An inspecting instrument to be used for measuring, using a test substance-containing solution containing a test substance and a liquid, which is contained in the test substance-containing liquid. The inspecting instrument includes a wall that has a periodic structure resulting from a plurality of recesses or protrusions, the plurality of recesses or the plurality of protrusions including a refractive index adjusting layer on surfaces thereof, the refractive index adjusting layer being a layer having a refractive index greater than a refractive index of the test substance-containing solution or being a silicon layer. A method of measuring the concentration of a test substance in a liquid, measured using the inspecting instrument, has high accuracy.

A diffractive biosensor for the selective detection of biomolecules includes a substrate and an optical biograting situated on the substrate, the biograting having periodically arranged receptors for the biomolecules and the efficiency of a diffraction of incident light, and thus the intensity of a measuring light beam arriving in a detector, is a function of a mass coverage of the biograting with the biomolecules to be detected. The biosensor has a device for generating a reference light beam directed to the detector, by which the phase position of stray light arriving in the detector is able to be determined.

Methods and systems for highly-sensitive label-free multiple analyte sensing, biosensing, and diagnostic assay are disclosed. The systems comprise an on-chip integrated two-dimensional photonic crystal sensor chip. The invention provides modulation methods, wavelength modulation and intensity modulation, to monitor the resonance mode shift of the photonic crystal microarray device and further provides methods and systems that enable detection and identification of multiple species to be performed simultaneously with one two-dimensional photonic crystal sensor chip device for high throughput chemical sensing, biosensing, and medical diagnostics. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Under one aspect, a device is provided for use in luminescent imaging. The device can include a photonic superlattice including a first material, the first material having a first refractive index. The first material can include first and second major surfaces and first and second pluralities of features defined through at least one of the first and second major surfaces, the features of the first plurality differing in at least one characteristic from the features of the second plurality. The photonic superlattice can support propagation of a first wavelength and a second wavelength approximately at a first angle out of the photonic superlattice, the first and second. wavelengths being separated from one another by a first non.-propagating wavelength that does not selectively propagate at the first angle out of the photonic superlattice.

The invention relates to a method and device for detecting the presence of specific molecules, comprising, one on top of the other, a first substrate layer, a second reflective layer and a third dielectric layer. The invention is characterized by an antenna array with conductive parts, repeating in one direction, the network forming a plasmonic resonator that can be brought into contact with the molecules and arranged so as to emit at least one thermal radiation peak corresponding to at least one natural mode of thermal vibration of the specific molecules.

A pyrogenicity test assay and method of pyrogen testing that allows for rapid and ultrahigh sensitivity testing of parenteral pharmaceuticals or medical devices that contact blood or cerebrospinal fluid by employing a Limulus Amoebocyte Lysate (LAL) assay utilizing a photonic-crystal biosensor. The photonic-crystal biosensor is capable of determining the presence of endotoxins in a test sample by monitoring shifts in the resonant wavelength of an open microcavity affected by the changes in the refractive index of the analyte solutions used.

A method for observing a fluorescent sample, the sample comprising a fluorescent agent that emits fluorescence light, in a fluorescence spectral band, when it is illuminated by excitation light, in an excitation spectral band, the method comprising the following steps: a) placing the sample on a holder; b) illuminating the sample, with an excitation light source, in the excitation spectral band, the light emitted by the light source propagating along a propagation axis; c) detecting fluorescence light, in the fluorescence spectral band, with an image sensor;
the method being such that the holder comprises a thin layer formed from a first material, of a first refractive index, the thin layer lying in a holder plane perpendicular to the propagation axis, the thin layer comprising a first photonic crystal and second photonic crystals configured to confine the excitation light and the fluorescence light in the thin layer.

A sensor system includes a sensing element having a section of a layer assembly deposited onto a substrate. The layer assembly includes plural layers of different materials. The section of the layer assembly is configured to be etched to form plural individual pillars of the plural layers of the different materials. The individual pillars are configured to be in contact with a fluid to sense one or more analyte fluid components within the fluid. The sensing element is configured to generate a sensor signal responsive to the individual pillars being in contact with the fluid. The sensor system includes one or more processors configured to receive the sensor signal from the sensing element. The one or more processors may identify the one or more analyte fluid components within the fluid and an amount of each of the analyte fluid components within the fluid based on the sensor signal.

A pyrogenicity test method and assay of endotoxins allows for rapid and ultrahigh sensitivity testing of parenteral pharmaceuticals or medical devices that contact blood or cerebrospinal fluid by employing a Limulus Amoebocyte Lysate (LAL) assay monitored with a photonic-crystal biosensor. The photonic-crystal biosensor is capable of determining the presence of endotoxins in a test sample by detecting shifts in the resonant condition of an open microcavity affected by the changes in the refractive index of the analyte solutions used.

System and methods for analyzing single molecules and performing nucleic acid sequencing. An integrated device may include multiple pixels with sample wells configured to receive a sample, which when excited, emits radiation. The integrated device includes a surface having a trench region recessed from a portion of the surface and an array of sample wells, disposed in the trench region. The integrated device also includes a waveguide configured to couple excitation energy to at least one sample well in the array and positioned at a first distance from a surface of the trench region and at a second distance from the surface in a region separate from the trench region. The first distance is smaller than the second distance. The system also includes an instrument that interfaces with the integrated device. The instrument may include an excitation energy source for providing excitation energy to the integrated device by coupling to an excitation energy coupling region of the integrated device.