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.

A sensor device for quantifying luminescent targets comprises a light source, a detector, a modulator, and a processor. The light source is adapted for exciting the luminescent target. The detector is adapted for detecting the luminescence of the luminescent target resulting in a measured signal which comprises a desired signal originating from the luminescent target and a background signal. The modulator is adapted for modulating a physical parameter resulting in a modulation of the desired signal which is different from the modulation of the background signal. The processor is configured to correlate the modulation of the physical parameter with the modulation of the desired signal and/or the modulation of the background signal.

An apparatus related method for measuring a property of a target material. The system may include a pump device that generates a pump beam. A modulation device may receive the pump beam and generate a modulated pump beam by modulating an intensity amplitude of the pump beam, which may be directed to the target material. A probe device may generate a probe beam, which is directed to the target material. A part of the probe beam may be reflected off of the target material, and has similar frequency characteristic as the modulated pump beam. A detection device may detect the reflected probe beam and produce a signal. An analyzing device may receive the signal and calculate the target material property by comparing the modulated frequency characteristics of the signal to those of the pump beam. At least one of the pump and the probe beams may be infrared light.

System 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 dual beam photo-thermal spectroscopy with confocal microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, fluorescence detection, various vacuum analytical techniques and/or mass spectrometry. In embodiments described herein, the light beams of a dual-beam system are used for heating and sensing.

A method and system for rapid, label free nanoscale chemical imaging and tomography (3D) with multiplexing for speed, and engineered coherent illumination and detection to achieve 3-D resolution at twice the Abbe limit. A sample undergoes photo-thermal heating using a modulated infrared light source and the resulting probe beam modulation is measured with one or more visible laser probes. Varying the infrared wavelength results in a spectrum which characterizes the chemical composition of the sample. Optionally, inelastically scattered light generated as a result of the probe beam interacting with the sample is collected simultaneously to yield additional chemical information.

A defogging device includes a temperature sensor, an infrared sensor, a surface temperature measuring unit, a humidity sensor, a dew point temperature measuring unit, and a fogging/dew condensation determining unit. When the defogging device is instructed to perform measurement, the temperature sensor measures temperature. Additionally, measurement by the infrared sensor is performed, and based on an output of the infrared sensor and an output of the temperature sensor, the surface temperature measuring unit measures glass surface temperature. Measurement by the humidity sensor is performed, and based on an output of the humidity sensor and the output of the temperature sensor, the dew point temperature measuring unit measures dew point temperature. Lastly, the fogging/dew condensation determining unit compares the glass surface temperature with the dew point temperature to determine whether fogging or dew condensation occurs or not.

Methods, devices and apparatus for measuring expansion/contraction properties of a material are described. According to an embodiment a method comprises: providing a device, said device comprising a sample comprising said material, said sample comprising a first surface and a second surface, a first substrate and a second substrate connected to said first surface and to said second surface of said sample, respectively, a reflective material attached to said second substrate, and two electrical contacts each independently in contact with said sample; applying voltage to said sample using said electrical contacts; illuminating said reflective material using a light source, such that said illumination comprises light having known and controllable polarization; collecting light reflected off said reflective material; measuring amplitude and phase of an oscillating change in polarization of the reflected light; and extracting parameters related to expansion/contraction from said reflected light measurement, thus evaluating said expansion/contraction properties of said material.

A sensor device for quantifying luminescent targets configured in an at least one dimensional pattern. The sensor device comprises a detector for obtaining an at least one dimensional pattern of measured signals, wherein the detector is adapted for detecting the luminescence of the luminescent targets, resulting in a measured pattern. The sensor device moreover comprises a processor configured to correlate the measured pattern with at least one reference pattern, so as to generate a measurement signal representative for the quantification of luminescent targets. The at least one reference pattern is a recorded pattern or an expected pattern. A recorded pattern is a pattern which is obtained by the detector before the measured pattern is obtained.

A system and method for measuring characteristics, comprising: a directed energy source having an energy output which changes over time, incident on an object undergoing additive manufacturing; a sensor configured to measure a dynamic thermal response of at least a portion of the object undergoing additive manufacturing proximate to a directed location of the directed energy source over time with respect distance from the directed location; and at least one processor, configured to analyze the measured dynamic thermal response to determine presence of a manufacturing defect in the object undergoing additive manufacturing, before completion of manufacturing.

A defogging device includes a temperature sensor, an infrared sensor, a surface temperature measuring unit, a humidity sensor, a dew point temperature measuring unit, and a fogging/dew condensation determining unit. When the defogging device is instructed to perform measurement, the temperature sensor measures temperature. Additionally, measurement by the infrared sensor is performed, and based on an output of the infrared sensor and an output of the temperature sensor, the surface temperature measuring unit measures glass surface temperature. Measurement by the humidity sensor is performed, and based on an output of the humidity sensor and the output of the temperature sensor, the dew point temperature measuring unit measures dew point temperature. Lastly, the fogging/dew condensation determining unit compares the glass surface temperature with the dew point temperature to determine whether fogging or dew condensation occurs or not.