An apparatus and a method measure a reflectivity and/or transmittivity of an optical surface. The apparatus includes a pulsed coherent white light source for generating pulsed coherent white light, wherein the apparatus is adapted to irradiate the optical surface with at least a part of the generated pulsed coherent white light.

Provided are a pulse compressor and a two-photon excited fluorescence microscope. The microscope includes a light source which generates a laser beam having a pulse, a pulse compressor which compresses the pulse of the laser beam, an objective lens which provides the laser beam to a specimen, and image sensors which receive the laser beam and obtain images of the specimen. The pulse compressor may include a grating plate, a corner cube provided on one side of the grating plate, and a retroreflector provided on the other side of the grating plate.

An integrated circuit includes a photodetection region configured to receive incident photons. The photodetection region is configured to produce a plurality of charge carriers in response to the incident photons. The integrated circuit also includes at least one charge carrier storage region. The integrated circuit also includes a charge carrier segregation structure configured to selectively direct charge carriers of the plurality of charge carriers into the at least one charge carrier storage region based upon times at which the charge carriers are produced.

A time response measurement apparatus includes a pulse formation unit, an attenuation unit, a waveform measurement unit, and an analysis unit. The pulse formation unit generates first pulsed light including a wavelength of pump light, second pulsed light including a wavelength of probe light, and third pulsed light including the wavelength of the pump light and the wavelength of the probe light, on a common optical axis. The attenuation unit transmits the first pulsed light, the second pulsed light, and the third pulsed light output from a sample arranged on the optical axis after being incident on the sample. An attenuation rate for the pump light is larger than an attenuation rate for the probe light. The analysis unit obtains a time response of the sample based on temporal waveforms of the first pulsed light, the second pulsed light, and the third pulsed light having passed through the attenuation unit.

This application is generally related to methods, apparatuses and systems for rapid, sensitive detection of biological agents. One aspect is directed to a system including an infrared optical source configured to output an optical beam at a pulse repetition rate greater than or equal to 1 MHz. The system also includes a medium configured to receive the optical beam in first and second locations of the medium, where each of the first and second locations is separated by a barrier, the first location includes a solvent, and the second location includes a biological agent in the solvent. The system also includes a detector configured to receive the outputted optical beam from the medium and detect infrared spectra therefrom.

A method for obtaining optical spectroscopic information about a sub-micron region of a sample with quantitatively controlled depth/volume of the sample subsurface using a scanning probe microscope. With controlled probing depth/volume, the method can separate top surface data from subsurface optical/chemical information. The method can also be applied in liquid suitable for studying biological and chemical samples in their native aqueous environments, as opposed to air. In the method, a depth-controlled spectrum of the surface layer is constructed by illuminating the sample with a beam of infrared radiation and measuring a probe response using at least one of the resonant frequencies of the probe. The surface sensitivity is obtained by limiting the heat diffusion effect of the subsurface so as to confine the signal. The signal confinement is achieved through non-linearity of the acoustic wave with probe, as well as benefits gained by a high modulation frequency of the infrared radiation source at >1 MHz.

An apparatus to provide a label-free or native particle analysis comprises a light generating system producing first light pulses at a first wavelength and second light pulses at a second wavelength; and a flow cell coupled to the light generating system to convey particles for analysis. The light generating system is configured to chirp at least one of the first light pulses and the second light pulses to analyze the particles.

A system for measuring the absorption of a laser radiation by a sample is provided. The system comprises: •(i) a pulsed laser source, suitable for emitting pulses at a repetition frequency f.sub.1 and arranged so as to illuminate the sample; •(ii) an AFM probe arranged so as to be able to be placed in contact with the region of the surface of the sample on one side, the AFM probe having a mechanical resonance mode at a frequency f.sub.m; and •(iii) a detector configured to measure the amplitude of the oscillations of the AFM probe resulting from the absorption of the laser radiation by the region of the surface of the sample, characterized in that it also comprises a translation system designed to displace the sample at a frequency f.sub.p.

A device for characterising at least one liquid material includes an analysis head and a rotating mechanical mixer. The mixer includes a central part having an internal cavity which forms an analysis chamber, a first end connected to the analysis head, and a plurality of stirring blades which are connected to a second end that is hollow so as to ensure fluid communication between the internal cavity and the liquid bath. The mechanical stirring blades are intended to be totally submerged, the central part comprises one or more openings intended to be partially submerged, and each mechanical stirring blade comprises at least one stirring flange oriented at a non-zero angle of orientation.

Compact optical sources and methods for producing short and ultrashort optical pulses are described. A semiconductor laser or LED may be driven with a bipolar waveform to generate optical pulses with FWHM durations as short as approximately 85 ps having suppressed tail emission. The pulsed optical sources may be used for fluorescent lifetime analysis of biological samples and time-of-flight imaging, among other applications.