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Photo and charge carrier induced ion migration is a major challenge when utilizing metal halide perovskite semiconductors for optoelectronic applications. For mixed iodide bromide perovskites, the compositional instability due to light or electrical bias induced phase segregation restricts the exploitation of the entire bandgap range. Previous experimental and theoretical work suggests that excited states or charge carriers trigger the process, but the exact mechanism is still under debate. To identify the mechanism and cause of light induced phase segregation phenomena, the full compositional range of methylammonium lead bromide iodide samples are investigated, MAPb BrxI1 x 3 with x 0 1, by simultaneous in situ X ray diffraction XRD and photoluminescence PL spectroscopy during illumination. The quantitative comparison of composition dependent in situ XRD and PL shows that at excitation densities of 1 sun, only the initial stage of photo segregation is rationalized with the previously established thermodynamic models. However, a progression of the phase segregation is observed that is rationalized by considering long lived accumulative photo induced material alterations. It is suggested that additional photo induced defects, possibly halide vacancies and interstitials, need to be considered to fully rationalize light induced phase segregation and anticipate the findings to provide crucial insight for the development of more sophisticated models

Epinephrine is used in local anesthetics to induce vasoconstriction and thus reduce bleeding and prolong the anesthetic effect. Finding the optimal delay between the administration of the anesthetic and skin incision to ensure vasoconstriction and minimize bleeding is important and has recently become the subject of debate. This is the first study to assess blood perfusion and oxygen saturation (sO 2 ) simultaneously in response to a local anesthetic containing epinephrine in human oculoplastic surgery.A local anesthetic consisting of lidocaine and epinephrine (20 mg/ml + 12.5 μg/ml) was injected in the eyelids of 9 subjects undergoing blepharoplasty. The perfusion and sO 2 of the eyelids were monitored using laser speckle contrast imaging and hyperspectral imaging, respectively.Laser speckle contrast imaging monitoring showed a decrease in perfusion over time centrally at the site of injection. Half-maximum effect was reached after 34 seconds, and full effect after 115 seconds, determined by exponential fitting. The drop in perfusion decreased gradually further away from the injection site and hypoperfusion was less prominent 4 mm from the injection site, with a spatially dependent half-maximum effect of 231 seconds. Hyperspectral imaging showed only a slight decrease in sO 2 of 11 % at the injection site.The optimal time delay for skin incision in oculoplastic surgery is approximately 2 minutes after the injection of lidocaine with epinephrine. Longer delay does not lead to a further decrease in perfusion. As sO 2 was only slightly reduced after injection, the results indicate that the use of epinephrine is safe in the periocular region.

Irradiation-induced phase segregation in mixed methylammonium halide perovskite samples such as methylammonium lead bromide-iodide, MAPb(IxBr1-x)3, is being studied intensively because it limits the efficiency of wide band gap perovskite solar cells. It has been postulated that this phenomenon depends on the intrinsic ionic (in)homogeneity in samples already induced during film formation. A deeper understanding of the MAPb(IxBr1-x)3 formation processes and the influence of the halide ratio, solvents, and the perovskite precursor composition as well as the influence of processing parameters during deposition, e.g., spin coating and annealing parameters, is still lacking. Here, we use a fiber optic-based optical in-situ setup to study the formation processes of the MAPb(IxBr1-x)3 series on a subsecond time scale during spin coating and thermal annealing. In-situ UV-vis measurements during spin coating reveal the influence of different halide ratios, x, in the precursor solution on the preferential crystallization of the phase. Pure bromide samples directly form a perovskite phase, samples with high iodide content form a solvate intermediate phase, and samples with a mixed stoichiometry between 0.1 ≤ x ≤ 0.6 form both. This leads to a heterogeneous formation process via two competing reaction pathways, that leads to a heterogeneous mixture of phases, during spin coating and rationalizes the compositional heterogeneity of mixed bromide-iodide samples even after annealing.

