An optical communication system includes an optical-signal transmission unit transmitting an existing optical signal and a low-rate-signal superimposition unit superimposing a low-rate signal on the existing optical signal by intensity modulation. It further includes: a low-rate-signal extraction unit that extracts the low-rate signal from the existing optical signal on which the low-rate signal is superimposed and converts the extracted low-rate signal into a low-rate electric signal; an add-on optical-signal transmission unit that transmits an add-on optical signal; a low-rate-signal superimposition unit that superimposes a low-rate signal on the add-on optical signal by the intensity modulation based on the low-rate electric signal; and a repeater that repeats the add-on optical signal on which the low-rate signal is superimposed, to a transmission destination.

A method of controlling consumer devices using an infrared dongle coupled to a mobile device includes receiving power for the infrared dongle from the mobile device. The infrared dongle includes an infrared transmitter coupled to a microcontroller. One or more instructions are received in the microcontroller from the mobile device. The received one or more instructions are generated from codes stored in a memory of the mobile device. In response to the receiving, one or more infrared signals are transmitted via the infrared transmitter to at least one of the consumer devices.

A transmitter and a receiver for an optical telecommunication system of the WDM type are disclosed. In one aspect, the transmitter uses a chromato-temporal encoder which, with each block of symbols to be transmitted, associates a code matrix, where each element of the matrix corresponds to a wavelength and a use of the channel. The transmitter includes multiple modulators, where each modulator modulates a laser beam at a wavelength during a use of the channel by an element corresponding to the code matrix. The beams modulated in this manner are multiplexed in an optical fiber. Another embodiment using both a wavelength and a polarization encoding is also proposed.

An undersea long-haul transmission system includes an optical fiber transmission span and a coherent detection and digital signal processing module for providing dispersion compensation. The transmission span includes at least one fiber pair comprising substantially equal lengths of a positive-dispersion first fiber and a negative-dispersion second fiber that are configured to provide a signal output at transmission distances greater than 10,000 km, in which the combined accumulated dispersion across the operating bandwidth does not exceed the dispersion-compensating capacity of the coherent detection and digital signal processing module. Further described is a fiber for use in an undersea long-haul transmission span. At a transmission wavelength of 1550 nm, the fiber has a dispersion coefficient in the range of −16 to −25 ps/nm·km, and a dispersion slope in the range of 0.04 to 0.02 ps/nm2·km.

One aspect provides an optical communication system. The system includes an optical-to-digital converter, a frequency estimator and a symbol synchronizer. The optical-to-digital converter is configured to receive an optical OFDM bit stream including an OFDM symbol bearing payload data and a symbol header preceding the OFDM payload data. The frequency estimator is configured to determine a carrier frequency offset of the payload data from the symbol header. The symbol synchronizer is configured to determine a starting location of the payload data within the bit stream by cross-correlating a synchronization pattern within the symbol header with a model synchronization pattern stored by the symbol synchronizer.

A fiber optic data transmission system includes an optical fiber and a data transmitter having a first laser having a first wavelength, a first phase modulator for phase modulating light from the first laser as a function of a first data input stream so as to create a first phase-modulated output data stream, a second laser having a second wavelength different from the first wavelength, and a second phase modulator for phase modulating light from the second laser as a function of a second data input stream so as to create a second phase-modulated output data stream. The transmitter also includes a combiner combining the first and second output data streams into a phase-modulated optical signal for transmission over the optical fiber.

A pre-emphasis control method includes calculating an average value of transmission characteristics based on transmission characteristics of a plurality of light beams received by a receiver, and determining that, among signals of the plurality of light beams, a wavelength with a deviation from the average value is a wavelength at which control is to be performed, determining that the wavelength at which control is to be performed and a wavelength adjacent thereto are a group of wavelengths at which control is to be performed, obtaining an average of transmission characteristics of the group of wavelengths at which control is to be performed, and based on a difference between averaged transmission characteristics and respective transmission characteristics of the group of wavelengths at which control is to be performed, changing a light intensity output from each transmitter that transmits a group of wavelengths at which control is to be performed.

