Spectroscopy systems and methods using quantum cascade laser arrays with lenses

US9255841B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Pendar Technologies, LLC · US

Inventors

• Mark F. Witinski · Cambridge, US
• Laurent Diehl · Cambridge, US
• Christian Pfluegl · Arlington, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 30, 2013
• Grant date: Feb 9, 2016
• Expiry date: Aug 20, 2033

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01J2003/102
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A spectroscopy system includes an array of quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) that emits an array of non-coincident laser beams. A lens array coupled to the QCL array substantially collimates the laser beams, which propagate along parallel optical axes towards a sample. The beams remain substantially collimated over the lens array's working distance, but may diverge when propagating over longer distances. The collimated, parallel beams may be directed to/through the sample, which may be within a sample cell, flow cell, multipass spectroscopic absorption cell, or other suitable holder. Alternatively, the beams may be focused to a point on, near, or within the target using a telescope or other suitable optical element(s). When focused, however, the beams remain non-coincident; they simply intersect at the focal point. The target transmits, reflects, and/or scatters this incident light to a detector, which transduces the detected radiation into an electrical signal representative of the target's absorption or emission spectrum.