Abstract: An apparatus for separating fluorescent light from light elastically scattered/reflected from a material illuminated with a broadband illumination source includes a polarization discriminator, which separates the substantially polarized elastically scattered/reflected light from the unpolarized fluorescent light, and a spectrometer to analyze the full and separated reflectance spectra. A linear polarizer may be provided to polarize the illumination source. A method for separating fluorescence light induced in a material by broadband light from an elastic scattering/reflection component includes providing polarization discrimination to separate the components, the fluorescence light being substantially unpolarized, and spectrally analyzing the reflectance components. The method may include linearly polarizing the light source. A fluorescence spectra may be extracted from a minimum reflectance spectra or from a residual polarization reflectance spectra.

Abstract: An apparatus for dissociation of gas molecules which absorb light comprising a resonance optical cavity, a nozzle for introducing gas molecules into the resonance optical cavity in contact with the high velocity gas molecules, a focusing lens for focusing the laser beam at the point of contact of the laser beam and the high velocity gas molecules, a 100 percent reflecting mirror for receiving the laser beam after it passes through such molecules, a partially reflecting mirror positioned between the molecules for reflecting a portion of laser beam back into the laser and the remainder of the beam through the gas molecules to the 100 percent reflecting mirror.