A method and system for providing joint IP/Optical Layer restoration mechanisms for the IP over Optical Layer architecture, particularly for protecting against router failure within such architecture, includes any one of plural node elements participating in the detection and restoration of the joint IP/Optical Layer architecture upon the failure of a router in one of the nodes. The plural node elements may include, but are not limited to, one of plural routers and an optical cross-connect.

An apparatus and method for fault indication and localization in a Passive Optical Network (PON) comprising a multistage power splitter (100, 200, 300) with at least one 1:N splitter (120, 221, 222, 321, 322) followed by N items of 2:M splitters (131, 132, 231-233, 331-336), wherein N and M are integers greater than 1. The apparatus also comprises an Optical Time Domain Reflectometry (OTDR) device (110, 210, 310) capable of inserting an OTDR signal into the power splitter (100, 200, 300), and adapted to insert the OTDR signal between the first stage of the at least one 1:N splitter (120, 221, 222, 321, 322) and the second N items of 2:M splitters (131, 132, 231-233, 331-336).

An optical transport network system includes a plurality of NEs, each transmitting wavelength-multiplexed optical signals. Each NE includes a routing information DB that is used to store reachable area information, which contains identifiers of other NEs in a range within which the optical signals can be transmitted from the own NE without using an REG. A FROM NE includes a path candidate searching unit that searches for a plurality of path candidates for transmitting optical signals from the FROM NE to a TO NE. The TO NE includes a path selecting unit that selects a path for transmitting optical signals from among a plurality of path candidates. The path selecting unit obtains the number of times for which the REG is used for each of the plurality of path candidates; and, based on each number of times that is obtained, selects a path for transmitting the optical signals.

Additional bandwidth is provisioned to layer 2/3 networks by initially provisioning optical wavelength channels to meet incremental needs for additional capacity. When bandwidth requirements grow large enough, a wavelength-sized channel is provisioned to meet the bandwidth needs, and the previously provisioned optical wavelength channels are freed up to be reused for additional growth. The optical wavelength channels may be channelized VLANs mapped to resizable optical channel data units such as ODUflex units.

A method for adjusting an optical signal includes determining a polarization dependent loss (PDL) value associated with the optical signal, determining an angle between the optical signal and one or more axes of PDL, determining an amount of nonlinear phase noise due to PDL and nonlinear effects upon the optical signal based upon the PDL value and the angle, determining a phase rotation based upon the amount of nonlinear phase noise, and applying the phase rotation to the optical signal.

An optical module that outputs a wavelength multiplexed optical signal is disclosed. The optical module provides at least first to third optical source, a wavelength multiplexer, a polarization rotator, and a polarization multiplexer. The optical sources each outputting first to third optical signals with a wavelength different from others. The wavelength multiplexer multiplexes the first optical signal with the third optical signal. The polarization rotator rotates the polarization vector of one of the multiplexed first and third optical signals and the second signal by substantially 90°. The polarization multiplexer multiplexes the polarization rotated optical signal with the second optical signal.

Optical fiber-based distributed communications systems that provide and support both RF communication services and digital data services are disclosed herein. The RF communication services and digital data services can be distributed over optical fiber to client devices, such as remote antenna units for example. In certain embodiments, digital data services can be distributed over optical fiber separate from optical fiber distributing RF communication services. In other embodiments, digital data services can be distributed over common optical fiber with RF communication services. For example, digital data services can be distributed over common optical fiber with RF communication services at different wavelengths through wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) and/or at different frequencies through frequency-division multiplexing (FDM). Power distributed in the optical fiber-based distributed communications system to provide power to remote antenna units can also be accessed to provide power to digital data service components.

