Photon Technology International, Inc.

Ronald J Kovach

Jeffry J Santman

Charles G Marianik

Andrew W Krause

A random wavelength access monochromator incorporates a pair of coaxial off-axis parabolic reflectors configured so that the spherical aberrations introduced by the reflectors cancel each other. Light enters through an entrance slit and impinges upon a first off-axis parabolic reflector that collimates the beam and directs it towards a stationary grating. The grating in turn defracts the light and directs it towards a high speed scanning mirror which reflects the defracted light onto a second off-axis parabolic reflector which in turn focuses the beam to an exit slit. Both off-axis parabolic surfaces share the same axis of revolution and the same collimated beam axis. In order to make the apparatus practical, the beam is folded twice so that the exit point is focused away from the internal path of the beam. The resulting instrument is capable of accepting a broad wavelength beam of light, dividing that broad band light into discrete wavelength bands of less than 1 nm optic wavelength, and emitting only the desired wavelength band.

Random wavelength access monochromator incorporating coaxial off-axis

A dual wavelength spectrophotometer produces a relatively small, high power, high duty cycle light spot from a single relatively low power multi-chromatic light source. A Xenon arc lamp light source is focused by an ellipsoidal mirror onto a rotating partially reflective optical chopper. The chopper comprises a wheel having mirrored segments alternately separated by transparent segments. Light reflected by the mirrored segments passes through a first monochromator which produces a first monochromatic light beam. Light transmitted through the transparent segments passes through a second monochromator and emerges as a second monochromatic light beam having a wavelength different from the wavelength of said first monochromatic light beam. The first and second monochromatic light beams are recombined into a single dual wavelength light beam that is reflected through a sample to be analyzed. Reflective front surfaces are employed throughout the system in order to minimize power loss.

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Langhorne, PA, United States of America

Ronald J Kovach