Apparatus and method for investigating a sample
AssigneeTeraView Limited
InventorsCraig Michael Ciesla, Bryan Edward Cole, Donald Dominic Arnone
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus for investigating a sample, the apparatus comprising an emitter (1) for irradiating the sample (27) with a beam of emitted electromagnetic radiation; and a detector (49) for detecting the radiation reflected from the sample, wherein there is an optically non-linear member (15) which functions as both an active part of the emitter and an active part of the detector, said emitter and detector using the same part of the optically non-linear member (15). The electromagnetic radiation is primarily intended to be in the terahertz (THz) frequency range.
Claims28
An apparatus for investigating a sample, the apparatus comprising:
- an emitter for irradiating the sample with a beam of emitted electromagnetic radiation;
- and
- a detector for detecting radiation reflected from the sample,
- wherein there is an optically non-linear member which functions as both an active part of the emitter and an active part of the detector, said emitter and detector using the same region of the optically non-linear member.
An apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the optically non-linear member is configured to emit a beam of radiation having at least one frequency in the range from 25 GHz to 100 THz.
An apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the emitted beam is a pulsed beam and comprises a plurality of frequencies.
An apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the optically non-linear member is configured to emit the emitted beam in response to irradiation by an input beam having a different frequency to that of the emitted beam.
An apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the optically non-linear member is configured such that irradiation of the member by radiation reflected from the sample induces a birefringence in the member.
An apparatus according to any preceding claim, the apparatus being configured such that the emitted beam is emitted from the non-linear member and the reflected radiation is incident on the non-linear member.
An apparatus according to any preceding claim, further comprising means for detecting a reference signal, said means comprising a reflection member which is configured to partially reflect the emitted radiation, located between the non-linear member and the sample.
An apparatus according to any preceding claim, further comprising means to apply a modulation frequency to the emitted radiation.
An apparatus according to any preceding claim, said apparatus being configured to measure a liquid sample, said apparatus comprising means to obtain a spectra from a liquid sample and means to hold a liquid sample.
An apparatus for analysing a plurality of liquid samples, the apparatus comprising means for holding the liquid samples to be analysed;
- an emitter for irradiating at least one sample with a beam of pulsed radiation having a plurality of frequencies in the range from 25 GHz to 100 THz, and a detector for detecting radiation which is reflected from the at least one sample.
An apparatus for investigating a sample, the apparatus comprising:
- an emitter for irradiating the sample with a beam of emitted electromagnetic radiation;
- a detector for detecting radiation reflected from the sample;
- and
- a window member which is transparent to said emitted and reflected radiation, said window member having a refractive index which is substantially equal to that of the sample.
A method of investigating a sample, the method comprising the steps of:
- irradiating a sample with a beam of emitted electromagnetic radiation which is emitted from a non-linear crystal;
- detecting the radiation which is reflected from the sample using the said non-linear crystal as an active part of the detector;
- wherein the steps of irradiating and detecting the reflected radiation use the same region of the non-linear crystal.
A method of analysing a plurality of liquid samples, the method comprising the steps of:
- irradiating at least one liquid sample with a beam of pulsed electromagnetic radiation having a plurality of frequencies in the range from 25 GHz to 100 THz;
- detecting the radiation reflected from at least one sample.
An apparatus as substantially hereinbefore described with reference to any of the accompanying figures.
A method as substantially hereinbefore described with reference to any of the accompanying figures.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.