The device identification apparatus includes: a remote controller signal detecting section for detecting an optical signal from a remote controller; a receiving section for receiving the optical signal from the remote controller; a signal decryption section for decrypting the optical signal received by the receiving section; and a transmitting section for transmitting a device identification signal when the optical signal is a device selecting signal, and configured such that operations of the receiving section, the signal decryption section, and the transmitting section are started in response to a detecting signal of the remote controller signal detecting section, thereby realizing a device identification apparatus in which power consumption during standby is minimized.

A laser relay module for free space optical communications including an optical telescope for receiving and transmitting optical beams; an optical diplexer for separating transmitting and received optical beams; an optical amplifier; a modulated beacon laser for line of sight control of a plurality of communicating remote network nodes; a beacon beam detector for detecting an incoming beacon optical beam for line of sight control of the optical telescope and receiving data from other network nodes; and means for inserting an output of the modulated beacon laser into the optical telescope for transmission to another network node, and for transporting the incoming beacon optical beam to the beacon detector.

Intrapersonal communication systems and methods that provide an optical digital signal link between two or more local devices are disclosed. In some embodiments, the system includes a first signal converter disposed at a first end of the optical digital signal link and configured to convert between electrical digital signals from a first local device and optical digital signals from the optical digital signal link. The system can include an optical connector having a non-contact portion configured to couple optical digital signals between the first signal converter and the optical digital signal link across a gap. The system can include a second signal converter disposed at a second end of the optical digital signal link and configured to convert between electrical digital signals from the second local device and optical digital signals from the optical digital signal link.

In the present invention, wasted power consumption caused when a clock and data recovery unit in an optical network unit in a PON system is activated from a power-saving state is reduced and rapid, secure communication is performed. A clock and data recovery unit includes a phase-locked loop that can be set to normal mode or power-saving mode and that includes a voltage-controlled oscillator and recovers a clock signal and a data signal from input signals. The clock and data recovery unit includes a reference clock multiplier circuit that multiplies a reference clock signal and outputs the multiplied reference clock signal; and a frequency training loop that includes the same voltage-controlled oscillator and performs synchronous oscillation training by the voltage-controlled oscillator using the reference clock multiplier circuit before the phase-locked loop transitions from power-saving mode to normal mode.

The invention relates to embedding data symbols of a data signal into a luminance output of an illumination device. The device includes a controller configured for receiving a first base pattern and a second base pattern within a frame period, and generating a shifted second pattern by phase shifting the second base pattern within the frame period with respect to the first base pattern in response to the data signal such that the data symbols are embedded in the luminance output of the device. The device also includes a first light source configured to generate a first luminance output in response to the first base pattern and a second light source configured to generate a second luminance output in response to the shifted second pattern. The first and second luminance outputs have different output spectra and the luminance output of the illumination device comprises both the first and second luminance outputs. With this approach, the short-time average light output of the illumination device remains constant, decreasing the visible flicker and allowing the use of lower switching frequencies relative to the prior art approaches.

A repeater includes a reception part configured to receive an optical signal transmitted by wavelength division multiplexing from a preceding repeater in a path from a source to a destination; a determination part configured to determine the channel allocation of the signal received by the reception part by determining a bit rate and a modulation technique with respect to each of channels in the received signal; and a detection part configured to detect a prohibited channel not to be included in the optical signal to be transmitted from the repeater, based on the channel allocation and a predetermined criterion.

A cutting insert (130) is formed to be rotationally symmetric with respect to an axis line (C3) of a height direction and to be planarly symmetric with respect to a virtual plane of the insert (VS1), an axis line (C2) of a traverse direction is gradually inclined toward the front of a rotational direction around which a workpiece (W) rotates moving toward a first traverse direction (C2A), an axis line (C1) of a longitudinal direction extends toward a lower surface side of an insert body (131) so as to approach a virtual plane of the tool moving toward a first longitudinal direction (C1A), and one corner portion (143C) in the other cutting edge (132B) is disposed further toward a first traverse direction (C2A) than one corner portion (143A) in one cutting edge (132A).