Metal-halide perovskites have been shown to be remarkable and promising optoelectronic materials. However, despite ongoing research from multiple perspectives, some fundamental questions regarding their optoelectronic properties remain controversial. One reason is the high-variance of data collected from, often unstable, polycrystalline thin films. Here we use ordered arrays of stable, single-crystal cesium lead bromide (CsPbBr3) nanowires grown by surface-guided chemical vapor deposition to study fundamental properties of these semiconductors in a one-dimensional model system. Specifically, we uncover the origin of an unusually large size-dependent luminescence emission spectral blue-shift. Using multiple spatially resolved spectroscopy techniques, we establish that bandgap modulation causes the emission shift, and by correlation with state-of-the-art electron microscopy methods, we reveal its origin in substantial and uniform lattice rotations due to heteroepitaxial strain and lattice relaxation. Understanding strain and its effect on the optoelectronic properties of these dynamic materials, from the atomic scale up, is essential to evaluate their performance limits and fundamentals of charge carrier dynamics., Metal-halide perovskites are promising photovoltaic materials, but fundamental questions remain open due to their structural complexity. Here the authors show, by correlated microscopy and spectroscopy methods, that epitaxially induced lattice distortions drive a size dependent modulation of the bandgap in a homogeneous nanowire system.

The aim of this study was to monitor blood perfusion in human upper eyelid skin flaps and examine how the perfusion is affected by the thickness of the flap.Twenty upper eyelids were dissected as part of a blepharoplasty procedure in patients. The medial end of the blepharoplasty flap remained attached to mimic a flap design often used in reconstruction in the periocular area, a myocutaneous flap in which the blood supply follows the fibers of the orbicularis muscle and is thus parallel to the long axis of the flap. The muscle was thereafter dissected from the flap to create a cutaneous flap. Blood perfusion in the 2 types of flaps was compared using laser speckle contrast imaging.Blood perfusion decreased gradually from the base to the tip of all the flaps. Perfusion was significantly higher in the myocutaneous flaps than in the cutaneous flaps (p0.0004): 69% in the myocutaneous flaps and 43% in the cutaneous flaps, measured 5 mm from the base. Blood perfusion was preserved to a greater extent distally in the myocutaneous flaps (minimum value seen at 25 mm) than in the cutaneous flaps (minimum seen at 11 mm).Blood perfusion was better preserved in myocutaneous flaps, including both skin and the orbicularis oculi muscle, than in cutaneous flaps. This may be of clinical interest in patients with poor microcirculation in which a long flap is required for reconstructive surgery.

Fundmental comprehension of light-induced processes in perovskites are still scarce. One active debate surrounds the influence of excess lead iodide (PbI2) on device performance, as well as optoelectronic properties, where both beneficial and detrimental traits have been reported. Here, we study its impact on charge carrier recombination kinetics by simultaneously acquiring the photoluminescence quantum yield and time-resolved photoluminescence as a function of excitation wavelength (450-780 nm). The presence of PbI2 in the perovskite film is identified via a unique spectroscopic signature in the PLQY spectrum. Probing the recombination in the presence and absence of this signature, we detect a radiative bimolecular recombination mechanism induced by PbI2. Spatially resolving the photoluminescence, we determine that this radiative process occurs in a small volume at the PbI2/perovskite interface, which is only active when charge carriers are generated in PbI2, and therefore provide deeper insight into how excess PbI2 may improve the properties of perovskite-based devices.

Surgical excision followed by histopathological examination is the gold standard for the diagnosis and staging of melanoma. Reoperations and unnecessary removal of healthy tissue could be reduced if non-invasive imaging techniques were available for presurgical tumor delineation. However, no technique has gained widespread clinical use to date due to shallow imaging depth or the absence of functional imaging capability. Photoacoustic (PA) imaging is a novel technology that combines the strengths of optical and ultrasound imaging to reveal the molecular composition of tissue at high resolution. Encouraging results have been obtained from previous animal and human studies on melanoma, but there is still a lack of clinical data. This is the largest study of its kind to date, including 52 melanomas and nevi. 3D multiwavelength PA scanning was performed ex vivo, using 59 excitation wavelengths from 680 nm to 970 nm. Spectral unmixing over this broad wavelength range, accounting for the absorption of several tissue chromophores, provided excellent contrast between healthy tissue and tumor. Combining the results of spectral analysis with spatially resolved information provided a map of the tumor borders in greater detail than previously reported. The tumor dimensions determined with PA imaging were strongly correlated with those determined by histopathological examination for both melanomas and nevi.

