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:
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.
Abstract:
Apparatus for detecting an anomaly, (e.g the presence of a hydrocarbon seep) at or near a water or land surface comprises means for generating a beam, preferably a pulsed beam, of primary light radiation, preferably ultra-violet light, and directing the beam towards the surface. The beam is sufficiently intense and of such a spectral composition that the beam causes the anomaly, if present, to emit secondary light radiation. The apparatus also comprises means for collecting the secondary light radiation, or means for collecting solar induced secondary light radiation, spectral analysis means for analysing the spectrum of the secondary radiation, and a high resolution, multi-element digitising detector for recovering the analysed secondary radiation. The detector has a plurality of detection channels positioned across the spectrum of the basckscattered primary radiation and emitted secondary radiation, the channels being software configurable and under the control of a digitally addressable computer-operated controller. The concentration of used channels across the plurality of channels is adjustable and increasable in the regions of the spectrum of greatest interest and decreasable in the regions of least interest.
Abstract:
A system for rapid-scan spectral analysis comprising a concave holographic diffraction grating (18) continuously rotated at a substantially constant angular velocity to provide a rapid scanning monochromator (a monochromator is used to transfer nominal regions of wavelengths out of the continuous light source). The unique sampling circuitry uses an optical shaft encoder (42). The angular velocity and angular acceleration of the grating (18) are calculated from time measurements, just before the first wavelength of interest falls on the detector. This information is used to control the Analog to Digital converter sampling rate across the region of interest. The samples as a function of time are stored in a memory buffer (58) so that each data point corresponds to a wavelength.
Abstract:
A spectrophotometer wherein the diffraction grating is driven directly by a pulse motor and the wavelength of the monochromatic light used for measurement is calculated by a data processor from the amount of rotation of the pulse motor. The data processor is provided with an Input unit for setting a parameter corresponding to the difference between the nominal and actual grating constants of the diffraction grating and so arranged as to calculate the wavelength in accordance with the nominal grating constant having been modified with the parameter set through the Input unit.