A toolholder assembly includes a toolholder body having a coolant passage and a cutting insert seated within a recess of the body. The cutting insert includes an insert orifice extending between a top face and a bottom face that aligns with the coolant passage. A lock pin includes a lock pin orifice that aligns with and is in fluid communication with the coolant passage of the body. The lock pin orifice has an outlet port to allow the fluid to flow through the lock pin orifice and exit through the outlet port. A lock pin ring includes a coolant port in fluid communication with the outlet port of the lock pin to effectively discharge cooling fluid in the direction of a cutting area of the cutting insert.

To provide a rotary cutting tool in which a satisfactory cut state in which burrs and uncut portions are absent is obtained, even when counterboring is applied to a composite honeycomb member. A first cutting-chip discharge groove (2) disposed from a tool tip towards a base-end side is formed on an outer periphery of a tool body (1); a plurality of second cutting-chip discharge grooves (3), provided along a spiral disposed from the tool tip towards the base-end side so as to intersect with the first cutting-chip discharge groove (2), are formed on an outer periphery section of the tool body (1) where the first cutting-chip discharge groove (2) is absent; and a base-end-side outer periphery cutting edge (4) is formed on an intersection ridge between a rake face of a second cutting-chip discharge groove (3), which faces a direction of tool rotation, and an outer peripheral surface of the tool body (1) or an outer peripheral relief face; wherein an end cutting edge (5) is provided at a tip section of the tool body (1); a tip-side outer periphery cutting edge (6) is formed on an intersection ridge between the rake face at a tip section of a first cutting-chip discharge groove (2) and an outer peripheral surface of the tip section of the tool body (1) or an outer periphery relief face (18); and the base-end-side outer periphery cutting edge (4) is provided further towards the tool base-end side than the tip-side outer periphery cutting edge (6).

Electrode milling cutter for machining spot welding electrodes, said electrode milling cutter having one or more milling edges, wherein at least one of the milling edges is interrupted by one or more cut-outs at one or more points. The invention also relates to a milling device and to an apparatus for subsequently machining spot welding electrodes.

In a cutting tool for chip removing machining a holder for a cutter has a body received therein and movable with surfaces to bear against the cutter for defining the position of the cutter in the direction of an intended axis of rotation of the holder as well as a screw which may be screwed in a threaded bore in the holder. Spring members are arranged to act between the holder and the body for biasing the body against said screw portions.

A rotary cutting tool, such as a milling cutter (10) includes a central hub (12), a cutting rim (14) and a plurality of spokes (22) connecting the central hub (12) to the cutting rim (14). Each spoke (22) is separated by an opening (32) and polygonal in cross-sectional shape formed by two side walls (22a, 22b), two front walls (22c, 22d) and a rear wall (22e). One of the side walls (22a) of each spoke (22) is formed at a pitch angle (42) with respect to a central axis (11) of the cutting tool (10) that is sufficient to cause lift of chips through the opening (32), thereby providing effective chip evacuation during a material removal operation.

A family of rotating cutting tools includes at least two toolholders having different diameters, each toolholder including a first side and a second side, the first side and the second side being substantially perpendicular to an axis of rotation of the toolholder, and at least one insert abutment surface on each of the first side and the second side. For each toolholder, the insert abutment surfaces on the first and second sides define an angle with a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the toolholder, and the angle defined by the insert abutment surfaces and the plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the toolholder is different for the at least two toolholders having different diameters.

The invention relates to an indexable insert (1) for fitting in supporting tools (5) for the machining of workpieces, with an upper side (2) and an underside (3), on which clamping recesses are arranged, and with a circumferential geometry (4) joining the upper side (2) and the underside (3), wherein cutting corners and cutting edges (6) are arranged at the transition from the upper side (2) and the underside (3) to the circumferential geometry (4). In order that the clamping situation during machining is improved significantly, and at the same time the introduction of the clamping recesses is made easier, it is proposed that the clamping recess consists of grooves (10) which are arranged on two crossing straight lines (11), wherein the two straight lines (11) run at right angles in relation to each other and all the grooves (10) are arranged at the same distance from the center axis or longitudinal axis (12) of the indexable insert (1), and the crossing point (13) of the two straight lines (11) lies on the center axis or longitudinal axis (12) of the indexable insert (1).

