Method and apparatus for use of polarized light vectors in identifying and evaluating constituent compounds in a specimen

• US 5,956,144 A
• Filed: 11/22/1995
• Issued: 09/21/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Micro Research Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Micro Research Incorporated
• Inventors: Cernosek, John, Kaplan, Milton R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Hoa Q.
• Application Number:
  US08/392,728
• Time in Patent Office: 1,399 Days
• Field of Search: 356/364-369, 356/41, 356/319, 356/322, 356/326, 356/327, 128/633, 128/635, 128/634, 128/664-666
• US Class Current: 356/364
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 4/00 Measuring polarisation of light
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/21 Polarisation-affecting properties G01N21/19 takes precedence

Abstract

A device and method for determining the identity and concentration of constituent compounds of a test specimen. The device and method are based upon the polarization effect that a specimen will have when subjected to randomly polarized light. This polarization effect will cause the intensity of light wither reflecting from or passing through the test specimen at one angle of polarization to be different then the intensity of light exiting the specimen at a second angle of polarization at a specific wavelength. The intensity of light either reflecting from or exiting the test specimen various planes of polarization is accurately measured by irradiating the specimen with randomly polarized light and then polarizing the light reflected from or passing through the specimen in different planes of polarization angles and measuring the intensity of light in each of these polarization planes at one or more wavelengths of light. These measurements will yield a unique pattern determined by the ratio of intensity of light either reflected or passing through the specimen per degree of polarization per wavelength.

Claims

1. A device for spectral polarimetric analysis of a test specimen, comprising:

irradiating means for irradiating a test specimen with partially polarized, spectral primary radiation, said irradiating means being placed at a first position;

first polarizing means located at a second position spatially separated from said first position, and oriented for receiving, as a specimen-polarized/specimen-transmitted first radiation subset, that portion of said primary radiation as is transmitted and polarized by said test specimen, and for selectively transmitting, as a second radiation subset of said primary radiation, that portion of said specimen-polarized/specimen-transmitted first radiation subset as resides in a plurality of first polarizing means primary polarization planes; and

first radiation intensity measuring means operably positioned relative to said first polarizing means for receiving and measuring the radiation intensity of said second radiation subset at each of a plurality of wave-lengths for each of said plurality of said first polarizing means primary polarization planes.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said first polarizing means is user adjustable between said first polarizing means primary polarization planes to first polarizing means secondary polarization planes, said first polarizing means secondary polarization planes being angularly distinct from said first polarizing means primary polarization planes.

3. A method for performing a spectral polarimetric analysis of a specimen, comprising the steps of:

selecting a test specimen to be analyzed;

selecting a device, comprising;

irradiating means for irradiating a test specimen with partially polarized, spectral primary radiation, said irradiating means being placed at a first position;

first polarizing means located at a second position spatially separated from said first position, and oriented for receiving, as a specimen-polarized/specimen-transmitted first radiation subset, that portion of said primary radiation as is transmitted and polarized by said test specimen, and for selectively transmitting, as a second radiation subset of said primary radiation, that portion of said specimen-polarized/specimen-transmitted first radiation subset as resides in each of a plurality of first polarizing means primary polarization planes; and

first radiation intensity measuring means operably positioned relative to said first polarizing means for receiving and measuring the radiation intensity of said second radiation subset in each of said first polarizing means primary polarization planes;

operably placing said test specimen in the path of irradiation of said irradiating means;

energizing said irradiating means, causing said irradiating means to emit said partially polarized primary radiation; and

measuring the intensity of said second radiation subset at each of a plurality of wavelengths for each of said first polarizing means primary polarization planes.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said first polarizing means is user adjustable between said first polarizing means primary polarization planes to first polarizing means secondary polarization planes, said first polarizing means secondary polarization planes being angularly distinct from said first polarizing means primary polarization planes.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising the step of measuring the intensity of said second radiation subset in each of said first polarizing means secondary polarization planes.

6. A device for spectroscopic analysis of a test specimen, comprising:

irradiating means for irradiating a spectroscopic test specimen with partially polarized primary radiation, said irradiating means being placed at a first position;

first polarizing means located at a second position spatially separated from said first position, and oriented for receiving, as a specimen-polarized/specimen-transmitted first radiation subset, that portion of said primary radiation as is transmitted and polarized by said spectroscopic test specimen, and for selectively transmitting, as a second radiation subset of said primary radiation, that portion of said specimen-polarized/specimen-transmitted first radiation subset as resides in one or more first polarizing means primary polarization planes; and

first radiation intensity measuring means operably positioned relative to said first polarizing means for receiving and measuring the radiation intensity of said second radiation subset in each of said first polarizing means primary polarization planes.