System and method for characterizing gemstones using fluorescence

A method for determining a relationship between at least two gemstone samples, the method comprising:

• illuminating a first gemstone sample with illuminating light of at least one fluoresence-eiting wavelength range;
• detecting and recording a corresponding at least one first fluorescence-emission light spectrum emitted from the first gemstone sample;
• illuminating a second gemstone sample with the illuminating light of the at least one fluorescence-exciting wavelength range;
• detecting and recording a corresponding at least one second fluorescence-emission light spectrum emitted form the second gemstone sample;
• analyzing the at least one first fluorescence-emission spectrum and at least one second fluorescence-emission spectrum;
• and
• determining a relationship between the first and second gemstone samples;
• wherein said determining the relationship between the first and second gemstone samples results in one of the following:
• determining that the first and second gemstone samples are the same gemstone in rough and polished states;
• determining that the first and second gemstone samples are two different gemstones in same rough, parted or polished state;
• determining that the first and second gemstone samples are two different gemstones in respectively two different states among the following:
• rough, parted and polished states.

A system for determining a relationship between first and second gemstone samples, the system comprising:

• a light source system comprising one or more light sources configured and operable to generate at least one illumination light in desired one or more wavelengths and intensities that excite at least one fluorescence reaction in the first and second gemstone samples;
• a holding stage configured to hold at least one of the first and second gemstone samples in illumination zone(s) covered by the at least one illumination light;
• a spectrometer located in a detection zone and configured and operable to detect at least one emission light emitted by each of the first and second gemstone samples and record corresponding at least one fluorescence-emission spectrum for each of the first and second gemstone samples;
• and
• a controller and analyzing system configured and operable to control the light source system, the holding stage, and the spectrometer, and analyze the at least one fluorescence-emission spectrum for each of the first and second gemstone samples, and determine a relationship between first and second gemstone samples;
• wherein said controller and analyzing system comprises at least one of the following modules:
• a fluorescence-signature extractor module configured and operable to individually analyze the fluorescence-emission spectrum(s) received from each of the first and second gemstone samples and generate fluorescence-signatures respectively, then utilize the fluoresce-signatures to determine the relationship between the gemstone samples, and
• a fluorescence-comparison identifier extractor module configured and operable to apply a direct comparison between the fluorescence-emission spectrums that respectively belong to the first and second gemstone samples, and generate fluorescence comparison identifiers, then utilize the fluorescence comparison identifiers to determine the relationship between the first and second gemstone samples.

A system for determining properties of at least one gemstone sample, the system comprising:

• a light source system comprising one or more light sources configured and operable to generate illumination light in desired one or more wavelengths and intensities that excite at least one fluorescence reaction in the gemstone sample;
• a holding stage configured to hold the at least one gemstone sample in an illumination zone covered by the illumination light;
• a spectrometer located in a detection zone and configured and operable to detect at least one emission light emitted by the at least one gemstone sample and record corresponding at least one fluorescence-emission spectrum;
• an imaging system configured and operable to acquire images of the gemstone sample;
• and
• a controller and analyzing system configured and operable to control the light source system, the holding stage, and the spectrometer, and analyze at least two of the following:
• the at least one fluorescence-emission spectrum, and at least one of the at least one absorbance spectrum and the images, to determine the properties of the gemstone sample;
• wherein the controller and analyzing system comprises at least one of the following modules:
• a fluorescence-signature extractor module configured and operable to analyze the at least one fluorescence-emission spectrum and generate at least one fluorescence-signature, then utilize the at least one fluorescence-signature to determine the properties of the gemstone sample;
• a three-dimensional (3D) model builder module configured and operable to generate a 3D model of the gemstone sample, then utilize the 3D model to determine the properties of the gemstone sample;
• and
• a fluorescence zone identifier module configure and operable to detect fluorescence zone(s) in the gemstone sample, while being illuminated with the at least one illumination light, and generate a fluorescence zone(s) map, then utilize the fluorescence zone(s) map to determine the properties of the gemstone sample.