A system in an embodiment can comprise an optical assembly, an surface-plasmon-resonance (SPR) light source, and an SPR camera. The optical assembly can comprise a hemispherical prism comprising a top surface configured to support a SPR sensor; and a high numerical aperture (NA) lens located distal from the top surface of the hemispherical prism. The SPR light source can be configured to emit a light beam for SPR imaging. The SPR camera can be configured to capture an SPR image. The SPR sensor further can comprise a surface configured to contact a sample. The high NA lens can be configured to refract the light beam toward the hemispherical prism. The hemispherical prism can be configured to collimate the light beam, as refracted by the high NA lens, toward the SPR sensor. The high NA lens further can be configured to receive and refract the light beam toward the SPR camera, after the light beam is reflected by the surface of the SPR sensor. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Provided are an apparatus and a method for infrared imaging, more particularly, an apparatus and a method for infrared imaging, which receive infrared light, emitted from a target, and output the received infrared light as an image. An infrared imaging apparatus, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment, receives infrared light, emitted from a target, and outputs the received infrared light as an image. The infrared imaging apparatus includes: a reaction unit having physical properties changing in response to the received infrared light; a light source unit for generating measurement light irradiated toward the reaction unit; and an imaging unit for detecting the measurement light with the light quantity thereof changing depending on a change in the physical properties of the reaction unit and outputting the detected measurement light as an image.

A system in an embodiment can comprise an optical assembly, an SPR light source, and an SPR camera. The optical assembly in this embodiment can comprise a hemispherical prism comprising a planar top surface configured to support a surface-plasmon-resonance (SPR) sensor; a high numerical aperture (NA) lens; and a housing configured to mount the hemispherical prism and the high NA lens the such that the high NA lens is located distal from the planar top surface of the hemispherical prism. The SPR light source in this embodiment can be configured to emit a low-coherent monochromatic light beam for SPR imaging toward the high NA lens. The SPR camera in this embodiment can be configured to capture an SPR image formed after the low-coherent monochromatic light beam is incident upon and reflected by a metal-coated sample contacting surface of the SPR sensor. Additionally, the high NA lens in this embodiment can be configured to refract the low-coherent monochromatic light beam from the SPR light source toward the hemispherical prism; and the hemispherical prism can be configured to collimate the low-coherent monochromatic light beam, as refracted by the high NA lens, toward the SPR sensor. Other embodiments are disclosed.

A method for optically detecting biomarkers in a biosensor, comprising: simultaneously acquiring (1100) spatially and spectrally resolved images from at least one sample of the biosensor and performing an image analysis (1000) in parallel to the image acquisition (1100); wherein the image analysis (1000) comprises: reading (2100) data of the acquired images; correcting (2200) the data to reduce inhomogeneities and noise of the images; localizing (2300) particles in the images using the corrected data; characterizing (2400) each particle individually to obtain at least its position and characterization parameters; classifying (2500) the particles based on their characterization parameters to obtain particle classes; counting (2600) the particles for each class and acquired image; for each biomarker in each sample, calculating an overall analysis result (2800) comprising calculating at least one statistical value by using the number of particles per class for all the images acquired from the same sample, and the statistical value per sample being correlated with the presence of a biomarker in the sample.

Functionalizable nanopatterned monolayers comprise one or more block copolymers, each containing one or more hydrophobic blocks and one or more hydrophilic blocks. The one or more hydrophilic blocks of at least one of the block copolymers can be terminated by a modifiable functional group, to which a functional moiety, such as a biological molecule, can be attached. The surface concentration of the modifiable functional groups on the monolayer can be controlled by adjusting the properties of the block copolymers, such as their size, their chemical makeup, and the relative proportion of the block copolymer containing the modifiable functional group, and the conditions, such as surface pressure, under which the monolayer is formed and/or transferred to a substrate. The nanopatterned monolayer can be transferred to a substrate to form a functionalizable nanopatterned nanocoating, which is useful in applications such as biosensors.

A two-piece optical prism includes a prism having a groove and prism having arc faces, where the prism having a groove has at least one first arc face and groove having at least one second arc face, and the prism having arc faces is placed in the groove of the prism having a groove and has at least one third arc face. The present invention can be used in the surface plasmon resonance optical system for the angle, range adjustment and control of incident light (e.g. laser light), capable of constituting an optical wide-angle, multi-angle incident system to carry out the wide-angle, multi-angle scanning detection of surface plasmon resonance, increasing the system dynamic detection range and sensitivity; and further reducing a detection chip.

The present invention relates to a system for biodetection applications comprising two basic elements, a substrate with a functionalized surface and a nanoparticle, the system being capable of enhancing the plasmonic effect of the nanoparticle. The invention also relates to a biosensor incorporating such system, in addition to the method for detecting and quantifying a target analyte selected in a sample using such system. Finally, the invention relates to a device which can detect the enhanced optoplasmonic effect of the nanoparticles by means of the system of the invention or by combining the detection of such optoplasmonic effect with the analysis of the changes in the mechanical characteristics in the substrate.

A detection device including a light guide element, a sensing element, a surface plasma resonance layer and a spatial filter element is provided. The light guide element has a top surface and a bottom surface opposite to the top surface. The sensing element is disposed beside the bottom surface of the light guide element. The surface plasma resonance layer is disposed on the top surface of the light guide element and is adapted to receive biopolymers. The spatial filter element is disposed between the bottom surface of the light guide element and the sensing element. The spatial filter element has a plurality of first light channels and a plurality of second light channels. The plurality of first light channels extend in a first direction, the plurality of second light channels extend in a second direction, and the first direction and the second direction are intersected. A normal direction of the top surface of the light guide element and the second direction form an included angle , and the included angle corresponds to a resonant angle of the surface plasma resonance layer.

Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) based sensing systems and methods for sensing rhythmic beating characteristics of living cells are provided. An SPR based sensing system can include: an SPR sensing surface capable of generating SPR upon stimulation by incident light and configured to sense contractions, expansions, and/or movements of a plurality of living cells on the SPR sensing surface; and a cell culture module for culturing the living cells on the SPR sensing surface. In addition, the SPR based sensing system can perform a real-time analysis of one or more analytes secreted from the living cells by including a coating on the SPR sensing surface.

The present invention relates to a system for biodetection applications comprising two basic elements, a substrate with a functionalized surface and a nanoparticle, the system being capable of enhancing the plasmonic effect of the nanoparticle. The invention also relates to a biosensor incorporating such system, in addition to the method for detecting and quantifying a target analyte selected in a sample using such system. Finally, the invention relates to a device which can detect the enhanced optoplasmonic effect of the nanoparticles by means of the system of the invention or by combining the detection of such optoplasmonic effect with the analysis of the changes in the mechanical characteristics in the substrate.