Abstract: A system and method for determining the composition of a sample is provided. The system and method according to the present invention comprises: obtaining one or more spectra of the sample; obtaining one or more spectra of one or more target materials; pre-process the sample and the target spectra; providing a variable reduction means that combines certain contiguous spectral variables into a single variable, wherein the intensities of the said single variable is the sum of the intensities of the said spectral variables to be combined; determining an average spectrum and the statistic distribution of the sample and/or each of the target material in the reduced dimension; determining the likelihood the sample had the same composition of each of the one or more target material; and displaying the list of the most likely target material to a user.

Abstract: This invention discloses a Reverse Intensity Correction method for spectral library search to correct for instrument response without the side effect of magnifying the noise in the low responsivity region of test spectra. Instead of applying relative intensity correction to the sample test spectra to match the standardized library spectra, a reverse intensity correction is applied to the standardized library spectra to match the uncorrected sample spectrum. This simple procedural change improves library search performance, especially for dispersive CCD Raman analyzers using NIR excitations, where the instrument response often varies greatly across the spectral range, and SNR in the low responsivity regions is typically poor.

Abstract: This invention relates to a light delivery and collection device for performing spectroscopic analysis of a subject. The light delivery and collection device comprises a reflective cavity with two apertures. The first aperture receives excitation light which then diverges and projects onto the second aperture. The second aperture is applied to the subject such that the reflective cavity substantially forms an enclosure covering an area of the subject. The excitation light interacts with the covered area of the subject to produce inelastic scattering and/or fluorescence emission from the subject. The reflective cavity reflects the excitation light as well as the inelastic scattering and/or fluorescence emission that is reflected and/or back-scattered from the subject and redirects it towards the subject. This causes more excitation light to penetrate into the subject hence enabling sub-surface measurement and also improves the collection efficiency of the inelastic scattering or fluorescence emission.

Abstract: This invention relates to a light delivery and collection device for performing spectroscopic analysis of a subject. The light delivery and collection device comprises a reflective cavity with two apertures. The first aperture receives excitation light which then diverges and projects onto the second aperture. The second aperture is applied to the subject such that the reflective cavity substantially forms an enclosure covering an area of the subject. The excitation light interacts with the covered area of the subject to produce inelastic scattering and/or fluorescence emission from the subject. The reflective cavity reflects the excitation light as well as the inelastic scattering and/or fluorescence emission that is reflected and/or back-scattered from the subject and redirects it towards the subject. This causes more excitation light to penetrate into the subject hence enabling sub-surface measurement and also improves the collection efficiency of the inelastic scattering or fluorescence emission.

Abstract: This invention relates to a light delivery and collection device for performing spectroscopic analysis of a subject. The light delivery and collection device comprises a reflective cavity with two apertures. The first aperture is configured to receive excitation light which then diverges and projects onto the second aperture. The second aperture is configured to be applied close to the subject such that the reflective cavity substantially forms an enclosure covering a large area of the subject. The excitation light enters and interacts with the covered area of the subject to produce inelastic scattering and/or fluorescence emission from the subject. The reflective cavity has a specular reflective surface with high reflectivity to the excitation light as well as to the inelastic scattering and/or fluorescence emission from the subject. The reflective cavity reflects the excitation light that is reflected and/or back-scattered from the subject and redirects it towards the subject.

Abstract: This invention relates to an apparatus and method for performing bidirectional Raman spectroscopy of a sample, preferably a diffusely scattering sample, in which two excitation light sources are employed to illuminate the sample from two opposite directions to excite Raman scattering signal from the sample. The Raman scattering signal which transmits through the sample are collected by two optical devices each positioned on the opposite side of the sample to obtain two transmission Raman spectra of the sample, which enables the accurate determination of the composition of the whole sample.

Abstract: This invention relates to a light delivery and collection device for measuring Raman scattering from a large area of a sample. The light delivery and collection device comprises a reflective cavity made of a material or having a surface coating with high reflectivity to the excitation light and the Raman scattered light. The reflective cavity has two apertures. The first aperture is configured to receive the excitation light which then projects onto the second aperture. The second aperture is configured to be applied close to the sample such that the reflective cavity substantially forms an enclosure covering a large area of the sample. The excitation light produces Raman scattered light from the covered area of the sample. The reflective cavity reflects any excitation light and Raman light scattered from the sample unless the excitation light and the Raman scattered light either emit from the first aperture to be measured with a spectrometer device, or are re-scattered by the sample at the second aperture.

Abstract: This invention relates to a light delivery and collection device for measuring Raman scattering from a large area of a sample. The light delivery and collection device comprises a reflective cavity made of a material or having a surface coating with high reflectivity to the excitation light and the Raman scattered light. The reflective cavity has two apertures. The first aperture is configured to receive the excitation light which then projects onto the second aperture. The second aperture is configured to be applied close to the sample such that the reflective cavity substantially forms an enclosure covering a large area of the sample. The excitation light produces Raman scattered light from the covered area of the sample. The reflective cavity reflects any excitation light and Raman light scattered from the sample unless the excitation light and the Raman scattered light either emit from the first aperture to be measured with a spectrometer device, or are re-scattered by the sample at the second aperture.