A cutting insert (14) is formed with an insert aperture (32) opening out to insert top and bottom surfaces (14A, 14B) of the cutting insert (14). In a plan view of the insert top surface (14A), the cutting insert (14) and the insert aperture (32) both have oblong shapes which are elongated along a common insert longitudinal axis (AIL). The aperture (32) includes first and second side surfaces (32A1, 32A2) which each extend along the insert longitudinal axis (AIL), and aperture first and second end surfaces (32B1, 32B2) which each extend transverse relative to the insert longitudinal axis (AIL). At least one of the aperture first and second end surfaces (32B1, 32B2) is formed with a clamping lip (32C1, 32C2).

A cutting tool used for grooving and turning operations where a cutting insert is resiliently securable in a holder blade. The cutting insert includes an insert central lower surface located between, and recessed with respect to, two insert lower component surfaces, each having an insert lower abutment surface. At least one of the two insert lower component surfaces includes an insert inner curved ramp extending from its insert lower abutment surface to the adjacent insert lower intermediate surface and at least the other of the two insert lower component surfaces includes an insert outer curved ramp extending from its insert lower abutment surface to an adjacent end surface.

The present invention provides a hybrid digital and channel microfluidic device in the form of an integrated structure in which a droplet may be transported by a digital microfluidic array and transferred to a microfluidic channel. In one aspect of the invention, a hybrid device comprises a first substrate having a digital microfluidic array capable of transporting a droplet to a transfer location, and a second substrate having a microfluidic channel. The first and second substrates are affixed to form a hybrid device in which an opening in the microfluidic channel is positioned adjacent to the transfer location, so that a droplet transported to the transfer location contacts the channel opening and may enter the channel. The invention also provides methods of performing separations using a hybrid digital and channel microfluidic device and methods of assembling a hybrid digital microfluidic device.

Method and apparatus for performing a discrete glucose testing and bolus dosage determination including a glucose meter with bolus calculation function are provided.

The present disclosure relates to an apparatus and process for forming medical devices from an injectable composition. The apparatus includes a supply assembly configured to maintain and selective dispense a first precursor and a second precursor, a mixing assembly configured to mix the first and second precursors, and at least one catalyzing element including a transition metal ion to aid in the polymerization of the first and second precursors. The process includes dispensing a volume of the first precursor and a volume of the second precursor into a mixing assembly and mixing the first and second precursors. The first and second precursors each possess a core and at least one functional group known to have click reactivity with each other. The mixed precursors are contacted with a transition metal catalyst to produce a flowable composition for use as a medical device.

A slurry bubble column reactor with a gas distribution arrangement comprising an upper sparger, a lower sparger, and an open-ended tube. Gas from the lower sparger enters the tube and lowers the density of slurry in the tube. The difference in slurry density causes the slurry in the tube to rise, causing slurry outside the tube to move down, maintaining circulation and flushing catalyst from the vessel wall.

Provided is a catalyst article for simultaneously remediating the nitrogen oxides (NOx), particulate matter, and gaseous hydrocarbons present in diesel engine exhaust streams. The catalyst article has a soot filter coated with a material effective in the Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) of NOx by a reductant, e.g., ammonia.

Provided is a catalyst article for simultaneously remediating the nitrogen oxides (NOx), particulate matter, and gaseous hydrocarbons present in diesel engine exhaust streams. The catalyst article has a soot filter coated with a material effective in the Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) of NOx by a reductant, e.g., ammonia.

Provided is a catalyst article for simultaneously remediating the nitrogen oxides (NOx), particulate matter, and gaseous hydrocarbons present in diesel engine exhaust streams. The catalyst article has a soot filter coated with a material effective in the Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) of NOx by a reductant, e.g., ammonia.

