Parabolic focusing apparatus for optical spectroscopy
First Claim
1. For use in a spectrometer adapted to illuminate a sample and comprising (a) an accessory region, (b) means for directing a collimated entering beam into that region, and (c) means for receiving a collimated exting beam from that region;
- a reflectance accessory for insertion in that region in which the only focusing optical surfaces are;
a first paraboloid reflecting surface which reflects the entering collimated beam onto a focal point on the surface of the sample; and
a second paraboloid reflecting surface which has its focal point at the focal point of the first paraboloid, and which receives radiation reflected from the sample and converts it into the collimated exiting beam.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An accessory for optical spectroscopy is disclosed which combines a matched pair of off-axis paraboloid reflecting surfaces having their focal points at a common location on the reflecting surface of a sample. The entering and exiting beams are collimated. Preferably the paraboloid reflecting surfaces have co-linear, anti-parallel axes, and are part of a unitary structure which is rotatable around the collimated optical beam axis to vary the angle of incidence on the sample without altering the optical alignment, thereby allowing the specular reflectance component to be included or excluded, at will.
37 Citations
23 Claims
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1. For use in a spectrometer adapted to illuminate a sample and comprising (a) an accessory region, (b) means for directing a collimated entering beam into that region, and (c) means for receiving a collimated exting beam from that region;
- a reflectance accessory for insertion in that region in which the only focusing optical surfaces are;
a first paraboloid reflecting surface which reflects the entering collimated beam onto a focal point on the surface of the sample; and a second paraboloid reflecting surface which has its focal point at the focal point of the first paraboloid, and which receives radiation reflected from the sample and converts it into the collimated exiting beam. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
- a reflectance accessory for insertion in that region in which the only focusing optical surfaces are;
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10. An optical device for directing radiation to cause sample illumination by a spectrometer which includes means for directing a collimated entering radiation beam into the device, means for receiving a collimated exiting radiation beam from the device, and means for providing a sample at a position laterally spaced from the axes of the collimated beams, said device comprising:
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a first paraboloid reflector which reflects the entering collimated beam onto a focal point; and a second paraboloid reflector which reflects radiation from a focal point to provide the collimated exiting beam; the focal points of the first and second paraboloid reflectors being a common point on a reflecting surface of the sample. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. For use in the sample region of a spectrometer having a collimated radiation beam entering the sample region and a collimated radiation beam exiting the sample region, an optical accessory, of the type in which radiation is reflected from the sample, comprising:
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a first paraboloid reflector which reflects the entering collimated beam in such a way as to focus the radiation at the point where it is reflected by the surface of the sample; and a second paraboloid reflector which has a common focal point with the first paraboloid reflector and which receives the radiation after it is reflected by the sample, thereby providing the collimated exiting beam; the first and second paraboloid reflectors being so oriented that any given ray of radiation strikes both paraboloid reflectors at respective points thereon having substantially the same ratio of focal lengths. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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20. A spectrometer comprising:
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means for providing a pre-sample collimated radiation beam; means for receiving a post-sample collimated radiation beam; the pre-sample and post-sample collimated radiation beams having colinear axes; first and second paraboloid reflectors mounted back-to-back, with the first paraboloid reflector facing in the direction of the pre-sample radiation beam, and the second paraboloid reflector facing in the direction of the post-sample radiation beam; the focal points of the first and second paraboloid reflectors coinciding at a reflectance point on the sample, whereby the first paraboloid reflector focuses the pre-sample collimated radiation at the reflectance point on the sample, and the second paraboloid reflector receives radiation reflected from the reflectance point on the sample and converts it into the post-sample collimated radiation. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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Specification