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US 8,013,996 B1Granted
Spatial filter in sample investigation system
AssigneeJ.A. Woollam Co., Inc.
InventorsMartin M. Liphardt, Ping He, Blaine D. Johs, Craig M. Herzinger
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems which utilize electromagnetic radiation to investigate samples and include at least one spatial filter which has an aperture having an opening therethrough of an arbitrary shape, including methodology for fabracting the aperture on an end of an optical fiber per se.
Claims24
A system for investigating samples with electromagnetic radiation having an equivalent to a spatial filter integrated therewithin, comprising:
- a) a source of electromagnetic radiation;
- b) a first aperture;
- c) a stage for supporting a sample;
- d) a focusing means;
- e) a second aperture, said second aperture having an opening therein of an arbitrary shape;
- f) an optical fiber;
- and
- d) a detector;
- such that in use said source of electromagnetic radiation provides a beam of electromagnetic radiation, at least some of which passes through said first aperture and proceeds to interact with a sample placed on said stage for supporting a sample, said beam, after interaction with said sample being caused to be focused by said focusing means and pass through said second aperture opening, then enter said optical fiber, which directs it into said detector;
- said integrated equivalent to a spatial filter comprising said first aperture, said focusing means, said second aperture and said optical fiber, said elements being relatively positioned with respect to one another such that said focusing means images electromagnetic radiation passing through said first aperture, at the location of said second aperture, and such that at least some of said imaged electromagnetic radiation passing through said second aperture opening enters said optical fiber.
7 more elements
A system for investigating samples with electromagnetic radiation including a spatial filter, comprising:
- a) a source of electromagnetic radiation;
- b) a stage for supporting a sample;
- c) a detector;
- said system further comprising a spatial filter present between said source of electromagnetic radiation and said detector, said spatial filter comprising a sequence of:
- a focusing means;
- an aperture having an opening therein;
- and
- a collimating means;
- such that electromagnetic radiation passing therethrough is focused by said focusing means to the location of the hole in said aperture, and such that electromagnetic radiation passing through said spatial filter is re-collimated by said collimating means;
- said source of electromagnetic radiation, in use, providing a beam of electromagnetic radiation, at least some of which is directed to interact with a sample placed on said stage for supporting a sample, said beam, after interaction with said sample being caused to enter said detector, at least some of said electromagnetic radiation that reaches said detector also passes through said spatial filter.
7 more elements
A method of providing a small spot size beam of electromagnetic radiation for application in investigating a sample comprising the steps of:
- a) providing a polarized beam of electromagnetic radiation and causing it to pass through a first aperture and thereafter become focused onto a sample with a first focusing means, such that said beam interacts with said sample to the end that energy is tangibly and concretely shifted between polarization orthogonal components thereof;
- b) intercepting said beam of electromagnetic radiation after it interacts with said sample and directing it to a second aperture, such that at least some of said beam passes through said second aperture opening and enters an optical fiber;
- c) causing said optical fiber to carry the electromagnetic radiation entered thereinto to a detector such that said detector outputs at least one signal;
- and
- d) analyzing said at least one signal from said detector to arrive at sample characterizing data.
2 more elements
A system for investigating samples with electromagnetic radiation having an equivalent to a spatial filter integrated therewithin, comprising:
- a) a source of electromagnetic radiation;
- b) a first aperture;
- c) a first focusing means;
- d) a stage for supporting a sample;
- e) a second focusing means;
- f) a second aperture, said second aperture having an opening therein of an arbitrary shape;
- g) an optical fiber;
- and
- h) a detector;
- such that in use said source of electromagnetic radiation provides a beam of electromagnetic radiation, at least some of which passes through said first aperture and is focused by said first focusing means onto a sample placed on said stage for supporting a sample, said beam, after interaction with said sample being caused to be focused by said second focusing means and pass through said second aperture opening, then enter said optical fiber, which directs it into said detector;
- said integrated equivalent to a spatial filter comprising said first aperture, said second focusing means, said second aperture and said optical fiber, said elements being relatively positioned with respect to one another such that said focusing means images electromagnetic radiation passing through said first aperture, at the location of said second aperture, and such that at least some of said imaged electromagnetic radiation passing through said second aperture opening enters said optical fiber.
8 more elements
A method of providing a small spot size beam of electromagnetic radiation for application in investigating a sample comprising the steps of:
- a) providing a system for investigating samples with electromagnetic radiation having an equivalent to a spatial filter integrated therewithin, comprising:
- a) a source of electromagnetic radiation;
- b) a first aperture;
- c) a first focusing means;
- d) a stage for supporting a sample;
- e) a second focusing means;
- f) a second aperture, said second aperture having an opening therein of an arbitrary shape;
- g) an optical fiber;
- and
- h) a detector;
- such that in use said source of electromagnetic radiation provides a beam of electromagnetic radiation, at least some of which passes through said first aperture and is focused by said first focusing means onto a sample placed on said stage for supporting a sample, such that said beam interacts with said sample to the end that energy is tangibly and concretely shifted between polarization orthogonal components thereof, and after interaction with said sample being caused to be focused by said second focusing means and pass through said second aperture opening, then enter said optical fiber, which directs it into said detector;
- said integrated equivalent to a spatial filter comprising said first aperture, said second focusing means, said second aperture and said optical fiber, said elements being relatively positioned with respect to one another such that said focusing means images electromagnetic radiation passing through said first aperture, at the location of said second aperture, and such that at least some of said imaged electromagnetic radiation passing through said second aperture opening enters said optical fiber;
- b) causing said source of electromagnetic radiation to provide a beam of electromagnetic radiation and direct it to pass through said first aperture, first focusing means and interact with a sample on said stage for supporting a sample, then pass through said second focusing means, pass through said second aperture having an opening therein, enter said optical fiber and therevia enter said detector;
- such that said detector outputs at least one signal;
- and
- c) analyzing said at least one signal from said detector to arrive at sample characterizing data.
13 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.