Through the optimization of the perovskite precursor composition and interfaces to selective contacts, we achieved a p i n type perovskite solar cell PSC with a 22.3 power conversion efficiency PCE . This is a new performance record for a PSC with an absorber bandgap of 1.63 eV. We demonstrate that the high device performance originates from a synergy between 1 an improved perovskite absorber quality when introducing formamidinium chloride FACl as an additive in the triple cation Cs0.05FA0.79MA0.16PbBr0.51I2.49 Cs MAFA perovskite precursor ink, 2 an increased open circuit voltage, VOC, due to reduced recombination losses when using a lithium fluoride LiF interfacial buffer layer, and 3 high quality hole selective contacts with a self assembled monolayer SAM of [2 9H carbazol 9 yl ethyl]phosphonic acid 2PACz on ITO electrodes. While all devices exhibit a high performance after fabrication, as determined from current density voltage, J V, measurements, substantial differences in device performance become apparent when considering longer term stability data. A reduced long term stability of devices with the introduction of a LiF interlayer is compensated for by using FACl as an additive in the metal halide perovskite thin film deposition. Optimized devices maintained about 80 of the initial average PCE during maximum power point MPP tracking for gt;700 h. We scaled the optimized device architecture to larger areas and achieved fully laser patterned series interconnected mini modules with a PCE of 19.4 for a 2.2 cm2 active area. A robust device architecture and reproducible deposition methods are fundamental for high performance and stable large area single junction and tandem modules based on PSCs

Clinical monitoring of blood oxygen saturation (sO(2)) is traditionally performed using optical techniques, such as pulse oximetry and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), which lack spatial resolution. Photoacoustic imaging (PAI) is a rapidly developing biomedical imaging technique that is superior to previous techniques in that it combines optical excitation and acoustic detection, providing a map of chromophore distribution in the tissue. Hitherto, PAI has primarily been used in preclinical studies, and only a few studies have been performed in patients. Its ability to measure sO(2) with spatial resolution during local vasoconstriction after adrenaline injection has not yet been investigated. Using PAI and spectral unmixing we characterize the heterogeneous change in sO(2) after injecting a local anesthetic containing adrenaline into the dermis on the forearm of seven healthy subjects. In comparison to results obtained using DRS, we highlight contrasting results obtained between the two methods arising due to the so-called ‘window effect’ caused by a reduced blood flow in the superficial vascular plexus. The results demonstrate the importance of spatially resolving sO(2) and the ability of PAI to assess the tissue composition in different layers of the skin.

Irradiation-induced phase segregation in mixed methylammonium halide perovskite samples such as methylammonium lead bromide-iodide, MAPb(I

Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is a common skin cancer with metastatic potential. To reduce reoperations due to nonradical excision, there is a need to develop a technique for identification of tumor margins preoperatively. Photoacoustic (PA) imaging is a novel imaging technology that combines the strengths of laser optics and ultrasound. Our aim was to determine the spectral signature of cSCC using PA imaging and to use this signature to visualize tumor architecture and borders. Two-dimensional PA images of 33 cSCCs and surrounding healthy skin were acquired ex vivo, using 59 excitation wavelengths from 680 to 970 nm. The spectral response of the cSCCs was compared to healthy tissue, and the difference was found to be greatest at wavelengths in the range 765 to 960 nm (P

