The present disclosure relates to an optical apparatus for imaging and/or manipulating micro-objects in a microfluidic device, such as a light-actuated microfluidic (LAMF) device, and related systems and methods. The optical apparatus can comprise a structured light modulator, a first and a second tube lens, an objective lens, a dichroic beam splitter, and an image sensor. The structured light modulator can be configured to receive unstructured light beams and transmit structured light beams for illuminating micro-objects located within an enclosure of the microfluidic device and/or selectively activating one or more of a plurality of dielectrophoresis (DEP) electrodes of the microfluidic device. The first tube lens can be configured to capture the structured light beams transmitted by the structured light modulator. The second tube lens can be configured to transmit image light beams from the dichroic beam splitter to the image sensor. The image sensor can be configured to receive image light beams from the second tube lens. The image light beams received by the image sensor can be used to form an image of at least a portion of the microfluidic device.

A stray light reducing apparatus includes a light source and an entrance slit positioned to pass through light from the light source. A first monochromator mirror is positioned to reflect light passed through the entrance slit. A diffractive surface is positioned to receive and diffract light reflected by the first monochromator mirror. A second monochromator mirror is positioned to reflect light diffracted by the diffractive surface. An exit slit is positioned to pass through light reflected by the second monochromator mirror. A cuvette is positioned to pass through light passed through the exit slit. A long-pass interference filter is positioned to receive light from the light source, reflect light that has a wavelength below a selected value, and pass through light having a wavelength above the selected value. A first sample detector is positioned to receive light reflected by the long-pass interference filter.

We disclose an on-chip photonic spectroscopy system capable of dramatically improving the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), dynamic range, and reconstruction quality of Fourier transform spectrometers. Secondly, we disclose a system of components that makes up a complete on-chip RF spectrum analyzer with low-cost and high-performance.

The invention provides methods and apparatus comprising a multi-wavelength laser source that uses a single unfocused pulse of a low intensity but high power laser over a large sample area to collect Raman scattered collimated light, which is then Rayleigh filtered and focused using a singlet lens into a stacked fiber bundle connected to a customized spectrograph, which separates the individual spectra from the scattered wavelengths using a hybrid diffraction grating for collection onto spectra-specific sections of an array photodetector to measure spectral intensity and thereby identify one or more compounds in the sample.

An optical device may comprise an array of sensor elements that includes a plurality of pixels and a multispectral filter disposed on the array of sensor elements. The multispectral filter may be configured to pass a first transmission percentage of light of a particular spectral range to a first set of pixels of the plurality of pixels and pass a second transmission percentage of light of the particular spectral range to a second set of pixels of the plurality of pixels.

An infrared (IR) imaging system for determining a concentration of a target species in an object is disclosed. The imaging system can include an optical system including a focal plane array (FPA) unit behind an optical window. The optical system can have components defining at least two optical channels thereof, said at least two optical channels being spatially and spectrally different from one another. Each of the at least two optical channels can be positioned to transfer IR radiation incident on the optical system towards the optical FPA. The system can include a processing unit containing a processor that can be configured to acquire multispectral optical data representing said target species from the IR radiation received at the optical FPA. One or more of the optical channels may be used in detecting objects on or near the optical window, to avoid false detections of said target species.

A spectroscope includes a first substrate and a second substrate opposite to each other; a light introducing assembly on a side of the first substrate facing away from the second substrate; a temperature adjusting assembly between the first substrate and the second substrate; a liquid crystal dimming assembly between the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein the temperature adjusting assembly is configured to adjust a temperature of the liquid crystal dimming assembly, so as to adjust spectrum of light passing through the liquid crystal dimming assembly; a spectroscopic grating on the first substrate; a reflector on the second substrate and configured to reflect incident light introduced by the light introducing assembly to the spectroscopic grating; and a plurality of sensors configured to receive the incident light after being subjected a light splitting by the spectroscopic grating. A wavelength of the incident light received by each sensor is different.

We disclose an on-chip photonic spectroscopy system capable of dramatically improving the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), dynamic range, and reconstruction quality of Fourier transform spectrometers. Secondly, we disclose a system of components that makes up a complete on-chip RF spectrum analyzer with low-cost and high-performance.

An infrared (IR) imaging system for determining a concentration of a target species in an object is disclosed. The imaging system can include an optical system including a focal plane array (FPA) unit behind an optical window. The optical system can have components defining at least two optical channels thereof, said at least two optical channels being spatially and spectrally different from one another. Each of the at least two optical channels can be positioned to transfer IR radiation incident on the optical system towards the optical FPA. The system can include a processing unit containing a processor that can be configured to acquire multispectral optical data representing said target species from the IR radiation received at the optical FPA. One or more of the optical channels may be used in detecting objects on or near the optical window, to avoid false detections of said target species.

A spectroscope includes a first substrate and a second substrate opposite to each other; a light introducing assembly on a side of the first substrate facing away from the second substrate; a temperature adjusting assembly between the first substrate and the second substrate; a liquid crystal dimming assembly between the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein the temperature adjusting assembly is configured to adjust a temperature of the liquid crystal dimming assembly, so as to adjust spectrum of light passing through the liquid crystal dimming assembly; a spectroscopic grating on the first substrate; a reflector on the second substrate and configured to reflect incident light introduced by the light introducing assembly to the spectroscopic grating; and a plurality of sensors configured to receive the incident light after being subjected a light splitting by the spectroscopic grating. A wavelength of the incident light received by each sensor is different.