Abstract: A method for routine identification of materials of plastic components with the assistance of infrared spectroscopy with which an infrared reflection spectrum is taken from the surface of a plastic component to be investigated and compared to a set of reference spectra, whereby the material of the plastic component under investigation is correlated to a class of plastic materials represented by one of the reference spectrum, is characterized in that the plastic component under investigation is positioned with the assistance of a video device (25, 26) and in that the infrared reflection spectrum is recorded in the range of the mid-infrared (MIR) in a wave length region between 400 and 4,000 cm.sup.-1. In this fashion even plastics which, for example, are filled with carbon can be routinely identified. It is preferred when the first derivative of the recorded IR spectrum with respect to wave number is taken and compared to the first derivative of the IR spectra of the reference spectra.

Abstract: In a Raman microscope, in particular for a Fourier transform (FT) spectrometer with a lens for magnified imaging of a point-shaped region (1) on a surface of a measuring sample (2) and with a laser for irradiating laser radiation onto the point-shaped region (1), the laser radiation is in the infrared (IR), preferentially in the near-infrared (NIR) region and the lens is a Cassegrain mirror-lens (3, 4) with a convex mirror (3) arranged rotationally symmetrically to an optical axis (5) and with a concave mirror (4) which is likewise rotationally symmetric to the optical axis (5) of the lens, whereby the focal point of the concave mirror (4), lying on the optical axis (5), coincides with the point-shaped region (1) on the surface of the measuring sample (2). In this fashion distortion-free NIR Raman spectra can be taken with simple optical elements.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for the exchange of an optical component 20 is proposed in which a storage housing 1 exhibits a lower opening with a first gate means 21 adapted for sealing the lower opening. A second stopping means 6 attached to a driving means 5 and a first stop attached to the storage housing 1 are adapted to assume two states, a first state in which a optical component 20 is completely within the storage housing 1, and a second state in which an optical component 20 is completely removed from the storage housing 1. A pivoted mounting 4 of a lifting means 2 onto the driving means 5 in combination with a rotation of said driving means 5 allows for the force of gravity to guide the removal and introduction of the optical component 20 out of and into a spectrometer housing 24.