Nonradiative losses in semiconductors are related to defects. At cryogenic temperatures, defect-related photoluminescence (PL) at energies lower than the band-edge PL is observed in methylammonium lead triiodide perovskite. We applied multispectral PL imaging to samples prepared by two different procedures and exhibiting 1 order of magnitude different PL quantum yield (PLQY). The high-PLQY sample showed concentration of the emitting defect sites around 10

Preparation of metal halide perovskites under room temperature attracts attention because of energy saving by removing thermal annealing. Room temperature trans formation of spin cast wet films consisting of methylammo nium MA iodide, PbI2, and dimethylformamide toward solid MAPbI3 perovskite proceeds via several intermediate crystal line states and is strongly dependent on ambient humidity. Light transmission and photoluminescence PL microscopy and spectroscopy were used to monitor the growth of crystals and transformation of their properties in time under nitrogen atmosphere at room temperature. Under low humidity, a highly luminescent intermediate phase with low absorption in the visible range appears, with the PL spectra composed of several bands in the range from 600 to 760 nm. We assign these bands to low dimensional nanocrystals and two dimensional inclusions MAPbI3 intermediates, where the exciton confinement shifts the spectrum to higher energies in comparison with the bulk MAPbI3. The intermediate levels of ambient humidity 10 amp; 8722;50 appear to catalyze the conversion of the intermediate phase to MAPbI3. At a high ambient humidity gt;80 , the initially formed MAPbI3 is quickly transformed to the transparent hydrate phase of MAPbI3. The role of ambient water catalyzing the material transformation by competing for Pb coordination with the solvent molecules is discussed

Solution-processed organometal halide perovskites are hybrid crystalline semiconductors highly interesting for low-cost and efficient optoelectronics. Their properties are dependent on the crystal structure. Literature shows a variety of crystal phase transition temperatures and often a spread of the transition over tens of degrees Kelvin. We explain this inconsistency by demonstrating that the temperature of the tetragonal-to-orthorhombic phase transition in methylammonium lead triiodide depends on the concentration and nature of local defects. Phase transition in individual nanowires was studied by photoluminescence microspectroscopy and super-resolution imaging. We propose that upon cooling from 160 to 140 K, domains of the crystal containing fewer defects stay in the tetragonal phase longer than highly defected domains that readily transform to the high bandgap orthorhombic phase at higher temperatures. The existence of relatively pure tetragonal domains during the phase transition leads to drastic photoluminescence enhancement, which is inhomogeneously distributed across perovskite microcrystals., Understanding crystal phase transition in materials is of fundamental importance. Using luminescence spectroscopy and super-resolution imaging, Dobrovolsky et al. study the transition from the tetragonal to orthorhombic crystal phase in methylammonium lead triiodide nanowires at low temperature.

Organo-metal halide perovskites are some of the most promising materials for the new generation of low-cost photovoltaic and light-emitting devices. Their solution processability is a beneficial trait, although it leads to a spatial inhomogeneity of perovskite films with a variation of the trap state density at the nanoscale. Comprehending their properties using traditional spectroscopy therefore becomes difficult, calling for a combination with microscopy in order to see beyond the ensemble-averaged response. We studied photoluminescence (PL) blinking of micrometer-sized individual methylammonium lead iodide (MAPbI3) perovskite polycrystals, as well as monocrystalline microrods up to 10 μm long. We correlated their PL dynamics with structure employing scanning electron and optical super-resolution microscopy. Combining super-resolution localization imaging and super-resolution optical fluctuation imaging (SOFI), we could detect and quantify preferential emitting regions in polycrystals exhibiting differe...

