A light guide plate can include: a first end surface coupled to a reflection surface and a second end surface; where an incident light entering the light guide plate through the first end surface is reflected by the reflection surface and then output from the second end surface; and a diffusion structure configured to increase a transmission path of the incident light in the light guide plate.

The invention relates to a single photon detector device for detecting an optical signal comprising an optical fiber and at least one nanowire, wherein the optical fiber comprises a core area and a cladding area and is designed to conduct the optical signal along an optical axis, wherein, with respect to the optical axis, a first area of the optical fiber is an entrance area for the optical signal and a second area of the optical fiber is a detector area, and wherein the nanowire becomes superconducting at a predetermined temperature and is designed in the superconducting state to generate an output signal as a function of the optical signal. It is provided that in the detector area of the optical fiber the nanowire extends essentially along the optical axis of the optical fiber. A single photon detector device is thus provided which has a simple structure, a high efficiency, a high detection rate and a high spectral bandwidth.

A PIC has first, second and third elements fabricated on a common substrate. The first element includes a structure supporting efficient coupling of one or more free-space optical modes of incident light into one or more waveguide guided optical modes. The second element includes an on-chip interferometer having an input optically coupled to the waveguide guided optical modes; one or more arms; one or more outputs; and a phase tuner configured to change optical path length in one or more of the arms. The third element includes one or more light detecting structures optically coupled to the one or more outputs of the second element, such that variation in optical power in the one or more outputs is detected, allowing an assessment of coherence characterizing the light incident on the first element of the PIC to be provided.

Example embodiments include an optical interrogation system with a sensing fiber having a single core, the single core having multiple light propagating modes. Interferometric apparatus probes the single core multimode sensing fiber over a range of predetermined wavelengths and detects measurement interferometric data associated with the multiple light propagating modes of the single core for each predetermined wavelength in the range. Data processing circuitry processes the measurement interferometric data associated with the multiple light propagating modes of the single core to determine one or more shape-sensing parameters of the sensing fiber from which the shape of the fiber in three dimensions can be determined.

The various embodiments described herein include methods, devices, and systems for fabricating and operating superconducting photon detectors. In one aspect, a photon detector includes: (1) a first waveguide configured to guide photons from a photon source; (2) a second waveguide that is distinct and separate from the first waveguide and optically-coupled to the first waveguide; and (3) a superconducting component positioned adjacent to the second waveguide and configured to detect photons within the second waveguide.

An optical sensor system may include a light source. The optical sensor system may include a concentrator component proximate to the light source and configured to concentrate light from the light source with respect to a measurement target. The optical sensor system may include a collection component that includes an array of at least two components configured to receive light reflected or transmitted from the measurement target. The optical sensor system may include may a sensor. The optical sensor system may include a filter provided between the collection component and the sensor.

A multi-fiber light guide includes: light guiding fibers, each fiber including an elongated glass core; a glass cladding, the cores being surrounded by the cladding to form a rigid and continuous glass element, the cores having a higher refractive index than the cladding such that light can be guided by a total reflection along the cores, which end in two abutting faces of the glass element such that light can be guided along the cores from one abutting face to the other abutting face; and an ion exchange layer at each of the abutting faces, the glass of the cores and the glass of the cladding including alkali ions, which are at least partly exchanged by alkali ions of a higher atomic number within the ion exchange layer at the abutting faces, the exchanged alkali ions within the ion exchange layer imparting a compressive stress at the abutting faces.

The present invention provides a plasma generating system that includes: a waveguide; a plasma cavity coupled to the waveguide and configured to generate a plasma therewithin by use of microwave energy; a hollow cylinder protruding from a wall of the waveguide and having a bottom cap that has an aperture; a detection unit for receiving the light emitted by the plasma through the aperture and configured to measure intensities of the light in an ultraviolet (UV) range and an infrared (IR) range; and a controller for controlling the detection unit.

The present invention provides a plasma generating system that includes: a waveguide; a plasma cavity coupled to the waveguide and configured to generate a plasma therewithin by use of microwave energy; a hollow cylinder protruding from a wall of the waveguide and having a bottom cap that has an aperture; a detection unit for receiving the light emitted by the plasma through the aperture and configured to measure intensities of the light in an ultraviolet (UV) range and an infrared (IR) range; and a controller for controlling the detection unit.

Methods and apparatuses are disclosed whereby structured illumination microscopy (SIM) is applied to a scanning microscope, such as a confocal laser scanning microscope or sample scanning microscope, in order to improve spatial resolution. Particular aspects of the disclosure relate to the discovery of important advances in the ability to (i) increase light throughput to the sample, thereby increasing the signal/noise ratio and/or decreasing exposure time, as well as (ii) decrease the number of raw images to be processed, thereby decreasing image acquisition time. Both effects give rise to significant improvements in overall performance, to the benefit of users of scanning microscopy.