The discrimination ability of a chemical sensing cross-reactive arrays is enhanced by constructing sensing elements in two dimensions, first in the x-y plane of the substrate, second in the z dimension so that the sensors are vertically stacked on top of one another. Stacking sensing elements on top of one another adds to the discrimination ability by enabling the characteristic measurement of how fast target chemicals are passing through the stack of sensors. The new invention also allows the ability to discriminate components in a sample mixture by separating them using their innate difference in diffusional rates. Multi-sensor response patterns at each z level of sensors and time delay information from the sample passing from one level to the next are used to generate the response vector. The response vector is used to identify individual component samples and components in a mixture sample.

A banknote discrimination apparatus includes a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements in which an incident light including fluorescence emitted from a banknote irradiated with excitation light enters; a plurality of organic film filters that are arranged so as to overlap each of the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements, and have mutually different transmission bands; a circuit including a plurality of pixel circuits which are each connected to one corresponding element among the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements and output a pixel signal converted by each photoelectric conversion element in accordance with an intensity of the incident light that transmits through the organic film filter and enters to the photoelectric conversion element; a spectral processor; and a discriminator. At least one of the plurality of organic film filters is a filter obtained by overlapping two or more filter layers on each other.

Provided herein are heterocyclic near infrared compounds, including near IR compounds defined by Formulae I-V described herein. The near infrared compounds can include a cyanine group, a phthalocyanine group, a naphthalocyanine group, a squaraine group, a carbocyanine group, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the near infrared compound can be charged. In some embodiments, the near infrared compound can comprise a cationic group. Compositions comprising the near infrared compounds are also disclosed. In some embodiments, the composition can contain the near infrared compound, a polymer, and an acceptable carrier. In some embodiments, the polymer can include an anionic group. The compositions can be used as a coating for marking a surface, such as an ink. The compositions can also be used on articles for detecting, identifying, or authenticating the article. Methods of making the compositions described herein are also disclosed.

A system for in-situ identification of a working fluid disposed in at least one piece of equipment, the system including: a working fluid reservoir that contains the working fluid; an in-situ sensor disposed in the working fluid reservoir such that it detects properties of the working fluid or computes properties from the generated spectra of the working fluid; a transmitter that transmits the detected spectra of the working fluid and equipment identification information; and a cloud computing system that receives the detected spectra and the equipment identification information transmitted from the transmitter, wherein the cloud computing system compares the spectra and equipment identification information against a reference database to determine whether or not the spectra of the working fluid substantially matches the stored reference spectra associated with the expected or specified fluid for the equipment.

Systems and methods are provided for authenticating working fluids. The systems and methods include exposing at least a portion of a working fluid containing a UV-reactive chemical marker to light having wavelengths in the range of about 10-400 nm, thereby causing the chemical marker to generate a signal. The signal can be detected via a sensor system and compared to a reference signal that is associated with an authentic working fluid. An output may be generated to indicate whether the working fluid is the authentic working fluid.

Disclosed is a fluorescent compound for the detection of isocyanate substances, a preparation method therefor and use thereof as a test-paper-type detection probe. The fluorescent compound is 2,4-di(((4′-(diphenylamino)-[1,1′-biphenyl]-4-yl)imino)methyl)phenol. The fluorescent compound is prepared by means of a one-step method. The fluorescent compound has simple and convenient preparation with high yield, and is capable of making a rapid and specific response to isocyanate substances. Moreover, the fluorescence intensity of the fluorescent compound will enhance with the increase of the isocyanate concentration. The fluorescent compound can be made into a portable test-paper-type probe for the detection of isocyanate substances in air, and can achieve the visual detection of volatile isocyanate gases. The probe has an aggregation-induced emission effect, and thus it has higher fluorescence quantum yield when using a test-paper-type probe for detection.

A process for detecting oil or lubricant contamination in a manufactured product, the process comprising adding a fluorescent taggant to oils or lubricants contained in processing machinery for said product, conveying said product past an infrared detection apparatus, irradiating said product with infrared radiation from said detection apparatus as it passes the detection apparatus, and detecting infrared radiation emitted from said irradiated product.

Composite materials comprising a mesoflower structure, methods of preparing the composite material, and methods of detecting heavy metal ion using the composite material are described herein. In some embodiments, a silica-coated gold mesoflower with a layer of silver quantum clusters may be capable of detecting Hg.sup.2+ ions in a sample at zeptomolar concentrations.

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.

The invention is a system and method to measure oil content in water utilizing the fluorescence of oil emitted under excitation by laser. Oil and water mixture is transferred through the system to a measurement section in a microscope, which produces high resolution 3-dimensional images of the oil and water mixture with the fluorescence. The images are analyzed to calculate the amount of oil in water and oil droplets distribution. The image is also analyzed to distinguish oil coated solids from oil droplets, and to calculate the sizes and volumes of the solids.