Nucleic acid sequencing methods and systems, the systems including nanochannel chip including: a nanochannel formed in an upper surface of the nanochannel chip and; a roof covering the nanochannel and comprising nanopores and a field enhancement structure; and a barrier disposed in the nanochannel. The method including: introducing a buffer solution including long-chain nucleic acids to the nanochannel chip; applying a voltage potential across the nanochannel chip to drive the nucleic acids through the nanochannel, towards the barrier, and to translocate the nucleic acids through nanopores adjacent to the barrier, such that bases of each of the nucleic acids pass through the field enhancement structure one base at a time and emerge onto an upper surface of the roof; detecting the Raman spectra of the bases of the nucleic acids as each base passes through the electromagnetic-field enhancement structure; and sequencing the nucleic acids based on the detected Raman spectra.

A wafer inspection apparatus includes: an objective lens on an optical path of first and second input beams; and an image sensor configured to generate an image of the wafer based on scattered light according to a nonlinear optical phenomenon based on the first and second input beams, wherein the first input beam passing through the objective lens is obliquely incident on the wafer at a first incident angle with respect to a vertical line that is normal to an upper surface of the wafer, the second input beam passing through the objective lens is incident on the wafer at a second incident angle oblique to the vertical line that is normal to the upper surface of the wafer, and the first and second incident angles are different from each other.

Devices and systems for analyzing biological samples are provided. Devices include a hollow body extending from a first end to a second end. The body defines a sample collecting portion. A first opening at the first end of the body is operable to receive a source of negative pressure and a second opening at the second end of the body is operable to receive a biological sample. The body also includes an optically transparent region disposed in a region corresponding to the sample collecting portion, the optically transparent region being configured to transmit electromagnetic radiation therethrough from an imaging device capable of imaging the biological sample when disposed in the sample collecting portion.

In an embodiment an optical arrangement includes a multicore fiber having at least a first fiber core configured to guide a first illumination light and a second fiber core configured to guide a second illumination light, wherein the multicore fiber comprises a fiber scanner configured to deflect the multicore fiber or the multicore fiber is followed by a mirror scanner; and a wavelength dispersive beam combiner configured to spatially superimpose the first illumination light and the second illumination light in an object space.

Disclosed herein is an all-fiber, easy to use, wavelength tunable, ultrafast laser based on soliton self-frequency-shifting in an Er-doped polarization-maintaining very large mode area (PM VLMA) fiber. The ultrafast laser system may include an all polarization-maintaining (PM) fiber mode-locked seed laser with a pre-amplifier; a Raman laser including a cascaded Raman resonator and an ytterbium (Yb) fiber laser cavity; an amplifier core-pumped by the Raman laser, the amplifier including an erbium (Er) doped polarization maintaining very large mode area (PM Er VLMA) optical fiber and a passive PM VLMA fiber following the PM Er VLMA, the passive PM VLMA for supporting a spectral shift to a longer wavelength.

This disclosure describes an example architecture for providing a delay line for optical techniques. The delay line architecture includes a focusing element that has a focal axis disposed parallel to its length. The line of symmetry provided by the focal axis obviates path-length-dependent aberrations caused by the off-axis beam translations. The systems described herein also provide varying geometries of movable mirrors, including a galvanometer mirror and a rotating polygonal mirror. The systems and methods described herein also provide techniques for generating and detecting coherent Raman spectra using a picosecond probe pulse.

An optical system comprises a first optical path configured to supply a first light with a first range of wavelengths; a second optical path configured to supply a second light with a second range of wavelengths shorter than the first range of wavelengths; a third optical path configured to supply a third light with a third range of wavelengths shorter than the second range of wavelengths; an optical I/O unit configured to emit the first light, the second light and the third light to a target and acquire a light from the target; a reference unit configured to split off a reference light from the third light; and a detector that includes a range of detection wavelengths shared with a CARS light and an interference light.

A wafer inspection apparatus includes: an objective lens on an optical path of first and second input beams; and an image sensor configured to generate an image of the wafer based on scattered light according to a nonlinear optical phenomenon based on the first and second input beams, wherein the first input beam passing through the objective lens is obliquely incident on the wafer at a first incident angle with respect to a vertical line that is normal to an upper surface of the wafer, the second input beam passing through the objective lens is incident on the wafer at a second incident angle oblique to the vertical line that is normal to the upper surface of the wafer, and the first and second incident angles are different from each other.

Herein are described data acquisition systems and methods applying such systems to determine three-dimensional (3D) diffusion tensors, and simultaneously, to perform 3D structure imaging. Example data acquisition systems can include computing systems in communication with modified light sheet microscopes that are configured for high-speed volumetric imaging to record 3D diffusion processes and high-resolution 3D structural imaging.

A coherent anti-stokes Raman scattering apparatus for imaging a sample includes an optical output; an optical source arranged to generate a first optical signal at a first wavelength; and a nonlinear element arranged to receive the first optical signal, where the nonlinear element is arranged to cause the first optical signal to undergo four-wave mixing on transmission through the nonlinear element such that a second optical signal at a second wavelength and a third optical signal at a third wavelength are generated, wherein an optical signal pair including two of the first, second and third optical signals is provided to the optical output for imaging the sample.