This invention relates to CMOS based micro-photonic systems comprising an optical source, means for optical transmission, and a detector, wherein the optical source is capable of emitting light having a wavelength being in a range in which a nitride comprising layer of said means for optical transmission is transparent and being below a detection threshold of said detector so as to enable the generation of a micro-photonic system in silicon integrated circuit technology.

In-line holography to create images of a specimen, such as one or more particles dispersed in a transparent medium. Analyzing these images with results from light scattering theory yields the particles' sizes with nanometer resolution, their refractive indexes to within one part in a thousand, and their three dimensional positions with nanometer resolution. This procedure can rapidly and directly characterize mechanical, optical and chemical properties of the specimen and its medium.

In-line holography to create images of a specimen, such as one or more particles dispersed in a transparent medium. Analyzing these images with results from light scattering theory yields the particles' sizes with nanometer resolution, their refractive indexes to within one part in a thousand, and their three dimensional positions with nanometer resolution. This procedure can rapidly and directly characterize mechanical, optical and chemical properties of the specimen and its medium.

Systems and methods are provided for determining a velocity or an inflation rate of a droplet in a microfluidic channel. The droplet is exposed to two or more temporally separated flashes of light, each flash including light of one wavelength band, and imaged using a detector configured to distinguish light in the wavelength bands. Two or more images of the droplet are acquired, each corresponding to one of the flashes, and all within a single video frame or photographic exposure. The images can be processed separately and the position or size of the droplet in each image is calculated. A velocity or inflation rate is then determined by dividing the change in position or size by the amount of time allowed to pass between the flashes.

Systems and methods are provided for determining a velocity or an inflation rate of a droplet in a microfluidic channel. The droplet is exposed to two or more temporally separated flashes of light, each flash including light of one wavelength band, and imaged using a detector configured to distinguish light in the wavelength bands. Two or more images of the droplet are acquired, each corresponding to one of the flashes, and all within a single video frame or photographic exposure. The images can be processed separately and the position or size of the droplet in each image is calculated. A velocity or inflation rate is then determined by dividing the change in position or size by the amount of time allowed to pass between the flashes.

A measuring system (10) and method measure a concentration of components of a gas mixture of gas/aerosol. A reaction support (14) has a flow channel (42) that forms a reaction chamber (46) with an optically detectable reactant (48) that reacts with at least one component or with a reaction product of the component. The flow channel (42) is at least partially filled with particles (100, 102, 104, 110) which have a pre-flow starting position and to which a gas flow is applied through the flow channel (42) in a flow position. The particles (100, 102, 104, 110) are designed (configured) in such a manner that the particles (100, 102, 104, 110) in the starting position and the particles (100, 102, 104, 110) in the flow position can be optically distinguished. The invention also relates to an optical flow sensor (109) for determining a flow of a fluid.

A measuring system (10) and method measure a concentration of components of a gas mixture of gas/aerosol. A reaction support (14) has a flow channel (42) that forms a reaction chamber (46) with an optically detectable reactant (48) that reacts with at least one component or with a reaction product of the component. The flow channel (42) is at least partially filled with particles (100, 102, 104, 110) which have a pre-flow starting position and to which a gas flow is applied through the flow channel (42) in a flow position. The particles (100, 102, 104, 110) are designed (configured) in such a manner that the particles (100, 102, 104, 110) in the starting position and the particles (100, 102, 104, 110) in the flow position can be optically distinguished. The invention also relates to an optical flow sensor (109) for determining a flow of a fluid.

A system for continuous high-throughput treatment, in particular electroporation or transfection, of a population of cells or selected cells in a population of cells, is described. The system comprises a fluidic device comprising a microfluidic channel, a pump fluidically coupled to the fluidic device and configured to pump the population of cells in a carrier liquid unidirectionally along the microfluidic channel, and a processor. The microfluidic channel has an upstream detection zone comprising a detection electrode module configured to detect a change in electrical impedance across the microfluidic channel at the upstream detection zone corresponding to a cell passing the upstream detection zone and a cell treatment zone located downstream of the upstream detection zone and comprising a cell treatment module configured to treat the cell passing the cell treatment zone. The processor is operatively coupled to the detection electrode module and configured to calculate the velocity V of the cell passing the upstream detection zone based on the change in electrical impedance, and transiently actuate the cell treatment module when the cell reaches the cell treatment module based on the calculated velocity V of the cell and a distance D1 between the detection electrode module and the cell treatment module. A method for electroporation of cells is also described.

A system for continuous high-throughput treatment, in particular electroporation or transfection, of a population of cells or selected cells in a population of cells, is described. The system comprises a fluidic device comprising a microfluidic channel, a pump fluidically coupled to the fluidic device and configured to pump the population of cells in a carrier liquid unidirectionally along the microfluidic channel, and a processor. The microfluidic channel has an upstream detection zone comprising a detection electrode module configured to detect a change in electrical impedance across the microfluidic channel at the upstream detection zone corresponding to a cell passing the upstream detection zone and a cell treatment zone located downstream of the upstream detection zone and comprising a cell treatment module configured to treat the cell passing the cell treatment zone. The processor is operatively coupled to the detection electrode module and configured to calculate the velocity V of the cell passing the upstream detection zone based on the change in electrical impedance, and transiently actuate the cell treatment module when the cell reaches the cell treatment module based on the calculated velocity V of the cell and a distance D1 between the detection electrode module and the cell treatment module. A method for electroporation of cells is also described.

The visibility of light is improved. A flow rate sensor device includes a substrate, sensor elements electrically connected to the substrate, light emitting elements positioned in a rear part of the sensor elements and disposed on a surface of the substrate, and light-transmissive cases internally accommodating the light emitting elements between the light-transmissive cases and the substrate. The light-transmissive cases have light diffusion members projecting from ceiling sections toward the light emitting elements, the light diffusion members have light incident surfaces facing the light emitting elements and wall surfaces connecting the light incident surfaces and the ceiling sections, and at least a part of the wall surfaces has a tilting surface having a dimension between the opposing wall surfaces, the dimension gradually increasing from a side close to the light incident surface toward the ceiling section.