Organo-metal halide perovskites are promising solution-processed semiconductors, however, they possess diverse and largely not understood non-radiative mechanisms. Here, we resolve contributions of individual non-radiative recombination centers (quenchers) in nanocrystals of methylammonium lead iodide by studying their photoluminescence blinking caused by random switching of quenchers between active and passive states. We propose a model to describe the observed reduction of blinking upon cooling and determine energetic barriers of 0.2 to 0.8 eV for enabling the switching process, which points to ion migration as the underlying mechanism. Moreover, due to the strong influence of individual quenchers, the crystals show very individually-shaped photoluminescence enhancement upon cooling, suggesting that the high variety of activation energies of the PL enhancement reported in literature is not related to intrinsic properties but rather to the defect chemistry. Stabilizing the fluctuating quenchers in their passive states thus appears to be a promising strategy for improving the material quality., The mechanism of the non-radiative recombination in halide perovskite nanocrystals has not been fully understood. Here Gerhard et al. resolve the contributions of individual recombination centers by photoluminescence blinking measurements and identify ion migration as the underlying mechanism.

Understanding energy transport in metal halide perovskites is essential to effectively guide further optimization of materials and device designs. However, difficulties to disentangle charge carrier diffusion, photon recycling, and photon transport have led to contradicting reports and uncertainty regarding which mechanism dominates. In this study, monocrystalline CsPbBr3 nanowires serve as 1D model systems to help unravel the respective contribution of energy transport processes in metal-halide perovskites. Spatially, temporally, and spectrally resolved photoluminescence (PL) microscopy reveals characteristic signatures of each transport mechanism from which a robust model describing the PL signal accounting for carrier diffusion, photon propagation, and photon recycling is developed. For the investigated CsPbBr3 nanowires, an ambipolar carrier mobility of μ = 35 cm2 V−1 s−1 is determined, and is found that charge carrier diffusion dominates the energy transport process over photon recycling. Moreover, the general applicability of the developed model is demonstrated on different perovskite compounds by applying it to data provided in previous related reports, from which clarity is gained as to why conflicting reports exist. These findings, therefore, serve as a useful tool to assist future studies aimed at characterizing energy transport mechanisms in semiconductor nanowires using PL. (Less)

Photoinduced degradation of individual methylammonium lead triiodide (MAPbI3) perovskite nanocrystals was studied using super-resolution luminescence microspectroscopy under intense light excitation. The photoluminescence (PL) intensity decrease and blue-shift of the PL spectrum up to 60 nm together with spatial shifts in the emission localization position up to a few hundred nanometers were visualized in real time. PL blinking was found to temporarily suspend the degradation process, indicating that the degradation needs a high concentration of mobile photogenerated charges to occur. We propose that the mechanistic process of degradation occurs as the three-dimensional MAPbI3 crystal structure smoothly collapses to the two-dimensional layered PbI2 structure. The degradation starts locally and then spreads over the whole crystal. The structural collapse is primarily due to migration of methylammonium ions (MA+), which distorts the lattice structure causing alterations to the Pb–I–Pb bond angle and in turn...

Metal halide perovskite semiconductors often exhibit photoluminescence blinking and flickering when luminescence of individual small nano- or even microcrystals is monitored. The nature of these fluctuations is not well understood but must be related to the presence of metastable non-radiative recombination channels and efficient charge migration in these materials. Here we report on the excitation wavelength dependence of photoluminescence flickering effect in degraded methylammonium lead iodide (MAPbI3) thin films. While the luminescence intensity is temporary stable when excited in the blue region with wavelength shorter than 530 nm, excitation with red light (wavelength longer than 530 nm) results in luminescence flickering. It is hypothesised that the wavelength dependence reflects the excitation energy dependence of the photochemical mechanism that switches non-radiative recombination channels on and off. The effect can also be related to hindered charge carrier diffusion due to their localization in the interfacial layer between MAPbI3 and PbI2 which is formed in the course of degradation.

