Chemical sensing system and method
US8009294B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 29, 2009 |
| Grant date | Aug 30, 2011 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 11, 2029 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N2021/655
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A photo-thermal, interferometric spectroscopy system is disclosed that provides information about a chemical, such as explosives and the like, at a remote location. It may be used for solid residue detection on a surface. The system includes a novel light detector system with a matrix of optical elements focusing portions of a received light beam on input waveguides of an optical combiner. The combiner adjusts the phases of the received beam portions and combines them together to maximize the intensity of an output beam. The output beam is detected by a detector, and information about at least one of, absorption spectrum and concentration of the chemical is recovered. In the preferred embodiment the detector is a coherent detector based on 90-degrees optical hybrid.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.