The present invention belongs to the field of optical technology, disclosing a quadrilateral common-path time-modulated interferometric spectral imaging device and method. The present invention sets up a moving mirror scanning mechanism in a quadrilateral common path interferometer for generating optical path differences that vary with time, so that the quadrilateral common-path time-modulated interferometric spectral imaging device operates in the staring observation mode. The invention can make the quadrilateral common-path time-modulated interferometric spectral imaging device not only retain the advantages of common optical path spectroscopic technology, but also obtain high spectral resolution.

A compact, portable Raman spectrometer makes fast, sensitive standoff measurements at little to no risk of eye injury or igniting the materials being probed. This spectrometer uses differential Raman spectroscopy and ambient light measurements to measure point-and-shoot Raman signatures of dark or highly fluorescent materials at distances of 1 cm to 10 m or more. It scans the Raman pump beam(s) across the sample to reduce the risk of unduly heating or igniting the sample. Beam scanning also transforms the spectrometer into an instrument with a lower effective safety classification, reducing the risk of eye injury. The spectrometer's long standoff range automatic focusing make it easier to identify chemicals through clear and translucent obstacles, such as flow tubes, windows, and containers. And the spectrometer's components are light and small enough to be packaged in a handheld housing or housing suitable for a small robot to carry.

(Object) To enable to provide a small-scale and low-cost spectrometer (Means of Achieving the Object) A spectrometer includes: a light incidence unit configured to allow incidence of light from outside; a diffraction grating configured to disperse, according to wavelength, the light that is incident through the light incidence unit; and a reflection unit including a reflection surface for reflecting the light that has been dispersed according to wavelength by the diffraction grating. Tilt of the reflection surface is changeable.

A system for high gain stimulated Raman spectroscopy comprises a first continuous wave laser having an output beam at a tunable optical frequency modulated at a first RF frequency, a second continuous wave laser having a second output beam at an optical frequency modulated at a second RF frequency, wherein the modulation frequencies are selected such that their beat notes represent a Raman resonance frequency, a dual-beam rasterizing probe including first and second photosensors and a rasterizer configured to scan the first and second laser output beams onto a sample, exposing the sample to a reduced average power of laser radiation stimulating the sample to emit Raman radiation signals. The Raman signals are directed to the photosensors and the outputs of the photosensors are supplied to a differential amplifier configured to provide sensitivity and gain to signals at the beat note resonant frequency and to filter signals at other frequencies.

An example system for inspecting a surface includes a laser, an optical system, a gated camera, and a control system. The laser is configured to emit pulses of light, with respective wavelengths of the pulses of light varying over time. The optical system includes at least one optical element, and is configured to direct light emitted by the laser to points along a scan line one point at a time. The gated camera is configured to record a fluorescent response of the surface from light having each wavelength of a plurality of wavelengths at each point along the scan line. The control system is configured to control the gated camera such that an aperture of the gated camera is open during fluorescence of the surface but closed during exposure of the surface to light emitted by the laser.

A system for non-invasively interrogating an in vivo sample for measurement of analytes comprises a pulse sensor coupled to the in vivo sample for detect a blood pulse of the sample and for generating a corresponding pulse signal, a laser generator for generating a laser radiation having a wavelength, power and diameter, the laser radiation being directed toward the sample to elicit Raman signals, a laser controller adapted to activate the laser generator, a spectrometer situated to receive the Raman signals and to generate analyte spectral data; and a computing device coupled to the pulse sensor, laser controller and spectrometer which is adapted to correlate the spectral data with the pulse signal based on timing data received from the laser controller in order to isolate spectral components from analytes within the blood of the sample from spectral components from analytes arising from non-blood components of the sample.

A spectral feature selection apparatus includes a dispersive optical element arranged to interact with a pulsed light beam; three or more refractive optical elements arranged in a path of the pulsed light beam between the dispersive optical element and a pulsed optical source; and one or more actuation systems, each actuation system associated with a refractive optical element and configured to rotate the associated refractive optical element to thereby adjust a spectral feature of the pulsed light beam. At least one of the actuation systems is a rapid actuation system that includes a rapid actuator configured to rotate its associated refractive optical element about a rotation axis. The rapid actuator includes a rotary stepper motor having a rotation shaft that rotates about a shaft axis that is parallel with the rotation axis of the associated refractive optical element.

A transmission Raman spectroscopy apparatus has a light source for generating a light profile on a sample, a photodetector having at least one photodetector element, collection optics arranged to collect Raman scattered light transmitted through the sample and direct the Raman light onto the at least one photodetector element and a support for supporting the sample. The support and light source are arranged such that the light profile can be moved relative to the sample in order that the at least one photodetector element receives Raman scattered light generated for different locations of the light profile on the sample.

A spectral feature selection apparatus includes a dispersive optical element arranged to interact with a pulsed light beam; three or more refractive optical elements arranged in a path of the pulsed light beam between the dispersive optical element and a pulsed optical source; and one or more actuation systems, each actuation system associated with a refractive optical element and configured to rotate the associated refractive optical element to thereby adjust a spectral feature of the pulsed light beam. At least one of the actuation systems is a rapid actuation system that includes a rapid actuator configured to rotate its associated refractive optical element about a rotation axis. The rapid actuator includes a rotary stepper motor having a rotation shaft that rotates about a shaft axis that is parallel with the rotation axis of the associated refractive optical element.

A spectroscopic assay is provided. The assay comprises: a motive particle configured to move within a solution, the motive particle comprising a first analyte binding reagent for selectively binding to a target analyte; and a spectroscopic reporter particle configured to provide a predetermined spectroscopic signal in response to being interrogated by a spectrometer, the spectroscopic reporter particle comprising a second analyte binding reagent for selectively binding to the target analyte, wherein the motive particle and the spectroscopic reporter particle are configured to provide a sandwich assay in the presence of the target analyte via the first and second analyte binding reagents.