A method and apparatus are described for measuring the concentration of a gas with an absorption band in the ultraviolet range. The device includes an absorption chamber containing a gas, a light source, a selected optical bandpass filter, and ultraviolet photodetectors. The gas concentration is measured by the ratio of a transmitted intensity to an incident intensity with the Beer-Lambert Law relation. A second light source may be used for a compensation signal. A second method periodically changes the absorption coefficient by inserting a transparent material in the absorption path to measure the optical compensation signal. A third method periodically shortens the optical absorption path by moving the active detector closer to the light source to measure the optical compensation signal. The fourth method uses an optical element to deflect the optical beam to create a shorter absorption path as a reference for the incident signal using one detector.

An optical nitrate sensor features a signal processor or signal processing module configured to: receive signaling containing information about a measurement (M) of UV optical absorbance of nitrate dissolved in water of a UV light that is generated by a UV LED centered at 229 nm and that traverses a confined volume of the water within a prescribed region of a sensor body, and also about a reference sample (R) of a portion of the UV light not traversing the confined volume of the water; and determine corresponding signaling containing information about the concentration of nitrate dissolved in the water, based upon the signaling received.

Described herein is a receptacle for holding a sample under spectrophotometer analysis comprising: a body, first and second opposing windows separated by a gap to provide a volume for a sample, wherein at least the first opposing window is supported by a first compliant member, and wherein under a force, the first compliant member allows positioning of the first opposing window relative to a first datum to set a desired: a) gap between the first and second opposing windows, and/or b) relative orientation of the first and second opposing windows.

Described herein is a receptacle for holding a sample under spectrophotometer analysis comprising: a body, first and second opposing windows separated by a gap to provide a volume for a sample, wherein at least the first opposing window is supported by a first compliant member, and wherein under a force, the first compliant member allows positioning of the first opposing window relative to a first datum to set a desired: a) gap between the first and second opposing windows, and/or b) relative orientation of the first and second opposing windows.

The present invention relates to a pillar structure for a biochip and includes a substrate which has a plate-shaped structure, and pillar members, each of which has one side detachably coupled to the substrate and the other side on which a sample is disposed.

A biological fluid sample analysis chamber and a method for analyzing a biological fluid sample is provided. The chamber includes a first chamber panel, a second chamber panel, and a plurality of beads disposed between the first chamber panel and the second chamber panel, which beads are configured to not reflect light incident to the beads in an amount that appreciably interferes with a photometric analysis of the biologic fluid.

A special-purpose cuvette assembly with features that create a small, restricted volume to minimize bulk movements of liquid and minimize backscattering-induced broadening of light. The special-purpose cuvette assembly enables recording of Brownian movements of nanoparticles in a liquid when it is placed in a suitable optical device comprising a light sheet and an optical microscope attached to a video camera that is oriented in a direction perpendicular to the light-sheet plane.

Embodiments of the present invention include a cuvette (100) for use in determining a refractive index of a sample matter in a spectrophotometer (600), the cuvette comprising a container (102) for holding the sample matter, the container (102) having an entry window (121) that allows input radiation to reach the sample matter, the container furthermore having an exit window (122) that allows a part of the input radiation to exit the container part, the entry window and the exit window defining a radiation path; and comprising a photonic crystal (101) rigidly attached to the container or integrally formed in the container and arranged in the radiation path, the photonic crystal having a grating part (111) causing a reflectance spectrum of the photonic crystal to exhibit a resonance. A spectrophotometer is also provided.

A sample testing apparatus is disclosed for use in optical transmission analysis of fluid samples such as oils or engine oils. The apparatus comprises a transmission cell comprising first and second fixed walls (1,2) and a movable window (3) that is moved with respect to the first and second walls in and out of a test region (6). When the movable window (3) is moved into the test region (6) an optical path through a fluid sample in the cell is defined, the optical path through the sample comprising a portion extending through the or each gap (L.sub.1,L.sub.2) between a one of the first and second fixed walls (1,2) and the at least a portion of the first movable window (3). Also disclosed are methods of using the sample testing apparatus and methods of performing a measurement for use in optical transmission analysis of a fluid sample.

A detection apparatus having a read head including a plurality of microfluorometers positioned to simultaneously acquire a plurality of the wide-field images in a common plane; and (b) a translation stage configured to move the read head along a substrate that is in the common plane. The substrate can be a flow cell that is included in a cartridge, the cartridge also including a housing for (i) a sample reservoir; (ii) a fluidic line between the sample reservoir and the flow cell; (iii) several reagent reservoirs in fluid communication with the flow cell, (iv) at least one valve configured to mediate fluid communication between the reservoirs and the flow cell; and (v) at least one pressure source configured to move liquids from the reservoirs to the flow cell. The detection apparatus and cartridge can be used together or independent of each other.