A Raman spectroscopy method includes acquiring a first spectrum of a sample by performing exposure over a first time period in Raman spectroscopy of the sample, calculating a first Raman signal intensity of the first spectrum acquired, calculating a second time period from the first time period based on the ratio of the first Raman signal intensity calculated to a second Raman signal intensity that is a Raman signal intensity required for the Raman spectroscopy, the second time period being an exposure time period required for acquiring the second Raman signal intensity, and acquiring a second spectrum of the sample by performing exposure over the second time period calculated.

An optical measurement probe for capturing a spectral response through an intervening material emitting unwanted background radiation includes: a first lens configured to receive light and collimate the light into a collimated excitation beam defining a first aperture; an objective element for focusing the collimated excitation beam to a point or region in a sample through the intervening material, wherein the objective element also receives light scattered by the sample and the intervening material and collimates the scattered light into a collimated collection beam defining a second aperture; and a blocking element within the collimated collection beam for removing the light scattered by the intervening material from the collimated collection beam received from the sample, wherein the second aperture defined by the collimated collection beam is at least two times greater than the first aperture defined by the collimated excitation beam.

Disclosed are dielectric cavity arrays with cavities formed by pairs of dielectric tips, wherein the cavities have low mode volume (e.g., 7*10.sup.−5λ.sup.3, where X is the resonance wavelength of the cavity array), and large quality factor Q (e.g., 10.sup.6 or more). Applications for such dielectric cavity arrays include, but are not limited to, Raman spectroscopy, second harmonic generation, optical signal detection, microwave-to-optical transduction, and as light emitting devices.

Disclosed are dielectric cavity arrays with cavities formed by pairs of dielectric tips, wherein the cavities have low mode volume (e.g., 7*10.sup.−5λ.sup.3, where X is the resonance wavelength of the cavity array), and large quality factor Q (e.g., 10.sup.6 or more). Applications for such dielectric cavity arrays include, but are not limited to, Raman spectroscopy, second harmonic generation, optical signal detection, microwave-to-optical transduction, and as light emitting devices.

The present invention relates to a nanoplasmonic biosensor capable of label-free multiplex detection of disease markers in blood with high selectivity and sensitivity and a method for detecting disease markers using the nanoplasmonic biosensor. The nanoplasmonic biosensor of the present invention enables label-free multiplex detection of miRNAs as disease markers in blood with high selectivity and sensitivity. Therefore, the nanoplasmonic biosensor of the present invention can be effectively used for the diagnosis of miRNA-related diseases and clinical applications.

In order to quantitatively characterize biological objects, for example individual cells, a stimulus is applied to a biological object (8) in a contactless fashion. A measurement and a further measurement are performed on the biological object (8) in order to ascertain a response of the biological object (8) to the stimulus, wherein the measurement and the further measurement comprise detecting Raman scattering on and/or in the biological object (8) and/or capturing data using digital holographic microinterferometry (DHMI). The biological object (8) is characterized according to a result of the measurement and is sorted if needed. The stimulus can be applied by means of a laser beam that creates optical tweezers or an optical trap, by means of ultrasonic waves or an electric or magnetic radio frequency field.

In order to quantitatively characterize biological objects, for example individual cells, a stimulus is applied to a biological object (8) in a contactless fashion. A measurement and a further measurement are performed on the biological object (8) in order to ascertain a response of the biological object (8) to the stimulus, wherein the measurement and the further measurement comprise detecting Raman scattering on and/or in the biological object (8) and/or capturing data using digital holographic microinterferometry (DHMI). The biological object (8) is characterized according to a result of the measurement and is sorted if needed. The stimulus can be applied by means of a laser beam that creates optical tweezers or an optical trap, by means of ultrasonic waves or an electric or magnetic radio frequency field.

A Raman spectrometric imaging method, including: placing a sample on a two-dimensional translation stage; emitting a first light beam by a first optical comb light source; dividing the first light beam into a pump light beam and a depletion light beam to illuminate the sample; guiding the pump light beam to illuminate a region of the sample to excite molecules of the sample in the region; guiding the depletion light beam to the region of the sample to make excited molecules at a periphery of the region to return into a vibrational ground state; emitting a second light beam as a probe light beam by a second optical comb light source to the remaining excited molecules to generate a CARS signal; recording the CARS signal for imaging; moving the two-dimensional translation stage to scan other regions of the sample to form an image of the sample.

A Raman spectrometric imaging method, including: placing a sample on a two-dimensional translation stage; emitting a first light beam by a first optical comb light source; dividing the first light beam into a pump light beam and a depletion light beam to illuminate the sample; guiding the pump light beam to illuminate a region of the sample to excite molecules of the sample in the region; guiding the depletion light beam to the region of the sample to make excited molecules at a periphery of the region to return into a vibrational ground state; emitting a second light beam as a probe light beam by a second optical comb light source to the remaining excited molecules to generate a CARS signal; recording the CARS signal for imaging; moving the two-dimensional translation stage to scan other regions of the sample to form an image of the sample.

A method for manufacturing glass-based micro- and nanostructure comprising the step of dewetting a thin-film glass layer on a textured substrate to form the micro- and nanostructure from the thin-film glass layer.