The present invention extends to a disinfection cap for disinfecting a male luer end of an infusion therapy device. The disinfection cap can include an internal reservoir containing an antimicrobial or saline solution which is sealed with a flexible septum to prevent the solution from evaporating. The septum can include one or more slits or pierceable seams that allow a male luer end of an infusion therapy device to be inserted through the septum and into the solution. While the male luer is inserted through the septum, the solution contacts both the inner and outer surfaces of the male luer. Because the septum reduces evaporation of the solution and prevents the solution from leaking out of the cap, the solution remains in contact with the male luer for a longer duration then when typical disinfection caps are used thereby increasing the effectiveness of the disinfectant.

A biosensor is provided. The biosensor is used to sense a biological sample and has a code representing features of the biosensor. The biosensor includes a substrate and a conductive layer. The conductive layer is disposed on a first side of the substrate and includes a first conductive loop and a second conductive loop. The first conductive loop is formed between a first node and a second node and has a first impedance. The second conductive loop is formed between the second node and a third node and has a second impedance. The code is determined according to a comparison result between the second impedance and the first impedance.

A centrifuge to which sample tubes can be introduced while the centrifuge is in motion. The centrifuge comprises a carousel having an upper portion and a lower portion. The upper portion of the carousel has a plurality of positions for sample tubes for a centrifugation operation, a plurality of drive mechanisms attached to the upper portion of the carousel, a movable element mounted upon each drive mechanism, the movable element capable of traversing the length of the drive mechanism when the drive mechanism is actuated, a sample tube-holding assembly comprising a sample tube holder and a bearing attached to each movable element, and at least one balancing element capable of contributing to a force vector that cancels an imbalance vector generated by rotation of the centrifuge.

A micro device includes a substrate and a structure configured to bind to an object or a material, or not to bind to an object or material. The structure has a roughness based on a roughness of the object or material. For example, a microarray includes a substrate and a well positioned in the substrate and configured to bind to a type of bead. The well has a roughness based on a roughness of the type of bead to which the well is configured to bind. The roughness of the well is controlled by controlling a position and number of striations in the side of the well. In another example, a moveable component of a micro device may have a roughness different from a roughness of an adjacent component, to reduce the likelihood of the moveable component sticking to the adjacent component.

Bioprinting station (1) comprising:—a Bioprinting device (4) adapted to deposit a pattern of biological material (2) onto an area of interest (3a) of a substrate (3),—an imaging system (15) adapted to acquire an image of the substrate (3) and to reveal on the acquired image the area of interest (3a) with respect to a remaining part (3b) of the substrate (3), the acquired image of the substrate (3) being processed so as to detect the revealed area of interest (3a) on the acquired image and to determine the pattern corresponding to the area of interest (3a) detected on the acquired image.

This disclosure is directed to an apparatus, system and method for retrieving a target material from a suspension. A system includes a processing vessel, such as an Eppendorf tube, a syringe or a test tube, and a collector. The collector is sized and shaped to fit into a primary vessel, such as a test tube. The collector funnels the target material from the suspension through a cannula and into the processing vessel. The cannula extends into a cavity at a first end of the collector that holds the processing vessel. The collector includes a funnel at a second end in fluid communication with the cannula. In one implementation, the processing vessel includes at least one displacement fluid to be expelled, such that the at least one displacement fluid pushes the target material into the collector.

Systems and methods for processing and analyzing samples are disclosed. The system may process samples, such as biological fluids, using assay cartridges which can be processed at different processing locations. In some cases, the system can be used for PCR processing. The different processing locations may include a preparation location where samples can be prepared and an analysis location where samples can be analyzed. To assist with the preparation of samples, the system may also include a number of processing stations which may include processing lanes. During the analysis of samples, in some cases, thermal cycler modules and an appropriate optical detection system can be used to detect the presence or absence of certain nucleic acid sequences in the samples. The system can be used to accurately and rapidly process samples.