Under illumination, the photoluminescence of a mixed-halide perovskite such as MAPb(I1-xBrx)3 is known to undergo a significant intensity enhancement while spectrally shifting to lower energies. The evolution of low energy photoluminescence is attributed to the formation of iodide rich domains due to phase segregation. This process is detrimental for optoelectronic devices however the mechanism is not well-understood. Here we present a real-time study of the photoluminescence evolution in MAPb(I1-xBrx)3 samples during light-induced phase segregation. We show that the evolution of photoluminescence proceeds via several intermediate stages making it more complex than previously suggested. Within the first few seconds of photo-excitation, we found a very rapid formation of a short-lived intense photoluminescence band with a peak energy even lower than the final emission of the fully segregated sample. We propose that this emission comes from small pure iodide nano-domains formed during the initial stage of photo-induced phase-segregation. (Less)

Halide perovskites are emerging as revolutionary materials for optoelectronics. Their ionic nature and the presence of mobile ionic defects within the crystal structure have a dramatic influence on the operation of thin film devices such as solar cells, light emitting diodes, and transistors. Thin films are often polycrystalline and it is still under debate how grain boundaries affect the migration of ions and corresponding ionic defects. Laser excitation during photoluminescence PL microscopy experiments leads to formation and subsequent migration of ionic defects, which affects the dynamics of charge carrier recombination. From the microscopic observation of lateral PL distribution, the change in the distribution of ionic defects over time can be inferred. Resolving the PL dynamics in time and space of single crystals and thin films with different grain sizes thus, provides crucial information about the influence of grain boundaries on the ionic defect movement. In conjunction with experimental observations, atomistic simulations show that defects are trapped at the grain boundaries, thus inhibiting their diffusion. Hence, with this study, a comprehensive picture highlighting a fundamental property of the material is provided while also setting a theoretical framework in which the interaction between grain boundaries and ionic defect migration can be understood

Whether optoelectronic devices based on metal-halide perovskite semiconductors will become a commercially viable technology will be determined by their intrinsic and operational stability. Recent results indicate there is some reversibility of perovskite degradation in thin films and devices, although mechanistic insight into the processes driving degradation and recovery are still scarce. We here present a comparative spectroscopic study of methylammonium lead iodide (MAPbI3) films having undergone either photo- or thermal degradation under controlled conditions. We confirm that the degradation mechanism pertaining to each type of stress is inherently different. Our results from photoluminescence microscopy measurements paint a spatially, spectrally and temporarily resolved picture showing that, unlike thermally degraded samples, photodegraded samples are in a state that intermittently recovers to luminescent MAPbI3 upon laser excitation. This indicates that rather than irreversibly decomposing, photoinduced degradation leaves MAPbI3 structurally or compositionally intact but induces defects causing non-radiative recombination losses.

After demonstration of a 23% power conversion efficiency, a high operational stability is the next most important scientific and technological challenge in perovskite solar cells (PSCs). A potential failure mechanism is tied to a bias-induced ion migration, which causes current–voltage hysteresis and a decay in the device performance over time. Herein, alkali salts are shown to mitigate hysteresis and stabilize device performance in n-i-p hybrid planar PSCs. Different alkali salts of potassium chloride, iodide, and nitrate as well as sodium chloride and iodide are deposited from aqueous solution onto the n-type contact, based on SnO2, prior to deposition of the perovskite absorber Cs0.05(FA0.83MA0.17)0.95Pb(I0.83Br0.17)3. Introduction of potassium-based alkali salts suppresses the current–voltage hysteresis and stabilizes the operational device stability at the maximum power point. This is attributed to the suppression of hole trapping at the n-type selective transport layer (SnO2)/perovskite interface observed by surface photovoltage spectroscopy, which is interpreted to reduce interfacial recombination and improve charge carrier extraction. The best and most stable performance of 19% is achieved using potassium nitrate as the interface modifier. Devices with higher and more stable performance exhibit substantially lower current transients, analyzed during maximum power point tracking. (Less)

Photoluminescence (PL) of organo-metal halide perovskite semiconductors can be enhanced by several orders of magnitude by exposure to visible light. We applied PL microscopy and super-resolution optical imaging to investigate this phenomenon with spatial resolution better than 10 nm using films of CH3NH3PbI3 prepared by the equimolar solution-deposition method, resulting in crystals of different sizes. We found that PL of ∼100 nm crystals enhances much faster than that of larger, micrometer-sized ones. This crystal-size dependence of the photochemical light passivation of charge traps responsible for PL quenching allowed us to conclude that traps are present in the entire crystal volume rather than at the surface only. Because of this effect, "dark" micrometer-sized perovskite crystals can be converted into highly luminescent smaller ones just by mechanical grinding. Super-resolution optical imaging shows spatial inhomogeneity of the PL intensity within perovskite crystals and the existence of100 nm-sized localized emitting sites. The possible origin of these sites is discussed.