Abstract: This invention relates to a light delivery and collection device for measuring Raman scattering from a large area of a sample. The light delivery and collection device comprises a reflective cavity made of a material or having a surface coating with high reflectivity to the excitation light and the Raman scattered light. The reflective cavity has two apertures. The first aperture is configured to receive the excitation light which then projects onto the second aperture. The second aperture is configured to be applied close to the sample such that the reflective cavity substantially forms an enclosure covering a large area of the sample. The excitation light produces Raman scattered light from the covered area of the sample. The reflective cavity reflects any excitation light and Raman light scattered from the sample unless the excitation light and the Raman scattered light either emit from the first aperture to be measured with a spectrometer device, or are re-scattered by the sample at the second aperture.

Abstract: This invention relates to a light delivery and collection device for performing spectroscopic analysis of a subject. The light delivery and collection device comprises a reflective cavity with two apertures. The first aperture is configured to receive excitation light which then diverges and projects onto the second aperture. The second aperture is configured to be applied close to the subject such that the reflective cavity substantially forms an enclosure covering a large area of the subject. The excitation light enters and interacts with the covered area of the subject to produce inelastic scattering and/or fluorescence emission from the subject. The reflective cavity has a specular reflective surface with high reflectivity to the excitation light as well as to the inelastic scattering and/or fluorescence emission from the subject. The reflective cavity reflects the excitation light that is reflected and/or back-scattered from the subject and redirects it towards the subject.

Abstract: This invention relates to an apparatus and method for performing bidirectional Raman spectroscopy of a sample, preferably a diffusely scattering sample, in which two excitation light sources are employed to illuminate the sample from two opposite directions to excite Raman scattering signal from the sample. The Raman scattering signal which transmits through the sample are collected by two optical devices each positioned on the opposite side of the sample to obtain two transmission Raman spectra of the sample, which enables the accurate determination of the composition of the whole sample.

Abstract: This invention discloses a Reverse Intensity Correction method for spectral library search to correct for instrument response without the side effect of magnifying the noise in the low responsivity region of test spectra. Instead of applying relative intensity correction to the sample test spectra to match the standardized library spectra, a reverse intensity correction is applied to the standardized library spectra to match the uncorrected sample spectrum. This simple procedural change improves library search performance, especially for dispersive CCD Raman analyzers using NIR excitations, where the instrument response often varies greatly across the spectral range, and SNR in the low responsivity regions is typically poor.

Abstract: This invention discloses an improved laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) apparatus and method for the detection of mineral and metal contamination in liquid samples. The mineral and metal contaminant is first collected by filtering the liquid sample with a membrane filter. The membrane filter with the mineral and metal contaminant is then measured by a LIBS apparatus. The LIBS apparatus is based on a high repetition rate pulsed laser. The laser produces a train of laser pulses at a high repetition rate in the kHz (or even higher) range. When the laser beam hits the surface of the membrane filter, it generates several thousands of micro-plasma emissions per second. Synchronized miniature CCD array optical spectrometer modules collect the LIBS signal from these micro-plasma emissions. By adjusting the integration time of the spectrometer to cover a plurality of periods of the laser pulse train, the spectrometer integrates the LIBS signal produced by this plurality of laser pulses.

Abstract: This invention discloses a compact laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) apparatus suitable for field operations. The LIBS apparatus comprises a Q-switched laser with laser pulse energy between several tens and several thousands of micro joules (?J), which is significantly lower than that of traditional LIBS lasers. The spectrograph of the LIBS apparatus employs a dual CCD (charge coupled device) design, which maintains compact size and in the meantime offers large spectral coverage and high spectral resolution.

Abstract: This invention discloses an improved laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) apparatus and method for the detection of mineral and metal contamination in liquid samples. The mineral and metal contaminant is first collected by filtering the liquid sample with a membrane filter. The membrane filter with the mineral and metal contaminant is then measured by a LIBS apparatus. The LIBS apparatus is based on a high repetition rate pulsed laser. The laser produces a train of laser pulses at a high repetition rate in the kHz (or even higher) range. When the laser beam hits the surface of the membrane filter, it generates several thousands of micro-plasma emissions per second. Synchronized miniature CCD array optical spectrometer modules collect the LIBS signal from these micro-plasma emissions. By adjusting the integration time of the spectrometer to cover a plurality of periods of the laser pulse train, the spectrometer integrates the LIBS signal produced by this plurality of laser pulses.

Abstract: A system and method for determining the composition of a sample is provided. The system and method according to the present invention comprises: obtaining one or more spectra of the sample; obtaining one or more spectra of one or more target materials; pre-process the sample and the target spectra; providing a variable reduction means that combines certain contiguous spectral variables into a single variable, wherein the intensities of the said single variable is the sum of the intensities of the said spectral variables to be combined; determining an average spectrum and the statistic distribution of the sample and/or each of the target material in the reduced dimension; determining the likelihood the sample had the same composition of each of the one or more target material; and displaying the list of the most likely target material to a user.

Abstract: This invention discloses a compact laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) apparatus suitable for field operations. The LIBS apparatus comprises a Q-switched laser with laser pulse energy between several tens and several thousands of micro joules (?J), which is significantly lower than that of traditional LIBS lasers. The spectrograph of the LIBS apparatus employs a dual CCD (charge coupled device) design, which maintains compact size and in the meantime offers large spectral coverage and high spectral resolution.

Abstract: This invention discloses a handheld Raman spectrometer.