Abstract:
Macroscopic and microscopic samples are imaged through a spectral filter operable into the short wave infrared, e.g., to approximately 3200 nm. The sample is illuminated for reflective, transmissive, fluorescent and/or Raman imaging by a laser or metal-halide arc beam. The filter has tunable birefringent retarders distributed rotationally and stacked in stages leading up to a selection polarizer. Image forming optics and CCD cameras collect the luminance of each pixel in the spatially resolved image, at multiple wavelengths to which the filter is tuned successively. The filter stages have comb shaped transmission characteristics. Two filter stages with distinctly different characteristics can be cascaded, one or both being tunable. The combined transmission characteristic has narrow passbands where the bandpass peaks of the stages coincide and wide free spectral range where the peaks do not coincide. Embodiments are disclosed for forensic analysis, material composition and morphology, chemical compound identification and detection of biological species.
Abstract:
System and method for spatially and spectrally parallelized FAST. A sample is illuminated to thereby produce interacted photons. The photons are passed through a filter and received at a two-dimensional end of a FAST device wherein said FAST device comprises a two-dimensional array of optical fibers drawn into a one-dimensional fiber stack so as to effectively convert a two-dimensional array of optical fibers into a curvilinear field of view, and wherein said two-dimensional array of optical fibers is configured to receive said photons and transfer said photons out of said fiber array spectral translator device and to a spectrograph through said one-dimensional fiber stack wherein said one-dimensional fiber stack comprises at least two columns of fibers spatially offset in parallel at the entrance slit of said spectrograph. The photons are then detected at a detector to thereby obtain a spectroscopic data set representative of the sample.
Abstract:
A system and method for analyzing a forensic sample. A forensic sample is illuminated nondestructively with light of a first wavelength λ1. A first image of the forensic sample is imaged using light emitted at a second wavelength λ2, the second wavelength filtered by a multi-conjugate tunable filter. A second image of the forensic sample is imaged using the light emitted from the sample at a third wavelength λ3, different from λ2, the third wavelength filtered by a multi-conjugate tunable filter. A calculated image of the forensic image is then created from the first image and the second image. The disclosure also provides for obtaining a processed image by applying a chemometric technique to the calculated image and for identifying the sample as a known forensic material by searching a reference database for a match to either the calculated image or the processed image.
Abstract:
The disclosure generally relates to a method and apparatus for a fiberscope. In one embodiment, the disclosure relates to a chemical imaging fiberscope for imaging and collecting optical spectra from a sample having at least one illumination fiber for transmitting light from a first an a second light source to a distal end of a fiberscope; a dichroic mirror disposed at said distal end of the fiberscope such that light from said first light source passes substantially straight through said mirror and light of a predetermined wavelength from said second light source is substantially reflected by said mirror toward said sample to thereby illuminate said sample; and at least one collection fiber for receiving light from said illuminated sample and transmitting the received light to an optical device.
Abstract:
A method for the detection and identification of pathogenic microorganisms using Raman scattered light and emitted light. The method may include passing the Raman scattered light and emitted light through a FAST fiber array spectral translator.
Abstract:
A method for the detection and identification of pathogenic microorganisms using Raman scattered light and transmitted light in the near infrared spectral region. The method may include passing the Raman scattered light and transmitted light through a FAST fiber array spectral translator.
Abstract:
The disclosure relates to a portable system having a fiber array spectral translator (“FAST”) for obtaining a spatially accurate wavelength-resolved image of a sample having a first and a second spatial dimension that can be used for the detection of hazardous agents by irradiating a sample with light, forming an image of all or part of the sample using Raman shifted light from the sample, and analyzing the Raman shifted light for patterns characteristic of one or more hazardous agents.
Abstract:
The disclosure generally relates to a multimode imaging apparatus for simultaneously obtaining multiple wavelength-discriminative spectral images of a sample. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes an image selector having a rotator assembly, the rotator assembly housing a first plurality of optical components, the image selector adapted to receive a illuminating photons having a first wavelength and direct the illuminating photons to the sample, the image selector adapted to receive illuminating photons interacted with the sample and selectively direct said interacted photons to one of a plurality of detection sources; a microscope turret housing a second plurality of components, the microscope turret adapted to receive illuminating photons having a second wavelength and direct the photons to the sample; the microscopic turret adapted to receive illuminating photons interacted with the sample and selectively direct said interacted photons to one of a plurality of detection sources; wherein substantially all of the interacted photons are selectively directed one of a plurality of detection sources to form multiple wavelength discriminative spectral images of the sample simultaneously.
Abstract:
The disclosure generally relates to a method and apparatus for a fiberscope. In one embodiment, the disclosure relates to a chemical imaging fiberscope for imaging and collecting optical spectra from a sample having at least one illumination fiber for transmitting light from a first an a second light source to a distal end of a fiberscope; a dichroic mirror disposed at said distal end of the fiberscope such that light from said first light source passes substantially straight through said mirror and light of a predetermined wavelength from said second light source is substantially reflected by said mirror toward said sample to thereby illuminate said sample; and at least one collection fiber for receiving light from said illuminated sample and transmitting the received light to an optical device.
Abstract:
The invention relates to methods of assessing one or more geometric properties of a particle of a substance using an infrared spectroscopic property of the substance. The method is useful, for example, for assessing particle sizes and size distributions in mixtures containing both particles of the substance and other materials.