A weld inspection apparatus that detects a weld defect in a welded portion of metal plates and includes a liquid application head disposed over one side surface of the metal plates and capable of moving in a welding direction of the metal plates, and an air jet head disposed over another side surface of the metal plates and capable of moving in the welding direction of the metal plates. The liquid application head includes a liquid application nozzle that projects toward the one side surface of the metal plates and applies liquid for sealing the welded portion. The air jet head includes an air jet nozzle that projects toward the another side surface of the metal plates and discharges air toward the welded portion to which the liquid has been applied.

Natural and/or synthetic antibodies for specific proteins are adhered to nanoparticles. The nanoparticles are adhered to a substrate and the substrate is exposed to a sample that may contain the specific proteins. The substrates are then tested with surface enhanced Raman scattering techniques and/or localized surface plasmon resonance techniques to quantify the amount of the specific protein in the sample.

A gas measurement apparatus includes an optical resonator that resonates light, a light source that generates light for irradiation of the optical resonator, and a photodetector that detects light taken out of the optical resonator. The optical resonator includes a plurality of mirrors, a holding member, a hollow tubular member, a hollow tubular member, and a temperature adjustment instrument. The holding member is lower in thermal expansion coefficient than the hollow tubular member. The hollow tubular member includes a portion higher in thermal conductivity than the holding member and a bellows higher in elasticity than a first portion. The hollow tubular member is equal to or higher than the hollow tubular member in thermal conductivity, and is provided as far as positions of the plurality of mirrors on an inner side of the bellows.

The invention encompasses analyzers and analyzer systems that include a single molecule analyzer, methods of using the analyzer and analyzer systems to analyze samples, either for single molecules or for molecular complexes. The single molecule uses electromagnetic radiation that is translated through the sample to detect the presence or absence of a single molecule. The single molecule analyzer provided herein is useful for diagnostics because the analyzer detects single molecules with zero carryover between samples.

A method for adjusting a focus of an optical system includes focusing measurement light in a sample space using an optical arrangement. The measurement light is transmitted on a sample side of the optical arrangement through at least one optical medium. The measurement light reflected by a reflector and transmitted through a further optical arrangement is detected using a detector arrangement. A working distance between the optical arrangement and the reflector is ascertained based on the measurement light detected by the detector, wherein a focus of the measurement light lies on the reflector for the working distance.

Disclosed is a laser irradiation state diagnosing method which allows accurately diagnosing a laser irradiation state. When irradiating a laser beam so that an irradiation spot scans the surface of the irradiation object, acoustic information in vicinity of the irradiation spot is acquired. And based on characteristics of the acoustic information, such as an intensity of a component of a specific frequency band or a frequency band distribution, a state of peeling of the adhered substances existing on the surface of the irradiation object is determined.

The invention provides a multi-well plate reader for providing simultaneous transmission of stimulation light to, and detection of emission light from, individual wells of a multi-well plate at a plurality of distinct wavelengths.

The optical inspection device is used for inspecting a planar object surface for the presence of particles and/or defects. A light source supplies light to the planar object surface of the object at a grazing angle. An image sensor receives light due to scattering from particles and defects on the object surface. The optical axis of the objective is at non-zero angles with the normal to the planar object surface and a direction or directions of specular reflection of the light from the light source by the planar object surface. A detection surface of the image detection device and the optical axis of the objective is in a Scheimpflug configuration. The light source and image sensor are located outside a space extending perpendicularly from the planar object surface, on opposite sides of that space. The image sensor comprises an objective and an image detection device. The device may further comprise a microscope or spectrometer to access the object surface through said space.

An inspection system includes a base, an array of fixtures, and a plurality of sensors or light sources. Each fixture has a first portion rotatably secured to the base and configured to rotate about a yaw axis and a second portion rotatably secured to the first portion and configured to rotate about a pitch axis. Each sensor or light source is secured to one of the fixtures and is configured to direct light at yaw and pitch angles relative to the base.

A method of measuring optical properties of a specimen includes generating illumination light at a plurality of illumination wavelengths and, for each of the plurality of illumination wavelengths, directing the illumination light to impinge on the specimen, collecting sample light passing through the specimen, and detecting the collected sample light using a polarization state analyzer to form a set of polarization channels. The method also includes receiving a calibration tensor, converting the set of polarization channels for each of the illumination wavelengths into Stokes parameter maps using the calibration tensor, denoising the Stokes parameter maps, and deconvolving the Stokes parameter maps to provide density, anisotropy, and orientation measurements of the specimen. The method can multiplex intrinsic density, anisotropy, and orientation measurements of the specimen and density, anisotropy, and orientation measurements of labeled fluorescent molecules.