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.

A gas sensing element that reflects light incoming along an optical path on a sensing face, where the light reflected by the gas sensing element changes depending on a quantity of a specific gas that is in contact with the gas sensing element, and where each of a first optical fiber and a second optical fiber bends the optical path. The gas sensing element, a light source, a photodetector, and a magnetic field applicator are disposed on a same side with respect to a virtual plane that is perpendicular to an incident plane of the incoming light to the sensing face of the gas sensing element and includes a point on the optical path where light goes out from the first optical fiber and a point on the optical path where light enters the second optical fiber.

A multiband IR adjunct (MIRA) sensor to spectroscopically determine the content and the concentration of chemical composition of a targeted object, includes a sensor housing, a first front optics in a first optical channel, a second front optics in the first optical channel, an acousto-optic tunable filter (AOTF), a photo detector (PD), a set of back optics in the first optical channel that focuses polarized narrow-band light beams received from the AOTF device onto the PD, the PD converting the polarized narrow-band light beams into an electrical signal, and a data acquisition unit signal-connected to the PD, the data acquisition unit collecting the electrical signals. Multiple optical channels can be provided within the housing to analyze UV/VIS/near infrared (NIR), short-wavelength infrared (SWIR), mid-wavelength infrared (MWIR), and LWIR wavelength ranges respectively.

An optical system configured to measure a raised or receded surface feature on a surface of a sample may comprise a broadband light source; a tunable filter configured to filter broadband light emitted from the broadband light source and to generate a first light beam at a selected wavelength; a linewidth control element configured to receive the first light beam and to generate a second light beam having a predefined linewidth and a predetermined coherence length; collimating optics optically coupled to the second light beam and configured to collimate the second light beam; collinearizing optics optically coupled to the collimating optics and configured to align the collimated second light beam onto the raised or receded surface feature of the sample, and a processor system and at least one digital imager configured to measure a height of the raised surface or depth of the receded surface from light reflected at least from those surfaces.

According to the present disclosure, an optical signal emitted from a single molecule is received to measure a central location of the single molecule while changing a phase of a structured illumination having a periodic pattern to measure a phase of a pattern in which a fluorescence intensity is periodically changed in accordance with a distance between the pattern and the single molecule while displacing the periodic pattern by a specific interval to measure the central location of the single molecule, thereby improving an accuracy of the central location of the single molecule with low photons and as a result, the resolution of the image may be enhanced.

An optical system configured to measure a raised or receded surface feature on a surface of a sample may comprise a broadband light source; a tunable filter configured to filter broadband light emitted from the broadband light source and to generate a first light beam at a selected wavelength; a linewidth control element configured to receive the first light beam and to generate a second light beam having a predefined linewidth and a predetermined coherence length; collimating optics optically coupled to the second light beam and configured to collimate the second light beam; collinearizing optics optically coupled to the collimating optics and configured to align the collimated second light beam onto the raised or receded surface feature of the sample, and a processor system and at least one digital imager configured to measure a height of the raised surface or depth of the receded surface from light reflected at least from those surfaces.

A multiband IR adjunct (MIRA) sensor to spectroscopically determine the content and the concentration of chemical composition of a targeted object, includes a sensor housing, a first front optics in a first optical channel, a second front optics in the first optical channel, an acousto-optic tunable filter (AOTF), a photo detector (PD), a set of back optics in the first optical channel that focuses polarized narrow-band light beams received from the AOTF device onto the PD, the PD converting the polarized narrow-band light beams into an electrical signal, and a data acquisition unit signal-connected to the PD, the data acquisition unit collecting the electrical signals. Multiple optical channels can be provided within the housing to analyze UV/VIS/near infrared (NIR), short-wavelength infrared (SWIR), mid-wavelength infrared (MWIR), and LWIR wavelength ranges respectively.

It is an object of the invention to improve processes, apparatuses and systems for measuring a measured variable. To this end, a measured variable is measured in a measuring process on the basis of an NV center as a quantum sensor. The NV center has a plurality of quantum states and is optically excitable on the basis of an occupancy of one of the quantum states into at least one excited state of the quantum states by means of an excitation light. The at least one excited state can decay at least with emission of emission light of the NV center. In the measuring process, the NV center is irradiated by the excitation light, the excitation light having a time periodic modulation, and a respective occupancy probability and/or a respective lifetime of the quantum states depending on the measured variable and the excitation light. A phase shift is determined between the emission light of the NV center and the modulation of the excitation light and a measurement value for the measured variable is determined on the basis thereof.

Methods, devices, apparatus, and systems for three-dimensional (3D) contoured scanning photoacoustic imaging and/or deep learning virtual staining.

[Task] To provide an automatic analysis apparatus including a photomultiplier tube which controls a sensitivity of the photomultiplier tube without adjusting a high voltage value. [Solution] An automatic analysis apparatus according to the present invention includes a photomultiplier tube which detects light from a reaction vessel; a determination unit which determines an output signal of the photomultiplier tube in a case where the photomultiplier tube is irradiated with first light; and a control unit which irradiates the photomultiplier tube with second light to lower a sensitivity of the photomultiplier tube in accordance with a determination result by the determination unit.