Optical path switching based differential absorption radiometry for substance detection
First Claim
1. A system for detecting a substance comprising:
- an optical path switch for receiving radiation passing along a sample path of interest, said optical path switch dividing said radiation into a time series of alternating first polarized components and second polarized components orthogonal to said first polarized components, said optical path switch transmitting said first polarized components along a first optical path and said second polarized components along a second optical path;
a first gasless optical filter train disposed in said first optical path for filtering said first polarized components to isolate at least a first wavelength band wherein first filtered radiation is generated;
a second gasless optical filter train disposed in said second optical path for filtering said second polarized components to isolate at least a second wavelength band wherein second filtered radiation is generated, wherein said first wavelength band and said second wavelength band are unique and wherein spectral absorption of a substance of interest is different at said first wavelength band as compared to said second wavelength band;
a beam combiner disposed to receive said first filtered radiation and said second filtered radiation for combining said first filtered radiation and said second filtered radiation to form a combined beam of radiation; and
detector means disposed to monitor magnitude of at least a portion of said combined beam alternately at said first wavelength band and said second wavelength band as an indication of the concentration of said substance in said sample path.
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Abstract
A system and method are provided for detecting one or more substances. An optical path switch divides sample path radiation into a time series of alternating first polarized components and second polarized components. The first polarized components are transmitted along a first optical path and the second polarized components along a second optical path. A first gasless optical filter train filters the first polarized components to isolate at least a first wavelength band thereby generating first filtered radiation. A second gasless optical filter train filters the second polarized components to isolate at least a second wavelength band thereby generating second filtered radiation. The first wavelength band and second wavelength band are unique. Further, spectral absorption of a substance of interest is different at the first wavelength band as compared to the second wavelength band. A beam combiner combines the first and second filtered radiation to form a combined beam of radiation. A detector is disposed to monitor magnitude of at least a portion of the combined beam alternately at the first wavelength band and the second wavelength band as an indication of the concentration of the substance in the sample path.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. A system for detecting a substance comprising:
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an optical path switch for receiving radiation passing along a sample path of interest, said optical path switch dividing said radiation into a time series of alternating first polarized components and second polarized components orthogonal to said first polarized components, said optical path switch transmitting said first polarized components along a first optical path and said second polarized components along a second optical path; a first gasless optical filter train disposed in said first optical path for filtering said first polarized components to isolate at least a first wavelength band wherein first filtered radiation is generated; a second gasless optical filter train disposed in said second optical path for filtering said second polarized components to isolate at least a second wavelength band wherein second filtered radiation is generated, wherein said first wavelength band and said second wavelength band are unique and wherein spectral absorption of a substance of interest is different at said first wavelength band as compared to said second wavelength band; a beam combiner disposed to receive said first filtered radiation and said second filtered radiation for combining said first filtered radiation and said second filtered radiation to form a combined beam of radiation; and detector means disposed to monitor magnitude of at least a portion of said combined beam alternately at said first wavelength band and said second wavelength band as an indication of the concentration of said substance in said sample path. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A substance detection system comprising:
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an optical path switch for receiving radiation passing along a sample path of interest, said optical path switch dividing said radiation into a time series of alternating first polarized components and second polarized components orthogonal to said first polarized components, said optical path switch transmitting said first polarized components along a first optical path and said second polarized components along a second optical path; a first gasless optical filter train disposed in said first optical path for filtering said first polarized components to pass all wavelengths except those in a first wavelength band wherein first filtered radiation is generated; at least one gas correlation cell disposed in said first optical path for filtering one of said first polarized components and said first filtered radiation at spectral regions different from that of said first wavelength band; a second gasless optical filter train disposed in said second optical path for filtering said second polarized components to pass all wavelengths except those in a second wavelength band wherein second filtered radiation is generated, wherein said first wavelength band and said second wavelength band are unique and wherein spectral absorption of a substance of interest is different at said first wavelength band as compared to said second wavelength band; a vacuum cell disposed in said second optical path; a beam combiner disposed to receive said first filtered radiation and said second filtered radiation for combining said first filtered radiation and said second filtered radiation to form a combined beam of radiation; first detecting means disposed to monitor magnitude of at least a portion of said combined beam alternately at said first wavelength band and said second wavelength band as an indication of the concentration of said substance in said sample path; and second detecting means disposed to sense a difference in intensity between said first filtered radiation and said second filtered radiation at said spectral regions to measure the concentration of at least one gas species in said sample path. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
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Specification