Method and apparatus for guiding and collecting light in photometry or the like

• US 5,127,729 A
• Filed: 10/15/1986
• Issued: 07/07/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/1983
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Inotech AG
• Original Assignee: Inotech AG
• Inventors: Stempeel, Sonia, Oetliker, Hans, Winiger, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): EVANS, FANNIE L
• Application Number:
  US06/919,257
• Time in Patent Office: 2,092 Days
• Field of Search: 356/317, 356/318, 356/73, 356/338, 250/458.1, 250/459.1, 250/461.1, 250/461.2
• US Class Current: 356/317
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/1738 Optionally different kinds of measurements; Method being valid for different kinds of measurement
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/6463 Optics
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/6469 Cavity, e.g. ellipsoid
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/47 Scattering, i.e. diffuse reflection G01N21/25, G01N21/41 take precedence G01N21/55 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/51 inside a container, e.g. in an ampoule G01N21/53 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/631 using photolysis and investigating photolysed fragments
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/645 Specially adapted constructive features of fluorimeters

Abstract

A method and an apparatus for guiding and collecting light which issues from a light source and which is passed in the form of an incident primary beam to a specimen or like material to be measured are intended to optimize guiding and collecting the light. That aim is achieved by a method wherein the material to be measured is disposed at a focus of a reflection surface formed at least as half an ellipsoid of revolution, and beams leaving said material are reflected at the reflection surface. In that connection, the primary beam is emitted directly in the center of the material to be measured. An apparatus of the kind set forth above is characterized in that at least the material (14) to be measured is surrounded by a reflection surface in the form at least of a half ellipsoid of revolution (13) and the material (14) to be measured is disposed at the focus (F1) thereof. In another apparatus, the measuring chamber (12) is defined by a reflection surface in the form of an ellipsoid (13) of revolution, the light source (3) being disposed at one focus thereof and the material to be measured being disposed at the other focus.

Claims

1. A method of guiding and collecting light which comprises:

providing a light source having an incident primary beam;

passing the incident primary beam to a specimen to be measured fixed in position having a discrete size to provide a measuring beam leaving said specimen;

conducting the measuring beam to at least one detector;

providing a reflection surface of at least half an ellipsoid of revolution, said reflection surface having a first and second focus;

disposing said specimen at said first focus, wherein said primary beam is radiated directly in the center of said specimen with beams leaving the specimen and passing to the second focus, whereby beams leaving said specimen are reflected at the reflection surface;

providing at least two parabolic reflectors downstream of said specimen; and

said method further including the step of focusing and parallelizing the beams leaving the specimen by means of said parabolic reflectors.

2. A method of guiding and collecting light which comprises:

providing a reflection surface including at least two ellipsoids of revolution which penetrate each other having a common focus and each ellipsoid having a separate second focus,

placing a specimen to be measured at the common focus, said placing step including fixing said specimen in position at said common focus; and

conducting beams leaving the specimen to at least one detector, said conducting step comprising reflecting said beams at said reflection surface and passing said beams to said separate foci.

3. A method of guiding and collecting light which comprises:

providing a light source having an incident primary beam;

passing the incident primary beam to a specimen to be measured fixed in position having a discrete size to provide a measuring beam leaving said specimen;

conducting the measuring beam to at least one detector;

providing a reflection surface of at least half an ellipsoid of revolution, said reflection surface having a first and second focus;

disposing said specimen at said first focus, wherein said primary beam is radiated directly in the center of said specimen with beams leaving the specimen and passing to the second focus, whereby beams leaving said specimen are reflected at the reflection surface; and

said method further including disposing the specimen in a defined amount at one of said foci, emitting light at the other focus, and irradiating the specimen on all sides for a defined period of time.