The invention generally relates to methods for quantifying an amount of enzyme molecules. Systems and methods of the invention are provided for measuring an amount of target by forming a plurality of fluid partitions, a subset of which include the target, performing enzyme-catalyzed reaction in the subset, and detecting the number of partitions in the sunset. The amount of target can be determined based on the detected number.

Method and system for measuring a physical parameter of a target region of a medium are provided, wherein: an excitation wave having a periodic modulation over time of a physical characteristic is emitted, a return wave is periodically deflected with a controllable deflecting element so that the deflected wave scans a transducer array, each transducer being associated with a predefined phase range of the periodic modulation, a phase image is recorded during at least one period of the periodic modulation, a phase shift between a periodic modulation of the return wave and the periodic modulation of the excitation wave is determined from the phase image, a physical parameter of the target region is determined from the phase shift.

A detector has an internal sensing space, and includes a light source unit for emitting light into the sensing space, a reflector for reflecting the light, a sample supply for providing a sample into a path of the light, a first sensor unit for sensing the light reflected by the reflector, and a second sensor unit for sensing at least one of scattered light and fluorescence by the sample. The light source and the first and second sensor units are arranged in the sensing space.

The invention generally relates to methods for quantifying an amount of enzyme molecules. Systems and methods of the invention are provided for measuring an amount of target by forming a plurality of fluid partitions, a subset of which include the target, performing an enzyme-catalyzed reaction in the subset, and detecting the number of partitions in the subset. The amount of target can be determined based on the detected number.

The surface plasmon-enhanced fluorescence measurement device has: a light source that irradiates the diffraction grating with a linearly polarized excitation light; a rotating part that changes the direction of the optical axis of the excitation light with respect to the diffraction grating when seen in plan view, or changes the polarization direction of the excitation light with respect to the diffraction grating; a polarizer that extracts linearly polarized light from the fluorescence emitted from the fluorescent substance; and a light detection unit that detects the linearly polarized light extracted by the polarizer.

A inspection system includes an illumination source to generate an illumination beam, focusing elements to direct the illumination beam to a sample, a detector, collection elements configured to direct radiation emanating from the sample to the detector, a detection mode control device to image the sample in two or more detection modes such that the detector generates two or more collection signals based on the two or more detection modes, and a controller. Radiation emanating from the sample includes at least radiation specularly reflected by the sample and radiation scattered by the sample. The controller determines defect scattering characteristics associated with radiation scattered by defects on the sample based on the two or more collection signals. The controller also classifies the one or more particles according to a set of predetermined defect classifications based on the one or more defect scattering characteristics.

Aspects of the present disclosure include methods and systems for assaying a sample for an analyte. Methods according to certain embodiments include illuminating a sample with a slit-shaped beam of light, detecting light transmitted through the sample, determining absorbance of the transmitted light at one or more wavelengths and calculating concentration of the analyte based on the absorbance to assay the sample for the analyte. Systems for practicing the subject methods are also described.

A structured illumination microscope includes: a first illumination optical system configured to irradiate, from a first direction, a sample with activating light for activating a fluorescent substance included in the sample; a second illumination optical system configured to irradiate, from a second direction that is different from the first direction, the sample with interference fringes of exciting light for exciting the fluorescent substance; a control unit configured to control a direction and a phase of the interference fringes; an imaging optical system configured to form an image of the sample irradiated with the interference fringes; an imaging element configured to take the image formed by the imaging optical system to generate a first image; and a demodulation unit configured to generate a second image by using a plurality of the first images generated by the imaging element.

Methods, devices, and systems for using two-photon fluorescence measurements, either alone or in combination with other nonlinear optical measurements such as second harmonic generation, sum frequency generation, or difference frequency generation, to determine structural parameters such as mean tilt angle and distribution width for tethered nonlinear-active biomolecules are described. The disclosed methods, devices, and systems may also be used to perform structural comparisons of two or more biomolecular samples; to detect changes in biomolecule conformation upon binding of a ligand; and to screen candidate binding partners to identify compounds that modulate the conformation of the biomolecule.

The present invention provides novel microfluidic devices and methods that are useful for performing high-throughput screening assays and combinatorial chemistry. The invention provides for aqueous based emulsions containing uniquely labeled cells, enzymes, nucleic acids, etc., wherein the emulsions further comprise primers, labels, probes, and other reactants. An oil based carrier-fluid envelopes the emulsion library on a microfluidic device, such that a continuous channel provides for flow of the immiscible fluids, to accomplish pooling, coalescing, mixing, sorting, detection, etc., of the emulsion library.