Among other things, the present invention is related to devices and methods for improving optical analysis of a thin layer of a sample sandwiched between two plates.

A luminescence-enhancement system can include a luminescence-enhancement sensor having a substrate and a group of nanofingers with individual nanofingers that can be flexible and include a support end attached to the substrate, a distal tip positioned distally with respect to the substrate, and a middle portion between the support end and the distal tip. A coating of a metal or metal alloy can be applied to the substrate and the distal tip that is conductively continuous. The middle portion can be devoid of the coating or the coating at the middle portion is conductively discontinuous. A liquid ejector can be present and can include a jetting nozzle to eject a liquid droplet having a volume of 2 pL to 10 μL. The group of nanofingers and the jetting nozzle can be positionable relative to one another for the droplet to be deposited on the group of nanofingers.

An apparatus for loading and imaging a microfluidic chip can comprise a housing having walls that define a vacuum chamber and a first receptacle disposed within the vacuum chamber, the first receptacle defining a space for receiving one or more microfluidic chips. The apparatus can also include a negative pressure source, a light source, and an optical sensor coupled to the housing. The negative pressure source can be configured to reduce pressure within the vacuum chamber, the light source can be positioned to illuminate at least a portion of the space for receiving the chip(s), and the optical sensor can be positioned to capture an image of at least a portion of the space for receiving the chip(s).

A method of analyzing a sample located on a hydrophilic portion of a surface is disclosed. The method includes directing a first incident non-destructive electromagnetic beam through the sample at a non-zero incidence angle relative to the surface. The method also includes analyzing a first reflected non-destructive electromagnetic beam reflected from the hydrophilic portion to obtain a first measurement associated with at least one property of the sample.

Among other things, the present invention is related to devices and methods for improving optical analysis of a thin layer of a sample sandwiched between containing between two plates.

A cell detection method and a cell detection device. The cell detection method includes: dividing a liquid sample into a plurality of droplets in a sample detection region so that each of the plurality of droplets includes fewer than ten cells; and performing optical detection on the plurality of droplets in the sample detection region to determine a target droplet including a target cell from the plurality of droplets.

A spectrometer and a fabrication method thereof. The spectrometer includes: a first base substrate; a second base substrate opposite to the first base substrate; a detection channel between the first base substrate and the second base substrate; a quantum dot light emitting layer on a side of the first base substrate that is close to the second base substrate, and including a plurality of quantum dot light emitting units; a black matrix on the side of the first base substrate that is close to the second base substrate, and configured to separate the plurality of quantum dot light emitting units; and a sensor layer, including a plurality of sensors the plurality of sensors being in one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of quantum dot light emitting units.

A microfluidic device includes: first substrate, microfluidic channel layer, and second substrate; the first substrate includes light source layer including a plurality of light source structures, the light source structure includes first electrode, second electrode, and an electroluminescence module, and when being turned on, emits light passing through the microfluidic channel layer and irradiating the second substrate; the second substrate includes photoelectric detection layer including a plurality of photoelectric detection structures and driving electrode layer including a plurality of driving electrodes and a plurality of driving circuits, the photoelectric detection structure includes third electrode, fourth electrode, and photoelectric conversion module arranged therebetween, and when being turned on, generates an electrical signal according to an incident light signal; the driving circuit is configured to apply a voltage to each driving electrode such that a droplet moves in a microfluidic channel of the microfluidic channel layer.

A sample holder (10) comprises a sample chamber (33), a gas reservoir (32) and an upper layer (20) covering over the sample chamber (33) and gas reservoir (32), wherein a bottom surface of the upper layer (20) comprises a microstructure array (23) which overlies at least a portion of a top periphery of the sample chamber (33), and wherein the microstructure array (23) is in communication with a gas path which extends to the gas reservoir (32), to allow gas exchange between the sample chamber (33) and the gas reservoir (32).

A luminescence-enhancement system can include a luminescence-enhancement sensor having a substrate and a group of nanofingers with individual nanofingers that can be flexible and include a support end attached to the substrate, a distal tip positioned distally with respect to the substrate, and a middle portion between the support end and the distal tip. A coating of a metal or metal alloy can be applied to the substrate and the distal tip that is conductively continuous. The middle portion can be devoid of the coating or the coating at the middle portion is conductively discontinuous. A liquid ejector can be present and can include a jetting nozzle to eject a liquid droplet having a volume of 2 pL to 10 μL. The group of nanofingers and the jetting nozzle can be positionable relative to one another for the droplet to be deposited on the group of nanofingers.