A method of fabricating a waveguide structure to form a solid-core waveguide from a waveguiding layer may include etching a fluid channel into the waveguiding layer, etching a first air-gap and a second air gap into the waveguiding layer, wherein etching the first and the second air-gaps creates a solid-core waveguide in the waveguiding layer between the first air-gap and the second air-gap. A method for fabricating a waveguide structure to form a solid-core waveguide may include forming a first trench, a second trench, and a third trench in a substrate layer, and depositing a waveguiding layer on the machined substrate layer, wherein depositing the waveguiding layer creates a hollow core of a fluid channel in a location corresponding to the first trench, and a solid-core waveguide portion in the waveguiding layer in a location corresponding to an area between the second trench and the third trench.

A waveguiding structure (500) includes one or more fluid channels (518) intersected by a waveguide (514). An aperture layer (570) of the waveguide structure includes an array of apertures adjacent to the one or more fluid channels, such that the array of apertures may allow emission signals from analytes in the fluid channels to pass through the aperture layer for detection. The aperture layer may be etched using a first etching step, while an air-gap in a substrate of the waveguiding structure may be etched using a second etching step, wherein the first etching step has a higher level of precision than the second etching step. The array of apertures may comprise one or more one-dimensional signature patterns of apertures associated with specific fluid channels of the device, such that the signature patterns may be used to demultiplex signals and to correlate a signal with one of the plurality of channels.

A method and system is provided that measures plasma protein levels of whole blood while a plasma donor is connected to an apheresis machine. A refractometer associated with the apheresis machine is capable of receiving a portion of a disposable tubing set including an integrated cuvette and prism. The integrated cuvette of the disposable tubing set can be inserted into a receiving space of the refractometer associated with the apheresis machine such that the light source and the sensor are oriented relative to the prism and a sensing surface of the integrated cuvette in a precise alignment. Calibration of the refractometer is made using anticoagulant pumped through the disposable tubing set including the integrated cuvette and prism. Based on a light intensity associated with this calibration, whole blood is then measured to determine plasma protein levels and donor eligibility.

A flow cell can comprise a high-pressure, fluidic, flow-through housing that encloses and auto-aligns a heavy-walled, internally reflective low-cost glass capillary for concentrating and amplifying laser-excited spectra. The containment housing that encloses the capillaries can optionally sustain operational pressures of at least 10,000 psi. The pressure housing can be fitted with transparent optical windows that can accommodate laser-safe injection and spectra collection. The flow-cell design can adaptably accommodate different optical sampling configurations such as transmissive (forward scattering), reflective (backward scattering), or multipass, combined scattering. The flow cell size is scalable (lengthwise) to accommodate different applications or installations such as benchtop (lab), permanent (industrial), and portable (field). With new, miniaturized spectrometers, the flow cell can optionally be configured for transport as a real-time, high-sensitivity gas-analysis sensor aboard compact aerial or otherwise mobile systems (e.g., drones) for remote or hazardous applications.

Device for improving an optical detecting smoke apparatus and implementing thereof. Apparatus and methods for detecting the presence of smoke in a small, long-lasting smoke detector are (disclosed. Specifically, the present disclosure shows how to build one or more optimized blocking members in a smoke detector to augment signal to noise ratio. This is performed while keeping the reflections from the housing structure to a very low value while satisfying all the other peripheral needs of fast response to smoke and preventing ambient light. This allows very small measurements of light scattering of the smoke particles to be reliable in a device resistant to the negative effects of dust. In particular, geometrical optical elements, e.g., cap and optical defection elements, are disclosed.

A fluid analyzer (214) that analyzes a sample (12) includes an analyzer frame (236); a test cell assembly (242) that receives the sample (12); a laser assembly (238) that generates a laser beam (239A) a signal detector assembly (232) and a self-check assembly (230). The self-check assembly (230) includes (i) a check frame (230A); (ii) a check substance (230E) with known spectral characteristics; and (iii) a check frame mover (230B) that selectively moves the check frame (230A) between a self-check position (231 B) and a test position (231 A) relative to the analyzer frame (236). In the self-check position (231 B), the laser beam (239A) is directed through the check substance (230E) to evaluate the performance of the fluid analyzer (214). In the test position (231 A), the laser beam (239A) is directed through the sample (12) in the test cell assembly (242) to evaluate the sample (12).

A method for evaluating a structure is disclosed, the structure including a base material containing at least one kind of metal selected from the group consisting of hydrogen storage metals and hydrogen storage alloys, an intermediate layer provided on the base material and stacked alternately with a first layer containing low work function substances relatively lower in work function than the metal and a second layer containing the metal, and a surface layer provided on the intermediate layer and containing the metal, wherein the method includes measuring a change in polarization between incident light and reflected light by irradiating the surface layer with light, while holding the structure at a predetermined temperature, and comparing a measurement value of the change in polarization with a threshold of a change in polarization of a structure prepared in advance and evaluating a soundness of the structure based on comparison results.

The present invention relates to a lab-on-a-chip (LOAC)-system for the rapid detection of e.g. pathogens. The system comprises a tabletop detection apparatus and a portable optical detection cartridge for being received in the inner of the detection apparatus, the cartridges comprising a plurality of test wells for detecting a desired chemical reaction taking place within a respective test well. In embodiments of the invention, the optical detection cartridge is pre-loaded with suitable respective reagents selective for a disease pathogen such as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

This invention relates generally to devices, systems, and methods for performing biological assays by using indicators that modify one or more optical properties of the assayed biological samples. The subject methods include generating a reaction product by carrying out a biochemical reaction on the biological sample introduced into a device and reacting the reaction product with an indicator capable of generating a detectable change in an optical property of the biological sample to indicate the presence, absence, or amount of analyte suspected to be present in the sample.

An optical detection assembly for monitoring a biological fluid in a vessel includes two fluid-adjustment structures, which are spaced apart and configured to receive at least a portion of a biological fluid-containing vessel therebetween. A light source (which may be associated with one of the fluid-adjustment structures) is configured to emit light through a thickness of the biological fluid in the vessel, while a light detector (which may be associated with the other one of the fluid-adjustment structures) is configured to receive at least a portion of the light from the light source after it has passed through the biological fluid in the vessel. At least a portion of at least one of the fluid-adjustment structures is configured to move with respect to at least a portion of the other one so as to change the thickness of the biological fluid in the monitored portion of the vessel.