Abstract: A charged particle filter includes a magnetic deflector having a bore along an axis thereof passing through the magnetic deflector from a sample end to a detector end of the magnetic deflector, and through which bore charged particles pass when in use, the magnetic deflector being formed from two magnets positioned around the bore, with a gap between the two magnets, the two magnets each having a linear central section and two ends, each end forming a curved surface, the curved surface having an aspect ratio defined by a height in a range of between one tenth and ten times the gap between the two magnets, and a width in a range of between one tenth and ten times the gap.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a spectrophotometer instrument that includes an arm that can swing between a closed position and an open position which is upward and backward of the lower position and wherein the display is moveable between a position behind the arm to a position to a side of the arm. Thus, the features herein provides the instrument user with positioning features to allow for a superior human factors user experience.

Abstract: MCR provided estimated pure component time series spectra as extracted from infrared or other spectroscopy is capable of being compared to spectra in a reference library to find the best matches. The best match spectra can then each in turn be combined with the reference spectra, with the combinations also being screened for best matches versus any one of the estimated pure component time series spectra. These resulting best matches can then also undergo the foregoing combination and comparison steps. The process can repeat in this manner in an unbounded fashion if desired until an appropriate stopping point is reached, for example, when a desired number of best matches are identified, when some predetermined number of iterations has been performed, etc. This methodology is able to return best-match spectra with far fewer computational steps and greater speed than if all possible combinations of reference spectra are considered.

Abstract: The present invention is thus directed to an automated system of varying the optical path length in a sample that a light from a spectrophotometer must travel through. Such arrangements allow a user to easily vary the optical path length while also providing the user with an easy way to clean and prepare a transmission cell for optical interrogation. Such path length control can be automatically controlled by a programmable control system to quickly collect and stores data from different path lengths as needed for different spectrographic analysis. Moreover, the system utilizes configured wedge shaped windows to best minimize the reflections of light which cause periodic variation in transmission at different wave lengths (commonly described as “channel spectra”). Such a system, as presented herein, is able to return best-match spectra with far fewer computational steps and greater speed than if all possible combinations of reference spectra are considered.

Abstract: The present invention is thus directed to an automated system and method of varying the optical path length in a sample that a light from a spectrophotometer must travel through. Such arrangements allow a user to easily vary the optical path length while also providing the user with an easy way to clean and prepare a transmission cell for optical interrogation. Such path length control can be automatically controlled by a programmable control system to quickly collect and stores data from different path lengths as needed for different spectrographic analysis. Such a methodology and system, as presented herein, is able to return best-match spectra with far fewer computational steps and greater speed than if all possible combinations of reference spectra are considered.

Abstract: The present invention is thus directed to an automated system of varying the optical path length in a sample that a light from a spectrophotometer must travel through. Such arrangements allow a user to easily vary the optical path length while also providing the user with an easy way to clean and prepare a transmission cell for optical interrogation. Such path length control can be automatically controlled by a programmable control system to quickly collect and stores data from different path lengths as needed for different spectrographic analysis. Moreover, the system utilizes configured wedge shaped windows to best minimize the reflections of light which cause periodic variation in transmission at different wave lengths (commonly described as “channel spectra”). Such a system, as presented herein, is able to return best-match spectra with far fewer computational steps and greater speed than if all possible combinations of reference spectra are considered.

Abstract: A novel emission and transmission optical spectrometer is introduced herein, which is capable of optically interrogating solid or liquid samples of organic, inorganic or polymeric chemistry, for pharmaceutical research, forensic and liquid analyses, used for identification, purity check, and/or structural study of chemicals. The beneficial aspects of the system are a single sample compartment as confined within the walls of the spectrometer housing, a more compact accessory, and the capability of making both emission (e.g., Raman and Fluorescence) and Infrared (IR, NIR) transmission measurements at designed sample points.

Abstract: An all-graphite interferometer bearing assembly is introduced that allows the movement of a movable mirror in a Michelson interferometer without degradation during use. The assembly includes a stationary hollow graphite tube and a movable assembly which includes a mirror and a monolithic graphite member slidably disposed within the bore of the graphite tube that is composed of the same grade of graphite material as the monolithic graphite member. The result is a robust novel moving mirror arrangement in a Michelson interferometer that enables precise mirror alignment control, a long stroke length, excellent vibration damping and reduced sensitivity to external vibrations.

Abstract: A novel means of provided velocity control of an interferometer wherein one of the moving components includes the beamsplitter element is introduced herein. Using a moving beamsplitter and coupled flexure mounting allows improved velocity control because the low mass of the beamsplitter enables the systems disclosed herein to respond faster than conventional mirror velocity controlled interferometer instruments with a resultant lower velocity error so as to provide a more stable and lower noise spectra from the analytical instrument. The control of the velocity of the beamsplitter and if desired, one or both of the configured mirrors, reduces the time wasted changing velocity at the ends of each scan. The result is an increase in data collection available in any given experiment time frame. Such desirable arrangements of the present invention thus allow scans to be collected at higher rates, which beneficially increase the ability to monitor rapidly changing systems.

