An authentication structure and an authenticating method using the same are provided. The authentication structure includes a plurality of input couplers that generate surface plasmons by being selectively coupled to lights because the plurality of input couplers are different in terms of at least one of a geometric structure and an arrangement, and an output coupler that outputs a speckle pattern based on the surface plasmons.

Apparatuses and methods are disclosed for capturing and analyzing images of tissue, such as human skin, using multiple modalities. Exemplary devices are described having a detection polarizer via which an area of tissue is imaged and one or more light sources whose emitted light is polarized with a source polarizer. In exemplary operation, an area of tissue can be imaged as the illumination emitted from an exemplary device is varied among plain white, polarized white, and light of one or more bands of wavelengths, such as narrow-band blue, for fluorescence imaging of one or more fluorophores. In further implementations, absorption imaging can be carried out with cross-polarized narrow-band illumination.

A method for imaging one dimension nanomaterials is provided. Firstly, one dimension nanomaterials sample, an optical microscope with a liquid immersion objective and a liquid are provided. Secondly, the one dimensional nanomaterials sample is immersed in the liquid. Thirdly, the one dimensional nanomaterials sample is illuminated by an incident beam to generate resonance Rayleigh scattering. Forthly, the liquid immersion objective is immersed into the liquid to get a resonance Rayleigh scattering (RRS) image of the one dimensional nanomaterials sample. Fifthly, spectra of the one dimensional nanomaterials sample are measured to obtain chirality of the one dimensional nanomaterials sample.

A method and system are presented for use in measuring on patterned samples, aimed at determining asymmetry in the pattern. A set of at least first and second measurements on a patterned region of a sample is performed, where each of the measurements comprises: directing illuminating light onto the patterned region along an illumination channel and collecting light reflected from the illuminated region propagating along a collection channel to be detected, such that detected light from the same patterned region has different polarization states which are different from polarization of the illuminating light, and generating a measured data piece indicative of the light detected in the measurement. Thus, at least first and second measured data pieces are generated for the at least first and second measurements on the same patterned region. The at least first and second measured data pieces are analyzed and output data is generated being indicative of a condition of asymmetry in the patterned region.

The invention relates to a method and a device for the optical in vitro detection of a movement in a biological sample and/or for the optical in vitro detection of a movement of a component of the biological sample. The method has the following step: (a) providing an optical wide-field illumination device for illuminating the sample, said device being designed to illuminate the entire sample, and a detector (3) for detecting radiation (9; 9a, 9b) coming from the sample. The detector (3) has a detection surface (3a) which is divided into multiple detection regions (4a). The detector is additionally designed to derive (S1) detection signals (4c) of individual detection regions (4a) with respect to time, subsequently rectify (S2) the signals, preferably by generating an absolute value or squaring, and summing or averaging (S3) the derived and rectified detection signals of all of the detection regions and then providing same as an output signal (6c). The method further has the steps of illuminating the sample using the wide-field illumination device and detecting a movement in the biological sample on the basis of the output signal (6c) of the detector (3).

A micro object detection apparatus includes an optical system. The first optical system includes a first reflection region, a second reflection region, and a light reception element. The first reflection region has an ellipsoidal shape, and reflects scattered light scattered when irradiation light hits a particle to direct the scattered light to the light reception element, by utilizing two focal point positions of the ellipsoidal shape. The second reflection region reflects scattered light coming from the particle to direct the scattered light to the first reflection region, so that the scattered light is directed to the light reception element by utilizing the ellipsoidal shape of the first reflection region. The light flux diameter of the scattered light reflected by the second reflection region is larger than the particle, at the position of the particle at which the scattered light is generated.

An instrument and a method for measuring the characteristics of particles in a sample. The instrument comprises a light source operable to provide a light beam and defining an illumination axis; a sample cell placed on the illumination axis; a scattered light detector positioned to receive scattered light along a detection path from a sample in the sample cell, the scattered light produced by the interaction of the light beam with the sample; and a filter changer positioned between the sample cell and the scattered light detector. The filter changer comprises at least one optical filter and an actuator. The actuator is operable to move each of the at least one optical filter between a first position in which the detection path does not pass through the optical filter, and a second position in which the detection path passes through the optical filter.

A polarization property image measurement device includes: a first radiation unit that radiates light beams in different polarization conditions onto a target object after subjecting the light beams to intensity modulation at frequencies different from one another; a light receiving unit including first photoelectric conversion units that photoelectrically convert the light beams having been radiated from the first radiation unit and scattered at the target object in correspondence to each of the different polarization conditions, and second photoelectric conversion units that photoelectrically convert visible light from the target object; and a processor that detects signals individually output from the first photoelectric conversion units at the different frequencies and differentiates each signal from other signals so as to determine an origin of the signal as one of the light beams; and creates an image of the target object based upon signals individually output from the second photoelectric conversion units.

The invention pertains to an aerosol detector system for spatially resolved detection of an aerosol distribution in an area, comprising: a wide field polarization preserving telescope having telecentric imaging optics for imaging the earth surface onto a detector; said detector receiving phase stepped images imaged by said telescope; and a controller coupled to the detector, arranged to provide a resulting image as a function of corresponding pixel values of the multiple images to produce an image at a spatially resolved polarization state corresponding to said aerosol substance; wherein the telescope comprises a first telecentric imaging lens group and a wavelength filter positioned in a field image of the first telescope telecentric beam to define a spectral range of interest; the telescope further comprising: a converging lens group converging the beam to a pupil stop; relay optics including a second telecentric imaging lens group arranged to generate a telecentric beam; and splitter optics, comprising a polarization splitter for the selected wavelength range to split the telebeam into polarized beams; a further splitter; and a retarder to create multiple phase stepped images at different polarizations, the detector comprising multiple image sensors positioned in imaging planes after the splitter optics, and said polarization splitter, further splitter and retarder positioned in the telecentric beam of the second telecentric imaging lens group.

A method for assigning chirality of carbon nanotube is provided. Firstly, carbon nanotube sample, an optical microscope with a liquid immersion objective and a liquid are provided. Secondly, the carbon nanotube sample is immersed in the liquid. Thirdly, the carbon nanotube sample is illuminated by an incident beam to generate resonance Rayleigh scattering. Forthly, the liquid immersion objective is immersed into the liquid to get a resonance Rayleigh scattering (RRS) image of the carbon nanotube sample. Fifthly, spectra of the carbon nanotube sample are measured to obtain chirality of the carbon nanotube sample.