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.

Described here are optical sampling architectures and methods for operation thereof. An optical sampling architecture can be capable of emitting a launch sheet light beam towards a launch region and receiving a detection sheet light beam from a detection region. The launch region can have one dimension that is elongated relative to another dimension. The detection region can also have one dimension elongated relative to another dimension such that the system can selectively accept light having one or more properties (e.g., angle of incidence, beam size, beam shape, etc.). In some examples, the elongated dimension of the detection region can be greater than the elongated dimension of the launch region. In some examples, the system can include an outcoupler array and associated components for creating a launch sheet light beam having light rays with different in-plane launch positions and/or in-plane launch angles.

Disclosed are a device and method for detecting a subsurface defect of an optical component. According to the device and method, a spectral confocal technology, a laser scattering technology and a laser-induced ultrasonic technology are combined, excitation laser and detection laser are simultaneously focused to different depths of the optical component through a dispersion lens set, the excitation laser generates a transient thermal expansion effect on a subsurface of the optical component, the detection laser is used for observing and analyzing ultrasonic vibration of the subsurface defect under an action of the thermal expansion effect, and spatial distribution information and scattered spectral information of scattered light at a position of the subsurface defect are acquired by the spectral confocal technology. The device and method are suitable for nondestructive testing of a finished product of an ultra-precise optical component with a strict requirement on the subsurface defect.

An absorption spectrometer which measures a gas component concentration in a measured gas and which operates via wavelength modulation spectroscopy, wherein the light wavelength of a wavelength-tunable light source is periodically varied over a gas component absorption line of interest and simultaneously sinusoidally modulated with a high frequency and a low amplitude signal, and wherein the measurement signal of a detector is demodulated in a phase-sensitive manner at the frequency and/or a harmonic of the frequency and further analyzed, where modulation starts in each period or each n-th period with the frequency in a time interval before the beginning of the time function and is performed with a higher amplitude than during the time function to demodulate the measurement signal in a phase-synchronous manner, where a device provided for the phase-sensitive demodulation is synchronized during the time interval such that a cable for transmitting synchronization signals is no longer necessary.

A spectroscopic measuring device includes a halogen lamp as a light source, a lens of an irradiating system, a mirror, and a spectrometer. The lens of the irradiating optical system emits light from the halogen lamp to a measurement object. The mirror is an optical member, and the mirror is arranged coaxial with the lens and conducts detecting light between the halogen lamp and the measurement object, to the spectrometer. The spectrometer is an analyzing part and analyzes material of the measurement object on the basis of the light received via the mirror. The light from the halogen lamp to the measurement object passes through the peripheral part of the optical axis of the lens, and the light to be received by the spectrometer passes through the center part of the optical axis of the lens, at the position of the mirror.

Systems and methods related to optical nanosensors comprising photoluminescent nanostructures are generally described.

A method for optical detection of residual soil on articles (such as medical instruments and equipment), after completion of a washing or a rinsing operation by a washer. A soil detection system provides an indication of soil on the articles by detecting luminescent radiation emanating from the soil in the presence of ambient light.

A spatial filter is made by forming a structure comprising a focusing element and an opaque surface, the opaque surface being disposed remotely from the focusing element in substantially the same plane as a focal plane of the focusing element; and by forming a pinhole in the opaque surface at or adjacent to a focal point of the focusing element by transmitting a substantially collimated laser beam through the focusing element so that a point optimally corresponding to the focal point is identified on the opaque surface and imperfection of the focusing element, if any, is reflected on the shape and position of the pinhole so formed.

A measurement apparatus comprises optical components arranged to provide parallel measurements of a biological sample. The parallel sample measurements provide improved accuracy with lower detection limit thresholds. The parallel measurements may comprise one or more of Raman spectroscopy measurements or infrared spectroscopy measurements. The parallel measurements can be combined with a light source. In many embodiments, the light source comprises one or more wavelengths corresponding to resonance frequencies of one or more molecules of the sample, such as wavelengths of ultraviolet light. The wavelengths of light corresponding to resonance frequencies can provide an increased signal to noise ratio. The parallel array optical configuration can be combined with wavelengths of light corresponding to resonance frequencies in order to provide increased measurement accuracy and detection of metabolites.

The present invention, among other things, provides technologies for detecting and/or quantifying nucleic acids in cells, tissues, organs or organisms. In some embodiments, through sequential barcoding, the present invention provides methods for high-throughput profiling of a large number of targets, such as transcripts and/or DNA loci.