Terahertz spectroscopy system and method
AssigneeNovatrans Group SA
InventorsJohn F. Roulston, Daniel Mandelik
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A terahertz spectrometer includes: a terahertz-wave emitter and a terahertz receiver elements. The terahertz wave generated by means of generating beat frequency corresponding to the difference between two rapidly tunable continuous wave lasers. Having a difference in time between the interrogating signal and the reference signal at the receiver end side, which corresponds to intermediate frequency (IF), not centered around the baseband, i.e. zero Hertz. The offset step size of the intermediate frequency from zero Hertz is linearly correlated to the position of the interrogated object position.
Claims19
A method for use in spectroscopic measurements of a sample, the method comprising:
- generating inspecting and reference electro-magnetic radiation components of substantially the same frequency contents, said inspecting and reference electro-magnetic radiation components being swept according to a predetermined frequency pattern,
- directing said inspecting and reference radiation components to a detector along first and second different paths, respectively,
- allowing interaction of the inspecting radiation component with a sample located in the first path, thereby inducing a frequency difference between a frequency content of the inspecting radiation component and the reference radiation component interacting at the detector a signal resulting from said interaction between said inspecting and reference radiation components being indicative of one or more properties of the sample at a location where said inspecting radiation interacts with the sample;
- and
- controlling at least one of said predetermined pattern and the propagation of the inspecting and reference radiation components to the detector;
- wherein said controlling of said predetermined pattern of the frequency sweeping comprises concurrently affecting a firs, global frequency sweeping rate during a certain time period and a local modulation of the frequency sweeping with a second higher sweeping rate.
A system for use in spectroscopic measurements of a sample, the system comprising:
- a radiation transmitter unit configured and operable for generating inspecting and reference electro-magnetic radiation components of substantially the same frequency contents, and for sweeping said frequency according to a predetermined pattern;
- and a detector located in a first path of the inspecting radiation components after passing through a sample and in a second path of the reference radiation component directly propagating from the transmitter unit, said system being configured to induce a predetermined frequency difference between a frequency of the inspecting radiation component and the reference radiation component interacting at the detector such that a signal resulting from said interaction between the inspecting and reference components being indicative of one or more properties of the sample at a location where said inspecting radiation interacts with the sample;
- wherein said system is further configured and operable for controlling at least one of said predetermined pattern and the propagation of the inspecting and reference radiation components to the detector, and
- wherein said controlling of said predetermined pattern of the frequency sweeping comprises concurrently affecting a first, global frequency sweeping rate during a certain time period and a local modulation of the frequency sweeping with a second higher sweeping rate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.