Interferometric microscopy
AssigneeHoltra AB
InventorsFredrik Eklund, Erik Olsén, Daniel Midtvedt
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Abstract
Method and system for characterizing submicron and/or nanoparticles by the use of subwavelength interferometric microscopy, the method comprising illuminating a sample comprising at least one particle and determining a first parameter indicative of scattering cross section of the at least one particle from a detected first portion of light and determining a second parameter indicative of scattering cross section of the at least one particle from a detected second portion of light.
Claims20
A method for characterizing submicron and/or nanoparticles by the use of subwavelength interferometric microscopy, the method comprising:
- illuminating a sample comprising at least one particle by light from a first light source in order to produce scattered light from the particle whereby a first portion of scattered light propagating from the at least one particle in a direction being deflected by an angle α relative the propagation direction of the incident light is directed towards a first detector;
- using light from said first light source or a second light source for illuminating the sample in order to produce scattered light from the at least one particle whereby a second portion of scattered light propagating from the particle in a direction being deflected by an angle β relative the propagation direction of the incident light is directed towards the first detector or a second detector, and
- the absolute value of said angle α and the absolute value of said angle β differ by at least 30 degrees, and
- said first portion of scattered light is interfering with light originating from the first light source which is used to produce the first portion of scattered light when the first portion of light is detected at the first detector and said second portion of scattered light is interfering with light originating from the same light source which is used to produce the second portion of scattered light when the second portion of light is detected at the first or second detector;
- and
- determining a first parameter indicative of scattering cross section of the at least one particle from the detected first portion of light and determining a second parameter indicative of scattering cross section of the at least one particle from the detected second portion of light.
A subwavelength interferometric microscopy system for characterizing submicron and/or nanoparticles, the system comprising:
- at least one light source configured to illuminate a sample comprising at least one particle to produce scattered light from the particle whereby a first portion of scattered light propagating from the at least one particle in a direction being deflected by an angle α relative the propagation direction of the incident light is directed towards at least one detector;
- the at least one light source being further configured to illuminate the sample in order to produce scattered light from the at least one particle whereby a second portion of scattered light propagating from the particle in a direction being deflected by an angle β relative the propagation direction of the incident light is directed towards the at least one detector, and
- the absolute value of said angle α and the absolute value of said angle β differ by at least 30 degrees, and said first portion of scattered light is interfering with light originating from a first light source which is used to produce the first portion of scattered light when the first portion of light is detected at the first detector and said second portion of scattered light is interfering with light originating from the first light source or a second light source which is used to produce the second portion of scattered light when the second portion of light is detected at the first or second detector;
- the system further comprising control circuitry configured to:
- determine a first parameter indicative of scattering cross section of the at least one particle from the detected first portion of light and determine a second parameter indicative of scattering cross section of the at least one particle from the detected second portion of light.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.