A soil mapping system for collecting and mapping soil reflectance data in a field includes an implement having a furrow opener for creating a furrow and an optical module. The optical module is arranged to collect soil reflectance data at a predetermined depth within the furrow as the implement traverses a field. The optical module includes two monochromatic light sources, a window arranged to press against the soil, and a photodiode for receiving light reflected back from the soil through the window. The two light sources have different wavelengths and are modulated at different frequencies. The photodiode provides a modulated voltage output signal that contains reflectance data from both of the light sources. Additional measurement devices are carried by the implement for collecting additional soil property data, such as electrical conductivity, pH, and elevation, which can be used together with the optical data to determine variations in soil organic matter.

According to an embodiment, a paper sheet processing device includes a fluorescence reference member, a light source, and a sensor. The fluorescence reference member is configured to demonstrate fluorescence in accordance with an intensity of excitation light applied. The light source configured to apply the excitation light to the fluorescence reference member and a paper sheet. The sensor configured to take, at a plurality of sensitivity wavelengths, images of irradiation surfaces of the fluorescence reference member and the paper sheet being irradiated with the excitation light. The fluorescence reference member includes a transmittance control element for the excitation light.

An apparatus for an optical in-situ gas analysis includes a housing; a measuring lance whose one first end is connected to the housing and whose other second end projects into the gas to be measured; a light transmitter that is arranged in the housing and whose light is conducted into the measuring lance and is reflected by a reflector arranged at the second end onto a light receiver, and the optical path defines an optical measurement path within the measuring lance; a gas-permeable filter that is held in the measuring lance and in whose interior the measurement path is located: and an evaluation device for evaluating received light signals of the light receiver. It is proposed to be able to reduce the consumption of test gas that the measuring lance has coaxially arranged inner and outer pipes and the outer pipe has openings for the gas to be measured.

Apparatus and methods for performing optical analyses in a harsh environment are disclosed. Some of the systems and methods of the present disclosure include fluorescence, absorption, and reflectance detection using a drum spectrometer. Other systems and methods of the present disclosure include a measurement channel and a parallel reference channel concurrently filtering optical signals.

Standardizing MERFISH imaging system provides a method to standardize a fluorescence microscope for a MERFISH analysis, the fluorescence microscope includes an excitation focus lens assembly and a light source. The method includes determining a roll-off value for the fluorescence microscope and adjusting the roll-off value of the fluorescence microscope to be 65% or lower by controlling a distance between the excitation focus lens assembly and the light source.

A method of obtaining a quantum efficiency distribution in a predetermined sample surface, including: irradiating a reference material with excitation light belonging to a first wavelength range; obtaining the reference material's image, which includes a first channel for the first wavelength range and a second channel for a second wavelength range, the first and the second channel's irradiation luminance value in each pixel; irradiating the predetermined sample surface with the excitation light; obtaining the first and the second channel's measurement luminance value in each pixel of the image of the predetermined surface; calculating an absorption luminance value from a difference between the first channel's irradiation luminance value and measurement luminance value; calculating a fluorescence luminance value from difference between the second channel's irradiation luminance value and measurement luminance value; calculating quantum efficiency of each pixel based on the values; and obtaining quantum efficiency distribution.

A spectrometer system comprises a housing provided with a window, an illumination source, a spectrometer and a standard for internal recalibration being disposed in said housing. Specific absorption bands of a filling gas present in the housing are identified in a reference spectrum, which was recorded using the standard, wherein a wavelength characterizing the relevant identified specific absorption band is measured in each case such that measured values are obtained for the wavelengths of the absorption bands. A test spectrum is recorded by the spectrometer using the standard. The specific absorption bands of the filling gas are identified in the test spectrum, wherein a wavelength characterizing the relevant identified specific absorption band is measured in each case such that measured values are obtained for the wavelengths of the specific absorption bands.

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for detecting one or more species in a sample, wherein laser probe light is frequency swept across at least one infra red absorption spectrum feature of each of the species. A path from the probe light source to a single detector element may be switched between at least one sample absorption cell or volume and one or more reference cells or volumes.

A method for measuring optical signal detector performance that includes directing light emitted from an optical signal detector onto a first non-fluorescent surface portion in a first detection zone of the optical signal detector. A first characteristic of light detected by a first sensor of the first optical signal detector is measured while the first non-fluorescent surface portion is in the first detection zone of the optical signal detector. Light emitted from the optical signal detector is directed into a first void in the first detection zone of the optical signal detector. A second characteristic of light detected by the first sensor of the optical signal detector is measured while the first void is in the first detection zone of the optical signal detector. And an operational performance status of the optical signal detector is determined based on at least one of the first characteristic and the second characteristic.

The disclosure provides a spectrometer, which includes a housing and a spectrum measurement module. The housing has an arrangement surface and an opening. The spectrum measurement module is disposed in the housing and has a measurement surface. The measurement surface is exposed from the opening of the housing, and there is a height difference between the measurement surface and the arrangement surface.