Disclosed herein is a novel phenomenon to create a nano-confined, dopant-free, electron spin-dependent fluorescence (SDF) in spider silk by fundamentally transforming its local molecular structure with femtosecond-pulses (206), having fluence below an ablation threshold. Electron-spin dependence of the fluorescent patterns created on the silk sample are confirmed by measuring the fluorescence intensity at different microwave frequencies. The fluorescent intensity exhibits microwave magnetic resonances at 2.88 GHz and 1.44 GHz at room-temperature. The SDF in laser-transformed silk can thereby enable a new-class of tough yet elastic silk-based quantum sensor and hybrid nano-mechanical ultrasensitive cantilevers on a micro-chip. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman-spectroscopy, direct atomistic imaging with high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) and model-building studies are carried out to exhibit the change in the molecular structure and unveil creation of crown-ring like structure in nanocrystals of fluorescent silk with localized electrons possessing mid-gap states.

Intensity values of electromagnetic radiation from an object to be imaged are received from an array of detectors. The array of detectors includes one or more pairs of detectors arranged as antisymmetric pairs of detectors. A Fourier transform of an image of the object is determined by correlating fluctuations of the intensity values for each antisymmetric pair of detectors. An inverse of the Fourier transform is determined, and an image of the object is generated from the inverse Fourier transform. The Fourier transform of the mean intensity pattern across the array of detectors may also be used to determine when the array is properly oriented to separate the image and mirror image.

A photoacoustic remote sensing system (NI-PARS) for imaging a subsurface structure in a sample, has an excitation beam configured to generate ultrasonic signals in the sample at an excitation location; an interrogation beam incident on the sample at the excitation location, a portion of the interrogation beam returning from the sample that is indicative of the generated ultrasonic signals; an optical system that focuses at least one of the excitation beam and the interrogation beam with a focal point that is below the surface of the sample; and a detector that detects the returning portion of the interrogation beam.

A camera-based photoacoustic remote sensing system (C-PARS) for imaging a subsurface and deep structures in a sample, has an excitation beam configured to generate ultrasonic signals in the sample at an excitation location; an interrogation beam incident on the sample at the excitation location, a portion of the interrogation beam returning from the sample that is indicative of the generated ultrasonic signals; a camera to map the returning portion of the interrogation beam over the entire field of view.

The present invention relates to testing biological or industrial samples. Disclosed by preferred embodiments is an electronic assay test reader for reading a lateral flow test strip having a development area comprising a test background region and at least one test result line, the electronic lateral flow assay test reader comprising: a cassette for retaining the test strip and a carrier adapted to removably retain the cassette therein; at least one illumination LED operably associated with one or a combination of the cassette and the carrier for illuminating the test strip, and; a light guide comprising a window structure of one or a combination of the cassette and the carrier to direct light emitted or reflected from a selected portion of the development area of the test strip to a sensor wherein the proportion of the at least one test result line relative to the proportion of test background region in the selected portion of the development area of the test strip is maximised

The invention relates, inter alia, to an apparatus for analyzing a material, including an excitation emission device for generating at least one electromagnetic excitation beam, in particular an exciting light beam, having at least one excitation wavelength, further including a detection device for detecting a reaction signal, and a device for analyzing the material on the basis of the detected reaction signal.

The disclosed apparatus, systems and methods relate to ATPA technology that provides a method for the real-time assessment of the polymerization of a sample, e.g., whole blood or blood plasma coagulation, by a non-contact acoustic tweezing device. The acoustic tweezing technology integrates photo-optical tests used in plasma coagulation assays with mechanical (viscoelastic) tests used in whole blood analysis. Its key disruptive features are the increased reliability and accuracy due to non-contact measurement, low sample volume requirement, relatively short procedure time (less than 10 minutes), and the ability to assess the level of Factor XIII function from measurements of the fibrin network formation time.

Methods and apparatus for performing chemical spectroscopy on samples from the scale of nanometers to millimeters or more with a multifunctional platform combining analytical and imaging techniques including atomic force microscopy, infrared spectroscopy, confocal microscopy, Raman spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. For infrared spectroscopy, a sample is illuminated with infrared light and the resulting sample distortion is read out with either a focused UV/visible light beam and/or AFM tip. Using the AFM tip or the UV/visible light beam it is possible to measure the IR absorption characteristics of a sample with spatial resolution ranging from around 1 μm or less to the nanometer scale. The combination of both techniques provides a rapid and large area survey scan with the UV/visible light and a high resolution measurement with the AFM tip. The methods and apparatus also include the ability to analyze light reflected/scattered from the sample via a Raman spectrometer for complementary analysis by Raman spectroscopy. Using a UV/vis source or IR source at higher intensity it is possible to thermally desorb material from a sample for analysis by mass spectrometry. The AFM tip can also be heated to desorb material for mass spec analysis at even higher spatial resolution.

A gas sensor comprising: a substrate; a grating array disposed on top of the substrate and comprising grates; and voids defined by the grates and configured to confine gas molecules for absorption of light and analysis. A method of gas sensing comprising: generating first light; converting the first light into second light using grates of a grating array; resonating the second light within the grating array; confining gas molecules in voids defined by the grates; and causing the gas molecules to absorb the second light within the voids.

Disclosed are methods that, by not physically touching a material being measured, can measure the material's differential response quite accurately. A collimated light shines on the material under test is reflected off it, and is then captured by a device that records the position where the reflected light is captured. This process is done both before and after the material is processed in some way (e.g., by applying a coat of paint). The change in position where the reflected light is captured is used in calculating the deflection of the material as induced by the process. This measured induced deflection is then used to accurately determinate the stress introduced into the material by the process. Other characteristics of the material under test, such as aspects of the material composition of a bi-metallic strip, for example, may also be determined from a deflection measurement.