Apparatuses and methods for microscopic analysis of a sample using spatial light manipulation to increase signal to noise ratio are described herein.

An optical assembly is disclosed including two laterally variable bandpass optical filters stacked at a fixed distance from each other, so that the upstream filter functions as a spatial filter for the downstream filter. The lateral displacement may cause a suppression of the Oblique beam when transmission passbands at impinging locations of the oblique beam onto the upstream and downstream filters do not overlap. A photodetector array may be disposed downstream of the downstream filter. The optical assembly may be coupled via a variety of optical conduits or optical fibers for spectroscopic measurements of a flowing sample.

A hand held spectrometer is used to illuminate the object and measure the one or more spectra. The spectral data of the object can be used to determine one or more attributes of the object. In many embodiments, the spectrometer is coupled to a database of spectral information that can be used to determine the attributes of the object. The spectrometer system may comprise a hand held communication device coupled to a spectrometer, in which the user can input and receive data related to the measured object with the hand held communication device. The embodiments disclosed herein allow many users to share object data with many people, in order to provide many people with actionable intelligence in response to spectral data.

An optical package is provided. The optical package includes an interference splitter allowing a light having a predetermined wavelength range to transmit through, a sensing element, and a light-transmitting structure. The light-transmitting structure includes a light-transmitting pillar and a light-absorbing layer surrounding the light-transmitting pillar, and the light-absorbing layer absorbs the light having the predetermined wavelength range. The interference splitter, the light-transmitting pillar, and the sensing element are arranged aligned with each other along an extending direction of the light-transmitting pillar. The sensing element is configured to receive the light transmitting through the interference splitter and the light-transmitting pillar.

A resin identification device capable of measuring samples having various shapes is provided. The resin identification device includes a Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometer (FTIR), and sample placing plates 31 and 32 having an opening 33. The FTIR includes: an infrared light source section 10, irradiating a sample S with infrared light; an infrared light detection section 20, detecting light intensity information of the infrared light reflected from the sample S; and a control section 50, obtaining the light intensity information. By replacement of the sample S in a predetermined position so as to block off the opening 33, the infrared light source section 10 irradiates infrared light on a lower surface of the sample S, and the infrared light detection section 20 detects the light intensity information of the infrared light reflected by the lower surface of the sample S.

The present concept is a method of preparing an egg to determine the color of the egg using an egg yolk cover. The egg yolk cover is dome-shaped with a base edge and inspection area. The egg yolk cover eliminates ambient light from impinging on the egg yolk and is used in combination with a light sensor to determine the color of egg yolks. The light sensor includes a single flat printed circuit board with a top and bottom side which includes at least one LED light and one color sensor, at least one light pipe receiving light from the LED and transmitting it onto a substrate at an angle theta and a tube frame including an optical tube for receiving light reflections from the substrate. The light pipes and the tube frame are compression fit between the printed circuit board and a lower housing. To determine the color of the egg yolk, the egg is first cracked onto a flat surface. The egg yolk cover is then placed over the egg yolk and the color sensor is placed onto the inspection area to measure the color.

The present concept is a portable color sensor for measuring color of a substrate that includes a single flat printed circuit board with a top and bottom side which includes at least one LED light and one color sensor and at least one light pipe receiving light from the LED and transmitting it onto a substrate at an angle theta. It also includes a tube frame including an optical tube for receiving light reflections from the substrate and directing the reflections to the color sensor. The light pipes and the tube frame, are mounted and compression fit between the printed circuit board and a lower housing.

An optical device includes: a diffraction grating; a depolarization plate containing a birefringent material to eliminate polarization dependency of the diffraction grating; and an optical corrector configured to optically correct diffraction angle deviation of diffracted light due to diffraction at the diffraction grating. The optical corrector may be configured to bend back the diffracted light diffracted by the diffraction grating to re-emit the light to the diffraction grating.

An optical sensor system may include a light source. The optical sensor system may include a concentrator component proximate to the light source and configured to concentrate light from the light source with respect to a measurement target. The optical sensor system may include a collection component that includes an array of at least two components configured to receive light reflected or transmitted from the measurement target. The optical sensor system may include may a sensor. The optical sensor system may include a filter provided between the collection component and the sensor.

An electromagnetic radiation detector (1) comprises at least one antenna (2), a portion (3) which is absorbing in a spectral band of resonance of the antenna, and means for detecting the heating produced by the absorbing portion. The antenna concentrates an electric field of electromagnetic radiation (R) to be detected within an area of concentration of the field (ZC) where the absorbing portion is located. Such detector may be functional for detecting radiation within the infrared range or the terahertz range. It may be used to create a detector for detecting image points in a two-dimensional structure so as to form an image sensor.