A disease diagnosis and skin age measurement apparatus includes: a first light collection unit; a second light collection unit; a spectrometer configured to measure a spectrum of the light which is collected by the second light collection unit; a spectrum data comparison unit for disease diagnosis configured to compare the spectrum measured by the spectrometer and reference spectrum data for disease diagnosis; a CCD; an image data comparison unit configured to compare the digital image converted by the CCD and a reference image; a disease diagnosis unit configured to determine whether there is a disease in the body tissue; and/or a spectrum data comparison unit for skin age measurement configured to measure skin age by comparing a spectrum measured by the spectrometer and reference spectrum data for skin age measurement, wherein the light projected onto the body tissue is collimate light.

A monolithic optical element and system is used for collimating or focusing laser light from or to optical fibers. The optical fiber terminates in a tip that directly abuts against the first surface of the optical element. The optical element may provide a collimation or focusing function depending upon whether the abutting fiber delivers light for collimation or receives focused light from a collimated beam. The optical element may be a standard or modified barrel or drum lens, with the first and second surfaces being convex curved surfaces having the same or different radii of curvature. The end of the optical element to which the fiber abuts may have a diameter to match the inner diameter of a ferrule for positioning the fiber. A pair of the elements may be used for collimation and focusing in a Raman probehead or other optical detection system.

A Fabry-P?rot sensor assembly includes an optical element defining a Fabry-P?rot optical cavity therein. A ferrule is affixed to the optical element. The ferrule is configured to physically connect to an optic fiber, aligning the optic fiber optically with the cavity. The optical element includes a MgAl.sub.2O.sub.4 spinel or aluminum oxynitride Al.sub.23N.sub.27O.sub.5. A method of making an Fabry-P?rot optical cavity includes using a ceramic processing etching process to remove material from a first optical member to form the cavity therein, leaving a rim of the optical member surrounding the cavity peripherally. The method includes affixing a second optical member to the rim to enclose the cavity.

Disclosed are a fluorescence microscope light source apparatus and a fluorescence microscope capable of obtaining high-luminance light in a wavelength of 500 to 550 nm and having reduced background noise when a sample is observed. The fluorescence microscope light source apparatus to be installed in a fluorescence microscope including an illumination light bandpass filter includes: a laser diode that emits blue light as excitation light; a phosphor that converts the excitation light from the laser diode into illumination fluorescence with a wavelength region of 500 to 550 nm; an optical system that extracts the illumination fluorescence from the phosphor; a first condenser lens that condenses the excitation light onto the phosphor; a light guide body having one end face on which the illumination fluorescence is incident and the other end face from which the illumination fluorescence exits; and a second condenser lens that condenses the illumination fluorescence onto the one end face of the light guide body. A band-elimination filter that blocks or attenuates light, out of the illumination fluorescence, in a wavelength region including a transmission maximum wavelength and including no transmission minimum wavelength in the illumination light bandpass filter is provided on a light path of the illumination fluorescence.

A disease diagnosis and skin age measurement apparatus includes: a first light collection unit; a second light collection unit; a spectrometer configured to measure a spectrum of the light which is collected by the second light collection unit; a spectrum data comparison unit for disease diagnosis configured to compare the spectrum measured by the spectrometer and reference spectrum data for disease diagnosis; a CCD; an image data comparison unit configured to compare the digital image converted by the CCD and a reference image; a disease diagnosis unit configured to determine whether there is a disease in the body tissue; and/or a spectrum data comparison unit for skin age measurement configured to measure skin age by comparing a spectrum measured by the spectrometer and reference spectrum data for skin age measurement, wherein the light projected onto the body tissue is collimate light.

A chromatic confocal range sensor optical pen comprises a housing, an in/out optical fiber, a chromatically dispersive lens configuration, a reflected light dividing configuration comprising a lower NA zone and a higher NA zone, and a camera portion. The lens configuration is configured to receive source light from the optical fiber and output focused source light to a workpiece surface with axial chromatic dispersion, and receive reflected light from the workpiece surface and focus at least a portion of the reflected light to the fiber aperture. The reflected light dividing configuration is arranged to divide the reflected light into a measurement portion and an imaging portion. In some embodiments, the lower NA zone directs the imaging portion along an imaging optical path to the image detector, and the higher NA zone directs the measurement portion along a measurement optical path to a point proximate to the fiber aperture.

A connector assembly is provided for coupling optical fibers to a spectrometer. The connector assembly includes a plate having a slit defined therein and a ferrule that secures end portions of the optical fibers therein. The ferrule includes a forward end having an aperture that receives the optical fibers. The connector assembly further includes a connector housing having an alignment mechanism with a plate recess dimensioned to receive the plate therein and a ferrule recess dimensioned to receive the forward end of the ferrule therein. The plate recess orients the plate and the ferrule recess orients the ferrule within the connector assembly that includes a spring for imparting a force urging the forward end of the ferrule into contact with the plate to minimize an air gap between the plate and the ferrule. The spring and the alignment mechanism maintain the ferrule in an x-y-z, rotation, and/or an angular orientation.

A connector assembly is provided for coupling optical fibers to a spectrometer. The connector assembly includes a plate having a slit defined therein and a ferrule that secures end portions of the optical fibers therein. The ferrule includes a forward end having an aperture that receives the optical fibers. The connector assembly further includes a connector housing having an alignment mechanism with a plate recess dimensioned to receive the plate therein and a ferrule recess dimensioned to receive the forward end of the ferrule therein. The plate recess orients the plate and the ferrule recess orients the ferrule within the connector assembly that includes a spring for imparting a force urging the forward end of the ferrule into contact with the plate to minimize an air gap between the plate and the ferrule. The spring and the alignment mechanism maintain the ferrule in an x-y-z, rotation, and/or an angular orientation.

A monolithic optical element and system is used for collimating or focusing laser light from or to optical fibers. The optical fiber terminates in a tip that directly abuts against the first surface of the optical element. The optical element may provide a collimation or focusing function depending upon whether the abutting fiber delivers light for collimation or receives focused light from a collimated beam. The optical element may be a standard or modified barrel or drum lens, with the first and second surfaces being convex curved surfaces having the same or different radii of curvature. The end of the optical element to which the fiber abuts may have a diameter to match the inner diameter of a ferrule for positioning the fiber. A pair of the elements may be used for collimation and focusing in a Raman probehead or other optical detection system.

A monolithic optical element and system is used for collimating or focusing laser light from or to optical fibers. The optical fiber terminates in a tip that directly abuts against the first surface of the optical element. The optical element may provide a collimation or focusing function depending upon whether the abutting fiber delivers light for collimation or receives focused light from a collimated beam. The optical element may be a standard or modified barrel or drum lens, with the first and second surfaces being convex curved surfaces having the same or different radii of curvature. The end of the optical element to which the fiber abuts may have a diameter to match the inner diameter of a ferrule for positioning the fiber. A pair of the elements may be used for collimation and focusing in a Raman probehead or other optical detection system.