Patent · US Expired

Fiber-optic spectroscopic probe with reduced background luminescence

US6038363A · kind A · utility

71Cited by
5References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 26, 1997
Grant dateMar 14, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 26, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01J3/44
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A fiber-optic spectroscopic probe minimizes unwanted sources of luminescence through the use of one or more non-luminescing beam-redirecting elements operative to aperture share the optical collection path. Preferably, the beam-redirecting element is reflective, and may take the form of a spot mirror on an otherwise optically transparent window to fold at least a portion of the excitation radiation into the optical collection path or a mirror having a centralized aperture may be used to introduce the excitation radiation into the optical collection path. In either case, the excitation radiation may first pass through a dispersive element in a bandpass filter configuration. Several complete fiber-optic-based probe head designs are disclosed along with results indicating reduced luminescence, spurious fluorescence, in particular.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.