Various embodiments (300, 400, 500) for a multi-focal selective illumination microscopy (SIM) system for generating multi-focal patterns of a sample are disclosed. The embodiments (300, 400, 500) of the multi-focal SIM system perform a focusing, scaling and summing operation on each generated multi-focal pattern in a sequence of multi-focal patterns that completely scan the sample to produce a high resolution composite image.

Light-sheet fluorescence microscopy (LSFM) affords highly parallelized 3D imaging with optical sectioning capability and minimal light exposure. However, using Gaussian beams for light-sheet generation results in a trade-off between beam waist thickness and the area over which the beam can approximate a light-sheet. Novel techniques for LSFM are disclosed that uses extended focusing and/or laser line focuses to produce divergence free light-sheets with near diffraction-limited resolution and uniform intensity distribution.

Surface sensing methods for imaging a scanned surface of a sample via sum-frequency vibrational spectroscopy are disclosed herein. The methods include exposing a sampled location of the scanned surface to a visible light beam and exposing the sampled location to a tunable infrared beam such that the tunable infrared beam is at least partially coincident with the visible light beam. The methods also include varying a frequency of the tunable infrared beam an inducing optical resonance within an imaged structure that extends at least partially within the sampled location. The methods further include receiving at least a portion of an emitted light beam from the sampled location and scanning the visible light beam and the runnable infrared beam across the scanned portion of the scanned surface. The methods also include generating an image of the scanned portion of the scanned surface based upon the receiving and the scanning.

Various embodiments for a multi-focal selective illumination microscopy (SIM) system for generating multi-focal patterns of a sample are disclosed. The embodiments of the multi-focal SIM system perform a focusing, scaling and summing operation on each generated multi-focal pattern in a sequence of multi-focal patterns that completely scan the sample to produce a high resolution composite image.

A fluorescence observation device includes: a first intensity-modulating unit that intensity-modulates, at a frequency f1, pump light that excites fluorescence of an observed subject; a second intensity-modulating unit that intensity-modulates, at a frequency f2 different from the frequency f1, probe light that induces stimulated emission of the observed subject; a light-receiving unit that receives the fluorescence from the observed subject irradiated with the intensity-modulated pump light and probe light; and a sensing unit that senses a component with a frequency of i×f1±j×f2 (i and j are positive integers, at least one of which is equal to or larger than two) in a reception-light signal sensed at the light-receiving unit.

There is presented a system and method for detecting mobile device fault conditions, particularly detecting defects in a display or housing of a mobile device. One or more cameras included within the mobile device are used with a reflecting surface in a test fixture to obtain properly aligned and formatted images of the external housing and display of the mobile device, and interactive guidance assists with placement and execution of diagnostics. A remote server conducts further analysis of the captured images, and then defect status may be returned to and displayed upon the mobile device screen.

Various embodiments related to systems and methods for instant structured microscopy where total internal reflection fluorescence techniques are used to improve optical sectioning and signal-to-noise ratio of structured illumination microscopy are herein disclosed.

Surface sensing methods for imaging a scanned surface of a sample via sum-frequency vibrational spectroscopy are disclosed herein. The methods include exposing a sampled location of the scanned surface to a visible light beam and exposing the sampled location to a tunable infrared beam such that the tunable infrared beam is at least partially coincident with the visible light beam. The methods also include varying a frequency of the tunable infrared beam an inducing optical resonance within an imaged structure that extends at least partially within the sampled location. The methods further include receiving at least a portion of an emitted light beam from the sampled location and scanning the visible light beam and the runnable infrared beam across the scanned portion of the scanned surface. The methods also include generating an image of the scanned portion of the scanned surface based upon the receiving and the scanning.

A scanner of an optical detection system includes a housing, an optical surface coupled to the housing, and an actuator coupled to the optical surface. The optical surface is movable to direct light into an area being scanned and to receive a reflected light pulse from the area being scanned. The actuator is operable to agitate the optical surface to remove debris from the optical surface.

An optochemical sensor for determining a pH of a measured medium includes a sensor membrane having an analyte-sensitive layer. The sensor membrane has a first luminophoric dye in the form of an indicator dye and a second luminophoric dye in the form or a reference dye. At least one of the two aforementioned dyes is contained in the analyte-sensitive layer, and one of the two aforementioned dyes has an inorganic framework structure. At least one inorganic or organic receptor group, which is protolyzable, is bonded to the framework structure.