Light intensity controller and laser wavelength scanning double-beam spectrometer
OwnerYoung Jong Leeinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A spectrometer includes a light source and a digital micromirror device (DMD) that splits light from the light source to control an intensity of light directed at a sample. The intensity of the light may be controlled in order to smooth an intensity of light through a sample without analyte based on differential wavelength absorption. Alternatively, the intensity of light may be modulated in conjunction with an out-of-phase reference beam to create a simplified double-beam spectrometer with a single light source and a single detector.
Claims7
A spectrum adjuster to produce a pure analyte spectrum of a sample, the spectrum adjuster comprising:
- a digital micromirror device that:
- receives input light;
- receives an adjustment signal;
- produces primary adjusted light from the input light based on the adjustment signal such that an intensity of the primary adjusted light is based on an amount of primary transmitted light transmitted through the sample in an absence of an analyte;
- a light source in optical communication with the digital micromirror device and that communicates the input light to the digital micromirror device;
- a detector in optical communication with the digital micromirror device that:
- receives transmitted light from the sample;
- and
- produces a transmitted light signal based on an amount of transmitted light received from the sample;
- and
- an adjustment controller in communication with the detector and the digital micromirror device and that:
- receives the transmitted light signal from the detector;
- produces the adjustment signal based on the transmitted light signal;
- and
- communicates the adjustment signal to the digital micromirror device,
- the digital micromirror device being optically interposed between the light source and the detector, and the sample when present being optically interposed between the digital micromirror device and the detector.
A double beam spectrometer comprising:
- a digital micromirror device that:
- receives input light;
- receives a splitting signal;
- splits the input light into a reference light signal and a sample light signal, wherein the reference light signal and sample light signal are inherently intensity-modulated with reference to each other and out of phase with each other by micromirrors of the digital micromirror device switching back and forth reflecting input light either towards a sample or towards a detector;
- a light source in optical communication with the digital micromirror device and that communicates the input light to the digital micromirror device;
- a detector in optical communication with the digital micromirror device that:
- receives a transmitted light signal from the sample and the reference light signal from the digital micromirror device;
- and
- measures a modulation signal based on a combination of the transmitted light and the reference light signal;
- and
- an adjustment controller in communication with the digital micromirror device that:
- produces the splitting signal;
- and
- communicates the splitting signal to the digital micromirror device,
- the digital micromirror device being optically interposed between the light source and the detector, and the sample when present being optically interposed between the digital micromirror device and the detector and wherein the transmitted light signal is created by passing the sample light signal through the sample.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.