Abstract: A quasi-translator for economically producing pure, smooth translational motion with broad arcuate or error-free motion regardless of orientation, which is useful in numerous interferometer applications including spectroscopy, a Fourier modulator and a Fourier spectrometer are provided. The quasi-translator utilizes a support, an arm including a driving magnet on a first end and a driven element on a second end, an axis for rotation of the arm, a bearing system that controls the rotation of the arm about the axis, a drive coil and a drive amplifier to drive the arm in the arcuate motion. The quasi-translator may be employed in a Fourier modulator to change the optical path difference of the interferometer/quasi-translator at a substantially constant rate of change. The quasi-translator and/or Fourier modulator may be used in a Fourier spectrometer to create an optical spectrum from a light beam and/or electrical signal created from the light beam.

Abstract: A power system, power circuit, and methods for maintaining or providing a constant or substantially constant power source and for reducing and/or minimizing power decay of a predetermined component are provided. Such improvement of power delivery and minimization of power loss is important for precision instrumentation applications. One such application is the infrared (“IR”) source driver for a Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer (“FTIR”). The power system and/or circuit may include two integrated circuits in a novel way to make an efficient constant power IR source driver. The method may include having a switching regulator comparing a sample of output voltage with a reference voltage, a second element computing, calculating and/or creating a voltage that is a product of another voltage and a current to obtain a signal proportional to delivered power, and operating a closed loop regulator to provide a constant delivered power to the source.

Abstract: A spectrometer (110) having an interferometer, a detector (120) that produces a detector signal (20), and a dual-digitizer system including two analog-to-digital converters that simultaneously digitize low-gain and high-gain versions of the detector signal, and suitable data structures and associated firmware for merging the two resulting sets of digitized data into a single, high dynamic range set of data.

Abstract: A novel system and method for measuring and monitoring heart rate during exercise is disclosed. A near-real-time heart rate is obtained by extracting an electrocardiographic signal via electrically conductive handgrips, severely reducing the bandwidth of the signal using analog filtering, and then applying sophisticated digital correlation and logic techniques to extract the heart rate. The severe reduction of information content accomplished by the analog filter allows sophisticated digital treatment of the remaining signal by inexpensive digital processing means. In the present embodiment, a mass-produced general-purpose single-chip 8-bit microprocessor is adequate to accomplish all the required digitization and calculations.

Abstract: A wedge-type interferometer is disclosed that is supported three-dimensionally by a cast inner shell, which contains a readily removable optical cartridge supporting the fixed and movable wedge-shape prisms of the interferometer. The fixed prism is supported from one side of a centerpiece of the cartridge while the movable prism is supported from the other side of the centerpiece for linear, scanning movement. The cartridge may be mechanically and optically aligned prior to insertion into the inner shell, and is easily removed if additional adjustments are required. A first corner cube mirror is supported by a plate secured to one wall of the inner shell and is aligned by micropositioner adjustment in the X-axis. A second corner cube mirror is supported by a plate secured to another wall of the inner shell and is aligned by micropositioner adjustment in the Y-axis. After alignment, the micrometers are removed, and the inner shell may be mounted in an outer, hermetically-sealed casting.

Abstract: A laser referencing system is disclosed which is used in a refractively scanning interferometer. The interferometer optics comprise a fixed wedge-shaped prism having a beamsplitter surface, a movable wedge-shaped prism, and two corner cube reflectors. A laser clocking beam enters the interferometer on a path below the infrared analytical beam, and leaves the interferometer on a path above the infrared beam. Quadrature control of the laser beams is used to control the ends of the scanning sweeps, eliminating the need for a third, "white light" interferometer beam. ZPD alignment is accomplished by horizontal adjustment of the fixed beamsplitter prism. The interferometer optics are supported three-dimensionally in a cast shell.

Abstract: An interferometer spectrometer having a source of infrared analytical radiation, a fixed reflector, a moving reflector and a beam splitter for directing the analytical radiation to the reflectors. The beam splitter is formed of a semiconductor material which, in a preferred embodiment, is silicon. In a preferred physical embodiment, the beam splitter is configured as a wedge.

Abstract: A light-pipe flow cell (10) for high pressure fluids is disclosed which has a main support body (15) with a gold light-pipe element (22) mounted therein. Infrared transmissive windows (26, 27) are mounted to the main support body against sealing rings (31, 32) to seal off the polished central bore (23) of the light-pipe element from ambient atmosphere while allowing an infrared beam to be passed therethrough. Pressure plates (14, 18) are mounted to the main support body (15) to apply pressure to the windows over the sealing rings to tightly seal the windows without exerting undue stress thereon. Flow of liquid or supercritical fluid from a chromatography column is directed through inlet channels (35, 38) in the support body and light-pipe element to one end of the light-pipe bore (23) and out of the opposite end of the bore through a channel (41) in the light-pipe element and a communicating channel (36) in the main support body.

Abstract: An analytical instrument including a source of analytical radiation, a support for a sample to be analyzed, an analytical radiation detector and optical elements for directing the analytical radiation within the instrument including a beam condenser system having elements for focusing the radiation relative to the sample support and the detector and elements for collimating radiation focused relative to the sample support and deflecting it for focusing on the detector. The collimating and deflecting elements are supported for common movement in a first direction with the collimating element being supported for movement, independently of the deflecting element, in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. The collimating and deflecting elements may each be reflecting elements or the collimating element may be a refracting element.