Abstract: An infrared (IR) source apparatus that includes a desired infrared source element coupled to an insulating housing so to minimize overall source inefficiency at desired optical bandwidths is introduced. The insulation itself is machined or configured in a way so that the infrared source element is in contact with a designed cavity in the insulation so that the IR source image becomes the average of the insulation material and the infrared element. Such an arrangement of the present invention increases the emissivity of the IR source below about 1500 wave numbers, more often, below about 1100 wave numbers, and even more particularly, at about 1079 wave numbers. Accordingly, the combined emissivity of the infrared source and the insulation substantially enhances spectral emission and eliminates or reduces spectral artifacts from the formation of oxides on the infrared source surfaces.

Abstract: The present invention is thus directed to an automated system of varying the optical path length in a sample that a light from a spectrophotometer must travel through. Such arrangements allow a user to easily vary the optical path length while also providing the user with an easy way to clean and prepare a transmission cell for optical interrogation. Such path length control can be automatically controlled by a programmable control system to quickly collect and stores data from different path lengths as needed for different spectrographic analysis. Moreover, the system utilizes configured wedge shaped windows to best minimize the reflections of light which cause periodic variation in transmission at different wave lengths (commonly described as “channel spectra”). Such a system, as presented herein, is able to return best-match spectra with far fewer computational steps and greater speed than if all possible combinations of reference spectra are considered.

Abstract: A novel soft beamsplitter mounting system as part of an interferometer to protect the beamsplitter substrate from external stresses and thus preserve optical flatness is introduced. The soft mounting system enables such protection by being more flexible that the beamsplitter substrate so external forces deforms the mount rather than the beamsplitter. Although the soft beamsplitter mounting configurations disclosed herein protects the beamsplitter, the interferometer itself is less stable because the mounts of the present invention allows the beamsplitter to tilt more easily than other components held in the interferometer. The improved tilt control embodiments of the present invention turns this seemingly deleterious effect into a cost saving benefit by using the inexpensive soft mounting system as a flexure to allow an improved active control system to maintain tilt alignment in a system that is more rugged than conventional interferometers.

Abstract: An all-graphite interferometer bearing assembly is introduced that allows the movement of a movable mirror in a Michelson interferometer without degradation during use. The assembly includes a stationary hollow graphite tube and a movable assembly which includes a mirror and a monolithic graphite member slidably disposed within the bore of the graphite tube that is composed of the same grade of graphite material as the monolithic graphite member. The result is a robust novel moving mirror arrangement in a Michelson interferometer that enables precise mirror alignment control, a long stroke length, excellent vibration damping and reduced sensitivity to external vibrations.

Abstract: An optical device is provided that includes a converging lens device, a transmitting optical fiber, a sample holder, and a receiving optical fiber. The converging lens device focuses light onto the transmitting optical fiber, which receives the focused light through an entrance face and transmits the light from an exit face, through a sample, and onto the receiving optical fiber. The sample holder holds the sample for analysis. The receiving optical fiber receives the light through an entrance face of the receiving optical fiber after transmission through the sample. The converging lens device is positioned to focus the light onto the entrance face of the transmitting optical fiber such that a half-angle of the angular distribution of the focused light that reaches the entrance face of the transmitting optical fiber is selected to underfill an entrance aperture of the entrance face of the receiving optical fiber in both a spatial dimension and an angular dimension.

Abstract: The embodiments of the present invention are directed to addressing the complexity, sample geometry, and even pressure feedback issues associated with mechanical-only mechanisms. In particular, by utilizing one or more bellows capsules in an attenuated total internal reflection (ATR) instrument as a pressure vessel that can expand, contract, and tilt in all directions, the mechanisms disclosed herein can substantially apply uniform pressure to an interposed sample surface to include non-orthogonal sample surfaces, and thus conform to any sample geometry within such instruments. The result of the novel arrangements described herein is to provide a user with a convenient and simple interface for operating the interrogating ATR optical instrument.

Abstract: The present application is directed to a novel spectrometer configured with a built-in attenuated total reflectance (ATR) and accessory compartment. In particular, an arranged sample analysis compartment provided by the spectrometer performs attenuated total reflectance analysis of a sample and includes a crystal, a tip configured to press the sample against the crystal, and a detector configured to detect light after reflection within the crystal. As part of the configuration, an actuator moves an optical element between a first position wherein the optical element receives modulated light and reflects the modulated light toward the crystal and a second position wherein the optical element does not receive the modulated light so as to instead allow an additionally configured optical component to receive the modulated light.