The present publication describes a heat-resistant optical layered structure, a manufacturing method for a layered structure, and the use of a layered structure as a detector, emitter, and reflecting surface. The layered structure comprises a reflecting layer, an optical structure on top of the reflecting layer, and preferably shielding layers for shielding the reflecting layer and the optical structure. According to the invention, the optical structure on top of the reflecting layer comprises at least one partially transparent layer, which is optically fitted at a distance to the reflecting layer.

An identification apparatus includes a plurality of irradiation units disposed at different positions in a conveyance width direction to irradiate a specimen with a converging ray in different irradiation conditions, the specimen being conveyed in a predetermined conveyance direction by a conveyance unit, a plurality of light-capturing units configured to capture scattered light from the specimen, each of the plurality of light-capturing units corresponding to a different one of the plurality of irradiation units, an acquisition unit configured to acquire identification information for identifying a property of the specimen, based on the light captured by the light-capturing units; and a placement unit configured to place the specimen on a position corresponding to any one of the plurality of irradiation units in accordance with a characteristic value of the specimen at an upstream side of the plurality of irradiation units in the conveyance direction.

A white light spectroscopy system includes a super continuum light source having an input light source including semiconductor diodes to generate an input beam having a wavelength shorter than 2.5 microns. The light source includes a cladding-pumped fiber optical amplifier to receive the input beam, and a photonic crystal fiber to receive the amplified optical beam to broaden the spectral width to 100 nm or more forming an output beam in the visible wavelength range. The output beam is pulsed with a repetition rate of 1 Megahertz or higher. The system also includes a lens and/or mirror to receive the output beam, to send the output beam to a scanning stage, and to deliver the received output beam to a sample. A detection system includes dispersive optics and narrow band filters followed by one or more detectors to permit approximately simultaneous measurement of at least two wavelengths from the sample.

A spectrophotometer includes: an infrared light source; an interferometer; a first detector; and a monitor unit. The monitor unit includes: a second detector; and a light amount control unit. The light amount control unit is operable to control the infrared light source such that the amount comes closer to a target light amount, based on the signal. The infrared light source emits light having a first wavelength range and light having a second wavelength range different from the first wavelength range. The second detector includes: a first light detection element; and a second light detection element. The first light detection element outputs to the light amount control unit a first voltage corresponding to the light having the first wavelength range. The second light detection element outputs to the light amount control unit a second voltage corresponding to the light having the second wavelength range.

Described herein is a method and a device for monitoring radiation emitted by a radiation emitting element of a thermal radiation source within the visible and the infrared spectral ranges, specifically for determining an emission spectrum of the thermal radiation source. The method includes the following steps: a) providing a thermal radiation source including a radiation emitting element; b) providing at least one radiation sensitive element; c) measuring a spectral radiance of the radiation emitted by the radiation emitting element at at least two individual wavelengths; and d) determining an emission temperature of the radiation emitting element by providing a ratio of the measured values of the spectral radiance of the radiation at the at least two individual wavelengths.

IR emission devices comprising an array of polaritonic IR emitters arranged on a substrate, where the emitters are coupled to a heater configured to provide heat to one or more of the emitters. When the emitters are heated, they produce an infrared emission that can be polarized and whose spectral emission range, emission wavelength, and/or emission linewidth can be tuned by the polaritonic material used to form the elements of the array and/or by the size and/or shape of the emitters. The IR emission can be modulated by the induction of a strain into a ferroelectric, a change in the crystalline phase of a phase change material and/or by quickly applying and dissipating heat applied to the polaritonic nanostructure. The IR emission can be designed to be hidden in the thermal background so that it can be observed only under the appropriate filtering and/or demodulation conditions.

A system and a method for infrared spectrometry, the method comprising multiphoton absorption with a material positioned in the Fourier plane of a 2f setup, the material being one of: i) a visible light sensitive, high band gap material and ii) an IR sensitive material. The system comprises one of: i) a visible light sensitive, high band gap material and ii) an IR sensitive material, positioned in the Fourier plane of a 2f setup.

Contrary to conventional wisdom, which holds that light-emitting diodes (LEDs) should be cooled to increase efficiency, the LEDs disclosed herein are heated to increase efficiency. Heating an LED operating at low forward bias voltage (e.g., V<k.sub.BT/q) can be accomplished by injecting phonons generated by non-radiative recombination back into the LED's semiconductor lattice. This raises the temperature of the LED's active rejection, resulting in thermally assisted injection of holes and carriers into the LED's active region. This phonon recycling or thermo-electric pumping process can be promoted by heating the LED with an external source (e.g., exhaust gases or waste heat from other electrical components). It can also be achieved via internal heat generation, e.g., by thermally insulating the LED's diode structure to prevent (rather than promote) heat dissipation. In other words, trapping heat generated by the LED within the LED increases LED efficiency under certain bias conditions.

The present invention relates to near-infrared quantum emitters, and in particular carbon nanostructures with chemically incorporated fluorescent defects, and methods of synthesizing near-infrared emitting nanostructures.

The invention relates to a modulatable infrared emitter comprising a MEMS heating element and an actuator, wherein the actuator triggers shape and/or structure changes of the MEMS heating element. Said change in shape and/or structure of the MEMS heating element may vary the ratio of the emitting area to the total area, thereby producing a change in intensity of the emitted infrared beam. The invention further relates to a manufacturing method for the infrared emitter, a method for modulated emission of infrared radiation using the infrared emitter, and preferred uses of the infrared emitter. In further preferred aspects the invention relates to a system comprising the infrared emitter and a control device for regulating the actuator.