Provided is a microscopic Raman device including: a first laser light source that generates a first laser light; a second laser light source that generates a second laser light having a wavelength different from a wavelength of the first laser light; a first optical element; a second optical element; a third optical element; a fourth optical element; and a spectrometer. When the first laser light is reflected by the first optical element and passes through the third optical element to irradiate a sample, a first Raman scattered light is generated from the sample. When the second laser light is sequentially reflected by the second optical element, the fourth optical element, and the third optical element to irradiate the sample, a second Raman scattered light is generated from the sample. The first Raman scattered light passes through the third optical element and the first optical element to enter the spectrometer.

An electromagnetic radiation detector assembly is described and which includes an optical scattering mirror which optically interacts with a source of bulk and/or surface scattered electromagnetic radiation coming from the direction of an object of interest so as to function, at least in part, as a bulk scattered and/or surface scattered spatial input filter; and electromagnetic radiation detectors are provided and which are oriented in fixed locations relative to the optical scattering mirror so as to detect, with an improved signal-to-noise ratio, the bulk and/or surface scattered electromagnetic radiation; or another source of electromagnetic radiation coming from the direction of the object of interest, and then generate a resulting image signal having improved contrast.

A diagnostic analyzer includes a track, a light-blocking member, a motor, and an optical testing device. The track moves a reaction vessel held by the track. The light-blocking member is disposed adjacent to the track. The light-blocking member moves from a first position apart from the track to a second position closer to the track. When the light-blocking member is disposed in the first position a sample contained within the reaction vessel held by the track is exposed to light. When the light-blocking member is disposed in the second position the sample contained within the reaction vessel held by the track is blocked from exposure to the light. The motor moves the light-blocking member between the first and the second positions. The optical testing device is disposed adjacent to the track for optically testing the sample contained within the reaction vessel held by the track when the at least one light-blocking member is disposed in the second position.

The invention relates to a system (15) for observing a plate (10) including wells (20), including, for each well (20): a source (40) comprising a light-emitting diode (60) capable of producing a light ray, a pinhole (70), and a light integrator (65), an optical sensor (185) able to collect the optical signal from the well (20), the system (15) being such that: a ratio between the length and the average transverse dimension (Dt) of each light integrator (65) is greater than or equal to 2.2, or at least one optical axis is off-centered relative to the propagation line, the ratio between the length and the average transverse dimension of the integrator being greater than or equal to 1.5.

The present disclosure, among other things, describes a reader system comprising a casing, an optical system, en electromechanical motor system, and one or more digital processors.

Provided are systems and methods to filter infrared spectrum radiation that can be integrated with a compact optical system for an infrared imaging system. The optical system includes an objective lens element configured to receive and transmit infrared (IR) radiation from a scene, where the IR radiation from the scene includes a particular range of wavelengths corresponding to an absorption spectrum or a transmission spectrum of a gas. The optical system also includes a spectral lens element configured to receive the IR radiation transmitted through the objective lens element, where the spectral lens element comprises a first interference filter disposed on a first surface of the spectral lens element. The interference filter is configured to filter the IR radiation transmitted through the objective lens element to a narrower wavelength band that includes the particular range of wavelengths.

A shutter assembly includes a first shutter blade having a first toothed arm extending therefrom and a first light transmitting aperture therein, and a second shutter blade positioned adjacent and parallel to the first shutter blade. The second shutter blade has a second toothed arm extending therefrom and a second light transmitting aperture therein. The first and second shutter blades are supported to allow parallel linear motion. A motor gear is disposed between, and meshed with, the first and second toothed arms such that rotation of the gear causes the first and second shutter blades to move linearly in opposite directions between an open position in which the first and second light transmitting apertures are in an overlapping relationship with respect to one another, and a closed position in which the first and second light transmitting apertures are in a non-overlapping relationship with respect to one another.

A shutter assembly includes a first shutter blade having a first toothed arm extending therefrom and a first light transmitting aperture therein, and a second shutter blade positioned adjacent and parallel to the first shutter blade. The second shutter blade has a second toothed arm extending therefrom and a second light transmitting aperture therein. The first and second shutter blades are supported to allow parallel linear motion. A motor gear is disposed between, and meshed with, the first and second toothed arms such that rotation of the gear causes the first and second shutter blades to move linearly in opposite directions between an open position in which the first and second light transmitting apertures are in an overlapping relationship with respect to one another, and a closed position in which the first and second light transmitting apertures are in a non-overlapping relationship with respect to one another.

An apparatus for volumetric imaging is provided. The apparatus comprises an illumination assembly arranged to direct light to illuminate a plurality of planes in a sample region sequentially at an illumination rate, each plane extending over a plurality of depths in the sample region; an image sensor comprising a plurality of sections of pixels and arranged to sense each section of pixels sequentially at a sensing rate; and a light-receiving assembly arranged to receive light from the sample region and to direct light received from each of said planes in the sample region to a different respective section of said sections of pixels. The light-receiving assembly comprises a multi-plane optical assembly arranged to receive light from the plurality of depths in the sample region and, for each section of said sections of pixels, to direct light simultaneously from each of the plurality of depths in the respective plane to a different respective subsection of said section. The illumination rate is equal to the sensing rate, such that each section of pixels is arranged to sense light from the plurality of depths in the respective plane as the plane is illuminated by the illumination assembly.

The optical interrogation technique can use an optical prism having two opposite sides including a sample side and a refraction side, the sample side having a plurality of interrogation areas; a source assembly generating a collimated field of illumination directed towards the refraction side; a screen disposed in a screen plane intersecting the field of illumination and shielding the refraction side from the field of illumination, the screen having an aperture allowing a portion of the field of illumination to reach and be refracted by the refraction side, be totally internally reflected at one of said interrogation areas of the sample side, thereby generating a signal, the signal refracted back through the aperture, the screen being movable within the screen plane to shift the aperture and expose different portions of the field of illumination to corresponding ones of the interrogation areas.