the objective cell. As a result, this enables the transcriptome of the cell to be estimated in a short time period without destroying the cell.