Provided are emissions treatment systems for an exhaust stream having an ammonia-generating component, such as a NOx storage reduction (NSR) catalyst or a lean NOx trap (LNT) catalyst, and an SCR catalyst disposed downstream of the ammonia-generating catalyst. The SCR catalyst can be a molecular sieve having the CHA crystal structure, for example SSZ-13 or SAPO-34, which can be ion-exchanged with copper. The LNT can be layered, having an undercoat washcoat layer comprising a support material, at least one precious metal, and at least one NOx sorbent selected from the group consisting of alkaline earth elements, rare earth elements, and combinations thereof and a top washcoat layer comprising a support material, at least one precious metal, and ceria in particulate form, the top washcoat layer being substantially free of alkaline earth components. The emissions treatment system is advantageously used for the treatment of exhaust streams from diesel engines and lean burn gasoline engines.

The present invention pertains to systems and methods for the capture of information regarding scenes using single or multiple three-dimensional LADAR systems. Where multiple systems are included, those systems can be placed in different positions about the imaged scene such that each LADAR system provides different viewing perspectives and/or angles. In accordance with further embodiments, the single or multiple LADAR systems can include two-dimensional focal plane arrays, in addition to three-dimensional focal plane arrays, and associated light sources for obtaining three-dimensional information about a scene, including information regarding the contours of the objects within the scene. Processing of captured image information can be performed in real time, and processed scene information can include data frames that comprise three-dimensional and two-dimensional image data.

An approach for IR-based metrology for detecting stress and/or defects around TSVs of semiconductor devices is provided. Specifically, in a typical embodiment, a beam of IR light will be emitted from an IR light source through the material around the TSV. Once the beam of IR light has passed through the material around the TSV, the beam will be analyzed using one or more algorithms to determine information about TSV stress and/or defects such as imbedded cracking, etc. In one embodiment, the beam of IR light may be split into a first portion and a second portion. The first portion will be passed through the material around the TSV while the second portion is routed around the TSV. After the first portion has passed through the material around the TSV, the two portions may then be recombined, and the resulting beam may be analyzed as indicated above.

A portable, tabletop fluid sampling device simplifies spectral analysis to produce an accurate but inexpensive chromatic fingerprint for fluid samples. In one embodiment, the sampling device uses an array of variable wavelength LED emitters and photodiode detectors to measure Rayleigh scattering of electromagnetic energy from the fluid sample contained in a cuvette. Either the fluid itself, or particles suspended in the fluid can then be identified by performing spectral pattern matching to compare results of a spectral scan against a library of known spectra. A wide range of applications include substance identification, security screening, authentication, quality control, and medical diagnostics.

A system and method for mounting a section onto a substrate, the system comprising: a fluid channel including: a fluid channel inlet that receives the section, processed from a bulk embedded sample by a sample sectioning module positioned proximal the fluid channel inlet, a section-mounting region downstream of the fluid channel inlet, and a fluid channel outlet downstream of the section-mounting region; a reservoir in fluid communication with the fluid channel outlet; and a manifold, fluidly coupled to the reservoir, that delivers fluid from the reservoir to the fluid channel inlet, thereby transmitting fluid flow that drives delivery of the section from the fluid channel inlet toward the section-mounting region.

Spectroscopy apparatuses oriented to the critical angle of the sample are described that detecting the spectral characteristics of a sample wherein the apparatus consists of an electromagnetic radiation source adapted to excite a sample with electromagnetic radiation introduced to the sample at a location at an angle of incidence at or near a critical angle of the sample; a transmitting crystal in communication with the electromagnetic radiation source and the sample, the transmitting crystal having a high refractive index adapted to reflect the electromagnetic radiation internally; a reflector adapted to introduce the electromagnetic radiation to the sample at or near an angle of incidence near the critical angle between the transmitting crystal and sample; and a detector for detecting the electromagnetic radiation from the sample. Also, provided herein are methods, systems, and kits incorporating the peri-critical reflection spectroscopy apparatus.