The system includes a tensioned metastable fluid detector apparatus, a mixing chamber, and a processor. The processor is communicatively coupled to the tensioned metastable fluid detector apparatus. The processor executes steps to form an isotope detection rate versus negative pressure response curve and to determine the isotopic ratio. The mixing chamber is selectively coupled to the tensioned metastable fluid detector apparatus. The mixing chamber is configured to prepare a sample for tensioned metastable fluid detector analysis.

A sample for atomic force microscopy-based infrared spectroscopy includes a substrate, a measurement portion provided on the substrate and having a first light absorption intensity when a light of a first wavelength is irradiated thereon, and a first film provided on the measurement portion and having a higher coefficient of thermal expansion than the measurement portion and a second light absorption intensity, which is less than the first light absorption intensity, when the light of the first wavelength is irradiated thereon.

A sample for atomic force microscopy-based infrared spectroscopy includes a substrate, a measurement portion provided on the substrate and having a first light absorption intensity when a light of a first wavelength is irradiated thereon, and a first film provided on the measurement portion and having a higher coefficient of thermal expansion than the measurement portion and a second light absorption intensity, which is less than the first light absorption intensity, when the light of the first wavelength is irradiated thereon.

Methods and apparatus for obtaining extremely high sensitivity chemical composition maps with spatial resolution down to a few nanometers. In some embodiments these chemical composition maps are created using a combination of three techniques: (1) Illuminating the sample with IR radiation than is tuned to an absorption band in the sample; and (2) Optimizing a mechanical coupling efficiency that is tuned to a specific target material; (3) Optimizing a resonant detection that is tuned to a specific target material. With the combination of these steps it is possible to obtain (1) Chemical composition maps based on unique IR absorption; (2) spatial resolution that is enhanced by extremely short-range tip-sample interactions; and (3) resonant amplification tuned to a specific target material. In other embodiments it is possible to take advantage of any two of these steps and still achieve a substantial improvement in spatial resolution and/or sensitivity.

Methods and apparatus for obtaining extremely high sensitivity chemical composition maps with spatial resolution down to a few nanometers. In some embodiments these chemical composition maps are created using a combination of three techniques: (1) Illuminating the sample with IR radiation than is tuned to an absorption band in the sample; and (2) Optimizing a mechanical coupling efficiency that is tuned to a specific target material; (3) Optimizing a resonant detection that is tuned to a specific target material. With the combination of these steps it is possible to obtain (1) Chemical composition maps based on unique IR absorption; (2) spatial resolution that is enhanced by extremely short-range tip-sample interactions; and (3) resonant amplification tuned to a specific target material. In other embodiments it is possible to take advantage of any two of these steps and still achieve a substantial improvement in spatial resolution and/or sensitivity.

A drug screening platform simulating hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy including a dielectrophoresis system, a microfluidic chip and a heating system is disclosed. The dielectrophoresis system is used to provide a dielectrophoresis force. The microfluidic chip includes a cell culture array and observation module and a drug mixing module. The cell culture array and observation module are used to arrange the cells into a three-dimensional structure through the dielectrophoresis force to construct a three-dimensional tumor microenvironment. The drug mixing module is coupled to the cell culture array and observation module and used to automatically split and mix the inputted drugs and output the drug combinations into the cell culture array and observation module. The heating system is used for real-time temperature sensing and heating control of the drug combinations on the microfluidic chip to simulate high-temperature drug environment when performing hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy on the three-dimensional tumor microenvironment.

The invention provides a lens-free infrared imaging device (1) intended to image a sample (2), comprising at least one light source (3, 3a, 3b) configured to emit a light according to several wavelengths of the infrared range, and at least one sensor (4) configured to detect some of the light emitted having interacted with the sample, said sensor comprising a plurality of pixels (41), the device being characterised in that the sensor (4) is configured to detect a reflective part of the light emitted. The invention also provides a method for manufacturing this device.

A multiband IR adjunct (MIRA) sensor to spectroscopically determine the content and the concentration of chemical composition of a targeted object, includes a sensor housing, a first front optics in a first optical channel, a second front optics in the first optical channel, an acousto-optic tunable filter (AOTF), a photo detector (PD), a set of back optics in the first optical channel that focuses polarized narrow-band light beams received from the AOTF device onto the PD, the PD converting the polarized narrow-band light beams into an electrical signal, and a data acquisition unit signal-connected to the PD, the data acquisition unit collecting the electrical signals. Multiple optical channels can be provided within the housing to analyze UV/VIS/near infrared (NIR), short-wavelength infrared (SWIR), mid-wavelength infrared (MWIR), and LWIR wavelength ranges respectively.

A multiband IR adjunct (MIRA) sensor to spectroscopically determine the content and the concentration of chemical composition of a targeted object, includes a sensor housing, a first front optics in a first optical channel, a second front optics in the first optical channel, an acousto-optic tunable filter (AOTF), a photo detector (PD), a set of back optics in the first optical channel that focuses polarized narrow-band light beams received from the AOTF device onto the PD, the PD converting the polarized narrow-band light beams into an electrical signal, and a data acquisition unit signal-connected to the PD, the data acquisition unit collecting the electrical signals. Multiple optical channels can be provided within the housing to analyze UV/VIS/near infrared (NIR), short-wavelength infrared (SWIR), mid-wavelength infrared (MWIR), and LWIR wavelength ranges respectively.

A system is provided comprising an FTIR spectrometer configured to obtain a Fourier Transformed infrared (FTIR) spectrum of a Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells (PBMC) sample of the subject; a data processor operable with the FTIR spectrometer, and configured to analyze the infrared (IR) spectrum of the Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells (PBMC) sample of the subject by assessing a characteristic of the sample of the subject at at least one wavenumber; and an output unit, configured to generate an output indicative of the presence of a solid tumor, based on the infrared (IR) spectrum. Other embodiments are also provided.