A pulsed beam of NIR excitation light is projected into a sample (345) at an oblique angle and scanned by a scanning element through a volume in the sample. 2-photon excitation excites fluorescence within the sample. The fluorescence is imaged onto an intermediate image plane that remains stationary regardless of the orientation of the scanning element. The image is captured by a linear array of light detecting elements (392) or a linear portion of a rectangular array. At any given position of the scanning element, the linear array (or portion) images all depths simultaneously. A plurality of images are captured for each of a plurality of different orientations of the scanning element. The orientation of the scanning element is controlled to move in a two dimensional pattern, which causes the beam of excitation light to sweep out a three dimensional volume within the sample.

In described examples, a spatial light modulator includes groups of pixels. Each group is arranged to transmit only a respective portion of a light spectrum. The respective portion has a respective dominant color. The respective portions of the light spectrum are distinct from one another, according to their respective dominant colors. Each group is controlled by a respective reset signal. The spatial light modulator is coupled to receive a selection from the integrated circuit and in response to the selection: cause a selected one of the groups to transmit its respective portion of the light spectrum; and cause an unselected one of the groups to block transmission of its respective portion of the light spectrum. A photodetector is coupled to: receive the respective portion of the light spectrum transmitted by the selected group; and output a signal indicating an intensity thereof.

Certain disclosed embodiments concern an integrated imaging system that combined light-sheet microscopy, which enables considerable speed and phototoxicity gains, with quantitative-phase imaging. A method for using such imaging systems also is disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment, an integrated imaging system was used for multivariate investigation of live-cells in microfluidics.

An apparatus for detecting material within a sample includes a light emitting unit for directing at least one light beam through the sample. The at least one light beam has a unique signature combination associated therewith responsive to passing through the sample. A Raman spectroscopic unit receives the at least one light beam that has passed through the sample and performs a Raman spectroscopic analysis to detect a first signature associated with the sample. An infrared spectroscopic unit receives the at least one light beam that has passed through the sample and performs an infrared spectroscopic analysis to detect a second signature associated with the sample. A database includes a plurality of unique combinations of the first signature and the second signature. Each of the plurality of unique combinations of the first signature and the second signature are associated with a particular material. A processor detects the material within the sample responsive to a comparison of a unique combination of the first signature and the second signature detected by the Raman spectroscopic unit and the infrared spectroscopic unit with the plurality of unique combinations of first signature and second signature within the database and determines a matching unique combination of the first signature and the second signature within the database, wherein identification of the unique combination of the first signature and the second signature enables detection of the material not detectable using either the first signature or the second signature alone.

In described examples, a spatial light modulator includes groups of pixels. Each group is arranged to transmit only a respective portion of a light spectrum. The respective portion has a respective dominant color. The respective portions of the light spectrum are distinct from one another, according to their respective dominant colors. Each group is controlled by a respective reset signal. The spatial light modulator is coupled to receive a selection from the integrated circuit and in response to the selection: cause a selected one of the groups to transmit its respective portion of the light spectrum; and cause an unselected one of the groups to block transmission of its respective portion of the light spectrum. A photodetector is coupled to: receive the respective portion of the light spectrum transmitted by the selected group; and output a signal indicating an intensity thereof.

Disclosed are methods and apparatus for facilitating defect detection in a multilayer stack. The method includes selection of a set of structure parameters for modeling a particular multilayer stack and a particular defect contained within such particular multilayer stack and a set of operating parameters for an optical inspection system. Based on the set of structure and operating parameters, an electromagnetic simulation is performed of waves scattered from the particular multilayer stack and defect and arriving at a collection pupil of the optical inspection system. Based on the simulated waves at the collection pupil, a design of a phase filter having a plurality of positions for changing a plurality of phases within a plurality of corresponding positions of the collection pupil of the optical inspection tool is determined so as to compensate for an adverse effect of the particular multilayer stack on obtaining a defect signal for the defect within such particular multilayer stack and/or to enhance such defect signal. The design of the phase filter is then provided for fabrication or configuration of a phase filter inserted within the optical inspection system for detection of defects in multilayer stacks with the same structure parameters as the particular multilayer stack. Methods and systems for inspecting a multilayer stack for defects are also disclosed.

A super class of polarized transverse vector vortex photon beams patterns are mathematically represented here, which are Majorana-like among them are the radial and azimuthal Laguerre-Gaussian, hybrid -vector beams, and Airy beams. These optical beams are consider spin-orbit coupled beams based on OAM and SAM parts of light. A Majorana photon is a photon that is identical to its anti-photon. It has within itself both chirality, right and left-handed twist in polarization (SAM) and wavefront (OAM). Applications using Majorana photons improve optical deeper imaging, higher resolution imaging, Nonlinear Optics effects (SHG, SRS, SC), optical communication in free space and fibers, quantum computer as basic qubit, and entanglement for security.

An image acquisition apparatus includes a spatial light modulator, an optical scanner, a detection unit, a control unit. The spatial light modulator performs focused irradiation on irradiation regions on a surface or inside of an observation object with modulated excitation light. The detection unit has imaging regions in an imaging relation with the irradiation regions on a light receiving surface, each of the imaging regions corresponds to one or two or more pixels, and a pixel that corresponds to none of the imaging regions exists adjacent to each imaging region. The control unit corrects a detection signal of a pixel corresponding to each imaging region on the basis of a detection signal of the pixel that exists adjacent to the imaging region and corresponds to none of the imaging regions, and generates an image of the observation object on the basis of the corrected detection signal.

A fluctuation-based fluorescence microscopy method, comprising influencing a point-spread function of the imaging of a sample emitting fluorescence radiation using an optical device in dependence on a parameter such that a point emitter is imaged into a representation with two image lobes. The relative positions of the lobes depend on the position of the point emitter relative to the focal plane. Synthetic pixels, smaller than detector pixels, are generated; for each synthetic pixel, pairs of pixel groups are defined among pixels of the detector based on the influencing of the point spread function. Each pair is assigned to an individual value of the parameter. In each frame and for each synthetic pixel, a signal correlation is ascertained and allocated as image brightness to the synthetic pixel for the parameter specification. Subframes for each frame are produced from the synthetic pixels, and a high-resolution sample image is produced from the subframes.

Apparatuses and methods for microscopic analysis of a sample using spatial light manipulation to increase signal to noise ratio are described herein.