Brightspec, Inc.

University of Virginia Patent Foundation

Brent Harris

Brooks Hart Pate

Justin L Neill

Amanda Steber

Kevin K Lehmann

Amanda Streber

Methods and apparatuses for direct multiplication Fourier transform millimeter wave spectroscopy are disclosed herein. A sample method includes generating at least one pulse of microwave electromagnetic energy. The sample method also includes frequency-multiplying the pulse(s) to generate at least one frequency-multiplied pulse and filtering at least one spurious harmonic of the frequency-multiplied pulse to generate at least one filtered pulse. The spurious harmonic is generated by frequency-multiplying the pulse. The method also includes exciting a sample using the filtered pulse. The method further includes detecting an emission from the sample. The emission is elicited at least in part by the filtered pulse.

Methods and apparatus for direct multiplication Fourier transform millimeter wave spectroscopy

Apparatus and techniques for broadband Fourier transform spectroscopy can include frequency hopping spread-spectrum spectroscopy approaches. For example, an excitation source power can be spread over a specified frequency bandwidth, such as by applying a sequence of short, transform-limited pulses to a sample. Each pulse can include a specified carrier frequency, and a corresponding bandwidth of the individual pulse can be determined by a frequency domain representation when Fourier transformed. A series of short excitation pulses can be used to create an excitation sequence, such as to deliver a specified or desired amount of power to the sample, such as by having the excitation source enabled for a time comparable to a free induction decay (FID) dephasing time.

Frequency hopping spread spectrum (FHSS) fourier transform spectroscopy

Examples herein include apparatus and techniques that can be used to perform rotational spectroscopy on gas-phase samples. Such techniques can include using a spectrometer providing frequency synthesis and pulse modulation to provide excitation (e.g., pump or probe pulses) of a gas-phase sample at mm-wave frequencies. Synthesis of such mm-wave frequencies can include use of a frequency multiplier, such as an active multiplier chain (AMC). A free induction decay (FID) elicited by the excitation or other time-domain information can be obtained from the sample, such as down-converted and digitized. A frequency domain representation of the digitized information, such as a Fourier transformed representation, can be used to provide a rotational spectrum.

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Charlottesville, VA, United States of America

Brent Harris