Polarized light imaging apparatus and methods thereof for separating light from a surface of a sample its deeper diffuse layers
US9921148B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 20, 2014 |
| Grant date | Mar 20, 2018 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 20, 2034 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N2201/063
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A polarized light imaging apparatus is provided. In an embodiment, the apparatus comprises a light source for producing light beams; an illumination optic coupled to the light source for guiding the light beams towards the sample; a linear polarizer coupled to the illumination optic and configured to produce a linearly polarized light towards the sample respective of the light beams; a TIR birefringent polarizing prism (BPP) coupled to the sample to maximize a refraction difference between ordinary waves and extraordinary waves of light returning from the sample; and a detection optic unit coupled to the non-TIR BPP for guiding the light waves returning from the sample towards a single polarization sensitive sensor element (SE), the SE is configured to capture at least one frame of the sample respective of the light waves returning from the superficial single-scattering layer of the sample apart from the deeper diffuse layer.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.