High-speed, rugged, time-resolved, raman spectrometer for sensing multiple components of a sample
US7602488B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 12, 2006 |
| Grant date | Oct 13, 2009 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 1, 2027 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01J2003/123
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A new architecture for implementing a time-resolved Raman spectrometer is 2-3 orders of magnitude faster than current systems. The system additionally is compact, environmentally rugged, low cost and can detect multiple components of a sample simultaneously. In one embodiment, the invention employs a rotating optical switch to time multiplex an input signal through multiple bandpass filters and into a single optical detector which is electrically activated only when the filtered input light pulse is about to impact it.The combination of time-multiplexing the input signal through multiple optical filters and time-sequencing the optical detector enables the device to detect and analyze 2-3 orders of magnitude faster than current designs, processing spectra within milliseconds instead of seconds. The system can process multiple material samples (25+) simultaneously, instead of sequentially, and its mechanical ruggedness and simplicity enables using the system in harsh physical environments when traditional spectrometers can not be used reliably.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.