An illuminator (e.g., laser) produces a light beam that partially passes through, and is partially blocked by, a mask contrastingly patterned via non-transparent and transparent portions. The mask-conformed light passes through a lens so that the mask's pattern is projected into fluid seeded with a luminescent substance, which illuminatively reveals an image of the mask's pattern. The light beam can also be expanded and/or diffused prior to reaching the mask. Instead of or in addition to transmissive properties, the mask can have reflective properties wherein the illuminator-produced light beam partially bounces off of, and is partially absorbed by, a mask contrastingly patterned via non-reflective and reflective portions. Reflective optics can supplement or replace refractive optics for projecting the mask's pattern into the fluid. Indication of fluid flow and/or fluid concentration change is afforded through perceived distinctions between the illuminatively revealed images obtained at the same location at different times.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application No. 60/500,236, filed 5 Sep. 2003, hereby incorporated herein by reference, entitled "Lithography for Optical Patterning of Fluids," joint inventors Jerry W. Shan and Paisan Atsavapranee.
