Apparatus for laser induced ablation spectroscopy (LIBS) is disclosed. An apparatus can have a computer, a pulsed laser and a lightguide fiber bundle that is subdivided into branches. One branch can convey a first portion of the light to a first optical spectrometer and a different branch can convey a second portion of the light to another optical spectrometer. The first spectrometer can be relatively wideband to analyze a relative wide spectral segment and the other spectrometer can be high dispersion to measure minor concentrations. The apparatus can have a plurality of spectrometers with distinct and/or complementary capabilities, and can include an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer and data and instructions in tangible media operable to obtain a synergistic composition analysis based on optical spectra and ion mass to charge ratio peaks from the mass spectrometer.

A method for controlling the flow of gas through a spectrometer, comprising: flowing a gas through a volume of the spectrometer, the volume being a volume through which light from a sample passes along a first path to reach a first detector and the gas being transparent to the light in a spectral region analysed by the spectrometer; transmitting light from a light source along a second path through the gas to a second detector; detecting an intensity of the light from the light source at the second detector at one or more wavelengths of the light; comparing the detected intensity of the light to a respective setpoint corresponding to a desired transmittance of the gas in the volume of the spectrometer and generating at least one error signal based on the comparison; and adjusting a flow rate of the gas through the volume of the spectrometer based on the error signal, in particular to minimise the difference between the detected intensity and setpoint.

A method for testing physical properties of a material includes inserting coherent light into a waveguide such that the coherent light exits the waveguide at an end of the waveguide that is embedded within the material, thereby causing the coherent light to interact with the material. The method also includes detecting a reaction of the material to the coherent light.

Methods and systems for determining sensitization of an alloy includes correlating laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) measurements with degree of sensitization (DoS) values to determine the sensitization of an alloy. Sensitization is characterized by new phase precipitates preferably along the grain boundaries (GBs). In an embodiment, the method includes the features of (1) selective chemical etching of the new phase precipitate of an alloy to induce quantitative chemical composition change, correlated with the DoS values, on the alloy surface, (2) LIBS measurements to semi-quantitatively probe the chemical composition change on the etched surface due to selective chemical etching, (3) establishing calibration models by correlating the LIBS spectra with the DoS using artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms/approaches to determine a sensitization of an alloy.

Systems and methods for laser stimulated lock-in thermography (LLT) crack detection are provided. The system includes a spatial light modulator and a controller. The spatial light modulator reflects a laser beam to focus the laser beam onto a sample for detection of a crack, hole or scratch. The controller is coupled to the spatial light modulator and controls operation of the spatial light modulator to switch focus of the laser beam onto the sample between a plurality of LLT focus configurations for detection of the crack, hole or scratch on the sample. The method includes using a first one of the plurality of LLT configurations for coarse scanning of the sample to detect a crack, hole or scratch on the sample and, when a crack, hole or scratch is detected on the sample, switching to a second one of the plurality of LLT configurations for fine scanning of the crack, hole or scratch on the sample to determine one or more parameters of the crack, hole or scratch on the sample.

Systems and methods for laser stimulated lock-in thermography (LLT) crack detection are provided. The system includes a spatial light modulator and a controller. The spatial light modulator reflects a laser beam to focus the laser beam onto a sample for detection of a crack, hole or scratch. The controller is coupled to the spatial light modulator and controls operation of the spatial light modulator to switch focus of the laser beam onto the sample between a plurality of LLT focus configurations for detection of the crack, hole or scratch on the sample. The method includes using a first one of the plurality of LLT configurations for coarse scanning of the sample to detect a crack, hole or scratch on the sample and, when a crack, hole or scratch is detected on the sample, switching to a second one of the plurality of LLT configurations for fine scanning of the crack, hole or scratch on the sample to determine one or more parameters of the crack, hole or scratch on the sample.

A microfluidic apparatus is provided that includes a thermoelectrically-activated pixel array, a microfluidic chip, and control circuitry. The pixel array may include a plurality of thermal pixels, with each thermal pixel including a thermoelectric device. The microfluidic chip may include a microfluidic channel disposed adjacent to the thermal pixels such that thermal energy generated by the thermal pixels is received by the microfluidic channel to form a localized spot within the microfluidic channel corresponding to each thermal pixel. The control circuitry may be electrically coupled to each of the thermal pixels and configured to control the thermal energy being generated by each thermal pixel to control a temperature at each localized spot within the microfluidic channel.

A microfluidic apparatus is provided that includes a thermoelectrically-activated pixel array, a microfluidic chip, and control circuitry. The pixel array may include a plurality of thermal pixels, with each thermal pixel including a thermoelectric device. The microfluidic chip may include a microfluidic channel disposed adjacent to the thermal pixels such that thermal energy generated by the thermal pixels is received by the microfluidic channel to form a localized spot within the microfluidic channel corresponding to each thermal pixel. The control circuitry may be electrically coupled to each of the thermal pixels and configured to control the thermal energy being generated by each thermal pixel to control a temperature at each localized spot within the microfluidic channel.

A laser soldering system and a method for monitoring a laser soldering process by means of a monitoring device of the laser soldering system, wherein a solder ball is dispensed onto a solderable surface of a substrate by means of a solder ball feeding device of the laser soldering system, wherein the solder ball is at least partially melted by means of a laser device of the laser soldering system, wherein, during the laser soldering process, a light signal is formed which is detected by means of an optical detection unit of the monitoring device, wherein the light signal is dispersed into a spectrum of the light signal by means of a spectroscope device of the monitoring device, wherein the spectrum is analyzed by means of a processing device of the monitoring device, and it is identified on the basis of a composition of the spectrum whether or not a burning of the substrate has occurred during the laser soldering process.

A laser soldering system and a method for monitoring a laser soldering process by means of a monitoring device of the laser soldering system, wherein a solder ball is dispensed onto a solderable surface of a substrate by means of a solder ball feeding device of the laser soldering system, wherein the solder ball is at least partially melted by means of a laser device of the laser soldering system, wherein, during the laser soldering process, a light signal is formed which is detected by means of an optical detection unit of the monitoring device, wherein the light signal is dispersed into a spectrum of the light signal by means of a spectroscope device of the monitoring device, wherein the spectrum is analyzed by means of a processing device of the monitoring device, and it is identified on the basis of a composition of the spectrum whether or not a burning of the substrate has occurred during the laser soldering process.