Wide area optical photothermal infrared spectroscopy
AssigneePhotothermal Spectroscopy Corp.
InventorsCraig Prater, Derek Decker, Roshan Shetty
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatuses and methods for microscopic analysis of a sample by simultaneously characterizing infrared absorption characteristics of a plurality of spatially resolved locations are described herein. These apparatuses and methods improve sampling times while collecting microscopic data regarding composition of a sample across a wide field.
Claims29
An apparatus for microscopic analysis of a sample by simultaneously characterizing infrared absorption characteristics of a plurality of spatially resolved locations corresponding to a wide area of the sample, the apparatus comprising:
- an infrared light source configured to illuminate the wide area of the sample with a beam of infrared radiation;
- a reflective objective arranged to receive the beam of infrared radiation from the infrared light source and illuminate the wide area of the sample at a first side thereof;
- a probe light source configured to generate a beam of probe radiation;
- a refractive objective arranged to receive the beam of probe radiation and illuminate the wide area of the sample at a second side thereof
- a collector configured to collect as collected probe radiation at least a portion of probe radiation from each of the plurality of spatially resolved locations on the sample;
- at least one camera configured to detect at least a portion of the collected probe radiation to generate signals indicative of infrared absorption corresponding to each one of the plurality of spatially resolved locations.
A method of operating a system for simultaneously characterizing infrared absorption characteristics of plurality of locations on a sample, the method comprising the steps of:
- illuminating the plurality of locations of the sample with a reflective objective and an infrared light source that are arranged to illuminate a first side of the sample;
- illuminating the plurality of locations of the sample with a refractive objective and a probe light source that are arranged to illuminate a second side of the sample;
- collecting probe radiation from the plurality of sample locations;
- detecting collected probe radiation with at least one camera;
- and
- analyzing camera detected probe radiation to generate signals indicative of infrared absorption of the plurality of locations on the sample.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.