A particle concentration measurement system includes a first window and a second window in a housing. The first window and the second window respectively define a first end and a second end of an interaction region between the first window and the second window. The system also includes a particle-laden gas inlet through a wall of the housing between the first window and the second window. The particle-laden gas inlet introduces particle-laden gas from an environment that includes particles mixed with other materials into the interaction region. A first set of clean gas inlets through the wall of the housing are at different radial positions of the housing and at a first axial location of the housing, and a second set of clean gas inlets through the wall of the housing are at different radial positions of the housing and at a second axial location of the housing.

Embodiments of the invention generally relate to color and appearance metric measurements and, in particular, developing instrumentation to enable self-consistent image appearance measurements within instruments of unitary construction.

Improvements in spectroscopy are disclosed herein that rely on the interaction of both an infrared beam and a probe beam with a sample. These beams are used in a pump-probe arrangement, with a fiber optic probe collecting the beams of infrared and probe radiation from the infrared source and delivering it to the sample. At least a portion of the beam of infrared radiation and the beam of probe radiation overlap one another on the sample. The fiber also collects probe radiation that has interacted with the sample. A detector can use this collected signal to indicate an intensity of the collected probe radiation, and an analyzer can generate a signal indicative of infrared absorption of the sample adjacent the fiber.

An apparatus for obtaining information regarding a biological structure(s) can include, for example a light guiding arrangement which can include a fiber through which an electromagnetic radiation(s) can be propagated, where the electromagnetic radiation can be provided to or from the structure. An at least partially reflective arrangement can have multiple surfaces, where the reflecting arrangement can be situated with respect to the optical arrangement such that the surfaces thereof each can receive a(s) beam of the electromagnetic radiations instantaneously, and a receiving arrangement(s) which can be configured to receive the reflected radiation from the surfaces which include speckle patterns.

A device for dark-field optical inspection of a substrate comprises: a light source for generating an incident beam that is projected onto an inspection zone of the substrate and that is capable of being reflected in the form of diffuse radiation; at least one first and one second collecting device; and a reflecting device for directing at least a portion of the diffuse radiation originating from a focal point of collection coincident with the inspection zone in the direction of the collecting devices, with a first and second reflective zone from which a first portion of the diffuse radiation is directed toward a first focal point, which is optically conjugated with the focal point of collection, and a second portion of the diffuse radiation is reflected toward a second focal point, which is optically conjugated with the collection focal point and distinct from the first focal point of detection.

A particle concentration measurement system includes a first window and a second window in a housing. The first window and the second window respectively define a first end and a second end of an interaction region between the first window and the second window. The system also includes a particle-laden gas inlet through a wall of the housing between the first window and the second window. The particle-laden gas inlet introduces particle-laden gas from an environment that includes particles mixed with other materials into the interaction region. A first set of clean gas inlets through the wall of the housing are at different radial positions of the housing and at a first axial location of the housing, and a second set of clean gas inlets through the wall of the housing are at different radial positions of the housing and at a second axial location of the housing.

The present disclosure provides systems and methods for characterizing and monitoring biological material. In one aspect, a method for characterizing biological material includes acquiring optical data associated with a biological material, and analyzing the optical data to determine optical properties of the biological tissue. The method also includes determining, using the optical properties, phase information corresponding to the biological material, and generating a report characterizing the biological tissue using at least the phase information.

Embodiments of the invention generally relate to color and appearance metric measurements and, in particular, developing instrumentation to enable self-consistent image appearance measurements within instruments of unitary construction.

The present disclosure provides a method for trapping molecules with optical fiber tweezers based on phase transition and crystallization and a method for detecting a Raman spectrum of a persistent organic pollutant, belonging to the technical field of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy. Based on quite different solubilities of a substance to be detected in different solvents, dissolved phase small molecules to be detected are transformed into large size crystalline phase molecules through the physical process of phase transition and crystallization. Further, effective trapping of molecules to be detected that are not prone to bonding to noble metal nanoparticles in the vicinity of the noble metal nanoparticles can be achieved by combining the physical process of phase transition and crystallization with the physical trapping technique using optical fiber tweezers, so that the sensitivity of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectrum detection is significantly improved.

Systems, methods and apparatus are provided for monitoring soil properties including soil moisture, soil electrical conductivity and soil temperature during an agricultural input application. Embodiments include a soil reflectivity sensor and/or a soil temperature sensor mounted to a seed firmer for measuring moisture and temperature in a planting trench. A thermopile for measuring temperature via infrared radiation is described herein. In one example, the thermopile is disposed in a body and senses infrared radiation through an infrared transparent window. Aspects of any of the disclosed embodiments may be implemented in or communicate with an agricultural intelligence computer system as described herein.