Black body background for imaging
AssigneeInstitute for Technology Development
InventorGavin H. Poole
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A light trap suitable for use in an optical imaging system includes a hollow sphere, with a hollow cylindrical tube attached substantially tangent to the surface of the sphere, and forming a chimney. The interior and exterior surfaces of the sphere are coated with a low-reflective coating, such as flat black paint. A sample to be imaged is placed over the opening of the chimney with an imaging system and illumination source directed downward into the chimney itself. Light which passes through or around the sample is captured in the sphere, so that it is not reflected back into the imaging system.
Claims16
A light trap, comprising:
- a hollow spheroidal enclosure;
- a hollow elongate chimney which intersects with and forms an opening into an interior of said spheroidal enclosure, said opening being defined by an intersection of said chimney and said spheroidal enclosure;
- wherein
- interior surfaces of the chimney and the sphere are coated with a light absorbing material;
- and
- a longitudinal axis of said elongate chimney is eccentric to a center point of said spheroidal enclosure.
A radiation trap, comprising:
- a hollow spheroidal enclosure;
- a hollow elongate chimney forming an opening in said spheroidal enclosure and positioned relative to the spheroidal enclosure such that radiation that passes through said chimney enters said spheroidal enclosure eccentric to a center of said spheroidal enclosure;
- wherein an interior surface of the chimney and the interior surface of the spheroidal enclosure are coated with a light absorbent material.
A method for suppressing reflection of light, comprising:
- guiding said light into an interior of a spherical enclosure having an interior surface coated with a light absorbing material;
- wherein said light enters said spherical enclosure along an axis that is eccentric to a center of said spherical enclosure.
An electromagnetic radiation trap, comprising:
- a hollow elongate member having an opening for receiving light, and defining a light path along a longitudinal axis thereof;
- a hollow spheroidal member connected to receive light traversing said light path through said elongate member;
- wherein
- interior surfaces of said elongate member and of said spheroidal member are coated with a light absorbent material;
- and
- said light path enters said spherical member in proximity to a tangent to the interior surface of the spheroidal member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.