Method and apparatus for cleaning with internally reflected electromagnetic radiation
AssigneeMetastable Instruments, Inc.
InventorsGeorge Dube, Samuel W. Bross
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for cleaning, detecting, and/or removing contamination from the surfaces of nominally transparent materials utilizing internal illumination of those surfaces with at least one electromagnetic radiation beam at an angle of incidence equal to or greater than the critical angle for total internal reflection. With appropriate selection of light sources and materials, the technique is effective at detecting and removing water, ice, particles, films and a variety of contaminants.
Claims42
A method of cleaning a surface or surfaces of a material, comprising:
- directing electromagnetic radiation into a material, and
- reflecting the electromagnetic radiation internally in the material at an angle of incidence equal to or greater than a critical angle so the electromagnetic radiation undergoes total internal reflection and removes a contaminant from a surface or surfaces of the material via altered total internal reflection.
A method of reducing a potential for contamination of a surface of a material, comprising:
- directing electromagnetic radiation into a material through a surface of the material,
- reflecting the electromagnetic radiation internally in the material at an angle of incidence equal to or greater than a critical angle so the electromagnetic radiation undergoes total internal reflection, and thereby,
- reducing the potential for contamination of the surface of the material.
A method of detecting contamination on a surface of a material, comprising:
- directing electromagnetic radiation into the material through a surface of a material;
- reflecting the electromagnetic radiation internally in the material at an angle of incidence equal to or greater than a critical angle so the electromagnetic radiation undergoes total internal reflection;
- measuring the amount of electromagnetic radiation internally reflected in the material;
- and thereby,
- detecting contamination on the surface of the material.
An apparatus for internally reflecting electromagnetic radiation in a material, comprising:
- a source of electromagnetic radiation,
- at least one coupling device to direct the electromagnetic radiation into a material wherein the electromagnetic radiation is reflected internally in the material at an angle of incidence equal to or greater than a critical angle so the electromagnetic radiation undergoes total internal reflection such that the electromagnetic radiation follows a parasitic oscillation path in the material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.