Small detector array for infrared imaging microscope
US7378657B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 29, 2001 |
| Grant date | May 27, 2008 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 23, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B21/365
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An infrared imaging microscope, particularly of the type used to carry out FT-IR measurement, has a detector in the form of a small detector array of individual detector elements. The outputs of the detector elements are fed in parallel to processing means which process the output signals. The use of a small array means that the outputs can be processed without the need for complex multiplexing or perhaps no multiplexing at all thus avoiding the reduction in signal to noise ratio which is associated with large scale multiplexing. The small detector array will generally have between 3 and 100 detector elements. Typically the upper limit will be 64 and a preferred arrangement has 16 detector elements.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.