Abstract:
A spectrophotometer useful for measuring absorption or emission bands of a substance irradiated with optical radiation, comprises a light source for producing the optical radiation, a monochromator for isolating light of wavelength (W) from the optical radiation and which modulates the wavelength (W) by a predetermined wavelength amplitude (.delta.W), and a photodetector for detecting the intensity of light passing through the monochromator and for producing a measuring signal in response thereto. The monochromator operates under the control of an electronic control unit which produces a control signal that causes the monochromator to scan across a portion of the spectrum of the optical radiation at a frequency (f.sub.2) to transmit a narrow band of radiation at the wavelength (W). The control unit includes a modulation generator which produces a signal that causes the monochromator to modulate the wavelength (W) by the predetermined wavelength amplitude (.delta.W) at a frequency (f.sub.1). The spectrophotometer also includes an electronic evaluation unit which amplifies an a.c. component of the measuring signal that is attributable to the wavelength modulation in synchronization with the signal produced by the modulation generator. In one preferred embodiment, the monochromator comprises a diffraction grating and a drive unit which causes the diffraction to rotate about a pivot axis and which superimposes an oscillatory motion on the rotational movement. In another preferred embodiment, the monochromator comprises a Fabry-Perot resonator and a drive unit which adjusts the optical length of the Fabry-Perot resonator under the control of the control unit.
Abstract:
A calibration method and apparatus for economical and rapid calibration of a scientific instrument utilizing a monochromator to generate monochromatic light utilizing controllable means for determining the angular position of a light dispersing element in the monochromator and a filter having a narrow absorption band(s) to determine a relationship between the wavelength of the monochromatic light generated by the monochromator and an angular position of the dispersing element so that the dispersing element can be rotated to an exact position for the monochromator to generate a selected wavelength of monochromatic light.
Abstract:
A spectrophotometer including: a) a light source switching mechanism (20) for switching a plurality of light sources (1,2) by swinging a light source mirror (3); b) a filter selecting mechanism (19); c) a diffraction grating rotating mechanism (10); and d) a controller for determining the operation origins of the three driving mechanisms using a rough origin sensor (21) provided for the diffraction grating rotating mechanism and a photometer. The operation of the controller is to: i) determine an origin of the movement of the filter by making an end of the filter frame to touch a stopper; ii) determine a rough origin of the diffraction grating using the rough origin sensor; and iii) determine an origin of the movement of the light source mirror and a precise origin of the movement of the diffraction grating by detecting the position at which the photometer detects the maximum intensity of light.
Abstract:
A scanning monochromator uses a pulse-driven micro-stepping motor (20) to drive a spectral-dispersion element (33) via a reduction-gear harmonic drive (21). The motor (20) is directly coupled to the input hub of the reduction-gear drive (21), and the output hub of the reduction-gear drive directly supports the spectral-dispersion element (33). By selecting a motor (20) with a great number of steps per revolution, and a harmonic drive (21) with a great reduction ratio, a resolution of 5 million pulsed steps is available, per single rotation of the output hub of the reduction-gear drive. This translates into more than 600,000 incremental angular-displacement steps over a usable 45° range of dispersion-element rotation.
Abstract:
In an apparatus for determining characteristics of materials by photoreflectance the sample (62) is irradiated by light from a monochromatic light source (50, 51) and a pump beam source (63). The reflected ligth is analyzed by a detector (56), a lock-in amplifier (55), a A/D converter (66) and a computer (70). The d.c. signal of the detector (56) is kept constant for a certain measurement by means of a variable neutral density filter (58) in the monochromatic light beam. By varying the pump beam wavelength and its modulation frequency by the use of an acousto-optical modulator the component layers, their quality and the properties of the various interfaces in the sample (62) are determined.
Abstract:
A spectrophotometer including: a) a light source switching mechanism (20) for switching a plurality of light sources (1,2) by swinging a light source mirror (3); b) a filter selecting mechanism (19); c) a diffraction grating rotating mechanism (10); and d) a controller for determining the operation origins of the three driving mechanisms using a rough origin sensor (21) provided for the diffraction grating rotating mechanism and a photometer. The operation of the controller is to: i) determine an origin of the movement of the filter by making an end of the filter frame to touch a stopper; ii) determine a rough origin of the diffraction grating using the rough origin sensor; and iii) determine an origin of the movement of the light source mirror and a precise origin of the movement of the diffraction grating by detecting the position at which the photometer detects the maximum intensity of light.
Abstract:
In an apparatus for determining characteristics of materials by photoreflectance the sample (62) is irradiated by light from a monochromatic light source (50, 51) and a pump beam source (63). The reflected ligth is analyzed by a detector (56), a lock-in amplifier (55), a A/D converter (66) and a computer (70). The d.c. signal of the detector (56) is kept constant for a certain measurement by means of a variable neutral density filter (58) in the monochromatic light beam. By varying the pump beam wavelength and its modulation frequency by the use of an acousto-optical modulator the component layers, their quality and the properties of the various interfaces in the sample (62) are determined.
Abstract:
Iterative compensation of drift of peak positions of spectral lines in a spectral monochromator including a grating, a detector of spectral fractions of a spectral band, a stepper motor for varying relative orientation of the grating and the detector, and a computer. A series of computer-defined spectral windows each encompasses one spectral band and has a nominal spectral position and an initial spectral center. Each window is scanned such as to determine a peak spectral position. Calculations are made for a spectral offset of the peak position from the initial center for each corresponding window, an average of the offsets for the peaks as a linear function of window position, and a revised spectral center for each window equal to the initial center plus the average offset for the window position determined from the linear function. Each window is shifted correspondingly. The step of successively scanning through each window is repeated such as to determined a new peak position for each corresponding band, whereby each new peak position is maintained near the spectral center of each corresponding window.