# US 10,481,100 B2 · In-situ spectral process monitoring

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- Number: US 10,481,100 B2
- Document ID: US10481100B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/951,686
- Filed: 2018-04-12
- Published: 2018-08-16
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2015-08-05
- Assignees: Viavi Solutions Inc.
- Applicants: VIAVI Solutions Inc.
- Inventors: Benjamin F. Catching; Marc K. Von Gunten; Curtis R. Hruska; Paula Smith; Paul G. Coombs
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10481100B2

## CPC

- G01N 21/85: Investigating moving fluids or granular solids
- G01J 3/0289: {Field-of-view determination; Aiming or pointing of a spectrometer; Adjusting alignment; Encoding angular position; Size of measurement area; Position tracking}
- G01J 3/0291: {Housings; Spectrometer accessories; Spatial arrangement of elements, e.g. folded path arrangements}
- G01J 3/12: Generating the spectrum; Monochromators
- G01N 21/27: using photo-electric detection (G01N21/31 takes precedence){; circuits for computing concentration (logarithmic circuits G06G7/24; photometric circuits in general G01J)}
- G01N 21/8507: {Probe photometers, i.e. with optical measuring part dipped into fluid sample}
- G01J 2003/123: {Indexed discrete filters}
- G01J 2003/1234: {Continuously variable IF [CVIF]; Wedge type}
- G01N 2201/061: Sources
- G01N 2201/062: LED's
- G01N 2201/068: Optics, miscellaneous
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)
- G01J: MEASUREMENT OF INTENSITY, VELOCITY, SPECTRAL CONTENT, POLARISATION, PHASE OR PULSE CHARACTERISTICS OF INFRARED, VISIBLE OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT; COLORIMETRY; RADIATION PYROMETRY (light sources F21, H01J, H01K, H05B; investigating properties of materials by optical means G01N)

## Abstract

Increasing the precision of process monitoring may be improved if the sensors take the form of traveling probes riding along with the flowing materials in the manufacturing process rather than sample only when the process moves passed the sensors fixed location. The probe includes an outer housing hermetically sealed from the flowing materials, and a light source for transmitting light through a window in the housing onto the flowing materials. A spatially variable optical filter (SVF) captures light returning from the flowing materials, and separates the captured light into a spectrum of constituent wavelength signals for transmission to a detector array, which provides a power reading for each constituent wavelength signal.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A probe comprising:
an outer housing,
the outer housing being spherical, cylindrical, prolate spheroid, ellipsoid, or toroidal in shape, and
the probe being configured to travel along with or through a flowing material;
a light source for transmitting light onto a material;
a conduit extending from an opening in the outer housing to an outlet in the outer housing; and
an optical filter for capturing the light refracted or reflected from the material,
the conduit enabling passing of the material in between the light source and the optical filter.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The probe of claim 1, where the optical filter is a spatially variable filter (SVF).

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The probe of claim 1, where the outer housing is hermetically sealed.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The probe of claim 1, where the outer housing includes one or more windows that are optically transparent for particular wavelengths.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The probe of claim 1, where the light source includes one or more onboard incandescent lamps.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The probe of claim 1, further comprising:
an array of photodetectors to generate a transmission spectrum based on the conduit enabling passing of the material in between the light source and the optical filter.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The probe of claim 1, where an entirety of the conduit is transparent to the light.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The probe of claim 1, further comprising:
an inner frame that is mounted inside the outer housing and supports the optical filter.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The probe of claim 1, further comprising:
a controller; and
one or more sensors that are positioned around the outer housing and that are connected to the controller.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The probe of claim 1, further comprising:
a spectrometer,
where the outer housing comprises a shutter that recalibrates the spectrometer.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The probe of claim 10,
where the outer housing comprises a window, and
where the shutter includes a calibrated reflectance standard that rotates between the light source and the window to reflect the light from the light source to the optical filter.

### Claim 12

A system comprising:
an outer housing that includes a shutter,
the outer housing being spherical, cylindrical, prolate spheroid, ellipsoid, or toroidal in shape, and
the outer housing being configured to travel along with or through a flowing material; and
a conduit extending from an opening in the outer housing to an outlet in the outer housing.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The system of claim 12, further comprising:
a light source for transmitting light onto a material.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The system of claim 12, further comprising:
an optical filter for capturing light refracted or reflected from a material.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The system of claim 12, where the conduit enables passing of a material in between two components of the system.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The system of claim 15, where the two components includes one or more of a light source or an optical filter.

### Claim 17 (depends on 12)

The system of claim 12, further comprising:
a rotating arm,
where the shutter is mounted on an end of the rotating arm.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The system of claim 17, further comprising:
an inner frame; and
a central anchor connected to the inner frame,
where the rotating arm rotates about the central anchor.

### Claim 19 (depends on 12)

The system of claim 12, further comprising:
a spectrometer,
where the shutter recalibrates the spectrometer.

### Claim 20 (depends on 12)

The system of claim 12, where the outer housing further includes one or more of:
structural features that facilitate movement and stability with and through material in which the system is immersed, or
a hatch for accessing a storage compartment for storing a substance used to facilitate a chemical process.