We describe the development of a novel versatile optical platform for active and passive remote sensing of environmental parameters. Applications include assessment of vegetation status and water quality. The system is also adapted for ecological studies, such as identification of flying insects including agricultural pests. The system is based on two mid-size amateur astronomy telescopes, continuous-wave diode lasers at different wavelengths ranging from violet to the near infrared, and detector facilities including quadrant photodiodes, two-dimensional and line scan charge-coupled device cameras, and a compact digital spectrometer. Application examples include remote Ramanlaser-induced fluorescence monitoring of water quality at 120 m distance, and insect identification at kilometer ranges using the recorded wing beat frequency and its spectrum of overtones. Because of the low cost this developmental platform is very suitable for advanced research projects in developing countries and has, in fact, been multiplied during hands-on workshops and is now being used by a number of groups at African universities.

We report an accurate optical differentiation technique between healthy and malaria-infected erythrocytes by quasi-simultaneous measurements of transmittance, reflectance, and scattering properties of unstained blood smears using a multispectral and multimode light-emitting diode microscope. We propose a technique for automated imaging, identification, and counting of malaria-infected erythrocytes for real-time and cost-effective parasitaemia diagnosis as an effective alternative to the manual screening of stained blood smears, now considered to be the gold standard in malaria diagnosis. We evaluate the performance of our algorithm against manual estimations of an expert and show a spectrally resolved increased scattering from malaria-infected blood cells.

We describe the development of a novel multispectral microscope, based on light-emitting diodes, capable of acquiring megapixel images in thirteen spectral bands from the ultraviolet to the near infrared. The system captures images and spectra in transmittance, reflectance, and scattering modes. We present as examples of applications ground truth measurements for remote sensing and parasitology diagnostics. The system is a general purpose scientific instrument that could be used to develop dedicated simplified instruments with optimal bands and mode selection.

Advanced instrumentation and versatile setups are needed for understanding light interaction with biological targets. Such instruments include (1) microscopes and 3D scanners for detailed spatial analysis, (2) spectral instruments for deducing molecular composition, (3) polarimeters for assessing structural properties, and (4) goniometers probing the scattering phase function of, e.g., tissue slabs. While a large selection of commercial biophotonic instruments and laboratory equipment are available, they are often bulky and expensive. Therefore, they remain inaccessible for secondary education, hobbyists, and research groups in low-income countries. This lack of equipment impedes hands-on proficiency with basic biophotonic principles and the ability to solve local problems with applied physics. We have designed, prototyped, and evaluated the low-cost Biophotonics, Imaging, Optical, Spectral, Polarimetric, Angular, and Compact Equipment (BIOSPACE) for high-quality quantitative analysis. BIOSPACE uses multiplexed light-emitting diodes with emission wavelengths from ultraviolet to near-infrared, captured by a synchronized camera. The angles of the light source, the target, and the polarization filters are automated by low-cost mechanics and a microcomputer. This enables multi-dimensional scatter analysis of centimeter-sized biological targets. We present the construction, calibration, and evaluation of BIOSPACE. The diverse functions of BIOSPACE include small animal spectral imaging, measuring the nanometer thickness of a bark-beetle wing, acquiring the scattering phase function of a blood smear and estimating the anisotropic scattering and the extinction coefficients, and contrasting muscle fibers using polarization. We provide blueprints, component list, and software for replication by enthusiasts and educators to simplify the hands-on investigation of fundamental optical properties in biological samples.