In an embodiment, a method comprises fitting a spectroscopic data of a layer in a layered structure to a dielectric function having a real part and an imaginary part; confirming that the dielectric function is physically possible; based on the dielectric function not being physically possible, repeating the fitting the spectroscopic data, or, based on the dielectric function being physically possible, defining an n degree polynomial to the dielectric function; determining a second derivative and a third derivative of the n degree polynomial; equating the second derivative to a first governing equation and the third derivative to a second governing equation and determining a constant of the first governing equation and the second governing equation; and based on the key governing equations, determining one or more of a band gap, a thickness, and a concentration of the layer.

A growth-rate measuring apparatus has a refractometer to irradiate light of a plurality of different wavelengths to a surface of a substrate to measure a reflectivity of the surface of the substrate per different wavelengths, a fitter to fit a reflectivity calculated by a model function, the model function being obtained in advance, to a measured value of the reflectivity, for at least one layer of thin films laminated one by one on the substrate, with at least one of a refractive index and a growth rate as a fitting parameter, a parameter extractor to extract sets of fitting parameters for each wavelength in the different wavelengths, respectively, for which an error between the calculated reflectivity and the measured value of the reflectivity is minimum, and a parameter selector to select an optimum set of values of the fitting parameter, among the fitting parameters extracted for the different wavelengths.

A system and method for evaluation of an interaction between an analyte in a fluid sample and a ligand immobilized on a sensor surface of a biosensor is provided. In one example, the system includes a plurality of needles, each being arranged to inject a fluid sample to one of sensor surfaces or detection spots. A plurality of fluid samples, each containing known concentrations of analyte, is provided. The plurality of fluid samples may be divided into at least two groups, each group having a number of fluid samples corresponding to the number of needles. The system and method is configured to perform the injections without intermediate regeneration or renewal of the immobilized ligand. Software for performing the steps of the method and a computer readable medium for storing the software are also provided.

Systems and methods for conducting contact-free thickness and refractive-index measurements of transparent objects, such as intraocular lenses using a dual confocal microscopy system are disclosed.

Apparatus and methods for measuring mode spectra for ion-exchanged glass substrates having a steep index region are disclosed. An interfacing fluid is provided between the coupling prism and the glass substrate. The interfacing fluid thickness is selected so that the variation in modal birefringence with fluid thickness is reduced to an acceptable level. The coupling prism can include a prism coating on the coupling surface so that the substrate-prism interface includes the prism coating. The coupling prism can also include stand-off members that serve to define the thickness of the interfacing fluid.

An optical computing device includes an electromagnetic radiation source that emits electromagnetic radiation to optically interact with a substance and an integrated computational element (ICE) core. The ICE core includes a substrate, and a first plurality of thin films alternatingly deposited on the substrate with a second plurality of thin films via a thin film deposition process, wherein the first plurality of thin films is made of a high refractive index material and the second plurality of thin films is made of low refractive index material. A stress relief layer is deposited on the substrate via the thin film deposition process and interposes the substrate and a first layer of the first plurality of thin films. A detector is positioned to receive modified electromagnetic radiation that has optically interacted with the substance and the ICE core and generate an output signal indicative of the characteristic of the substance.

Apparatus and methods for measuring mode spectra for ion-exchanged glass substrates having a steep index region are disclosed. An interfacing fluid is provided between the coupling prism and the glass substrate. The interfacing fluid thickness is selected so that the variation in modal birefringence with fluid thickness is reduced to an acceptable level. The coupling prism can include a prism coating on the coupling surface so that the substrate-prism interface includes the prism coating. The coupling prism can also include stand-off members that serve to define the thickness of the interfacing fluid.

The invention relates to a method for analysing a sample (20), the sample being capable of comprising an analyte, the sample extending on a resonant support (15 (, the resonant support having a surface on which a plurality of photonic crystals extend (16.sub.k, 16.sub.k+1), separated from one another, such that the sample extends between a light source (10) and the photonic crystals, the photonic crystals being such that: a resonance wavelength (.sub.k) is associated with each photonic crystal (16.sub.k) addressing the analyte, wherein the wavelengths of the photonic crystals define a resonance spectral band (.sub.r), extending between 2 m and 20 m; the transmission or the reflection of light by each photonic crystal addressing the analyte is maximum at the associated resonance wavelength; the method comprises the following steps: a) illuminating the support by the light source, the light source emitting an illumination lightwave (11), defining an illumination spectral band () which at least partially covers the resonance spectral band (.sub.r), such that a plurality of photonic crystals are simultaneously illuminated; b) acquiring an image (I) of the resonant support, then determining the presence of the analyte in the sample from the image.

In an embodiment, a method comprises fitting a spectroscopic data of a layer in a layered structure to a dielectric function having a real part and an imaginary part; confirming that the dielectric function is physically possible; based on the dielectric function not being physically possible, repeating the fitting the spectroscopic data, or, based on the dielectric function being physically possible, defining an n degree polynomial to the dielectric function; determining a second derivative and a third derivative of the n degree polynomial; equating the second derivative to a first governing equation and the third derivative to a second governing equation and determining a constant of the first governing equation and the second governing equation; and based on the key governing equations, determining one or more of a band gap, a thickness, and a concentration of the layer.

Prism-coupling systems and methods for characterizing large depth-of-layer waveguides formed in glass substrates are disclosed. One method includes making a first measurement after a first ion-exchange process that forms a deep region and then performing a second measurement after a second ion-exchange process that forms a shallow region. Light-blocking features are arranged relative to the prism to produce a mode spectrum where the contrast of the mode lines for the strongly coupled low-order modes is improved at the expense of loss of resolution for measuring characteristics of the shallow region. Standard techniques for determining the compressive stress, the depth of layer or the tensile strength of the shallow region are then employed. A second measurement can be made using a near-IR wavelength to measure characteristics of the deeper, first ion-exchange process. Systems and methods of measuring ion-exchanged samples using shape control are also disclosed.