CPC G02B 27/48 (2013.01) [G01B 9/02084 (2013.01); G01B 11/24 (2013.01)] | 42 Claims |
1. A sample investigation system selected from the group consisting of:
a reflectometer;
a spectrophotometer;
an ellipsometer; and
a polarimeter;
comprising:
a) a source of a spectroscopic beam of electromagnetic radiation;
b) a stage for supporting a sample; and
c) a detector system for monitoring electromagnetic radiation provided from a single sample;
said system being distinguished in that:
said source of a spectroscopic beam of electromagnetic radiation is a supercontinuum laser that provides a high intensity, highly directional coherent spectrum of electromagnetic radiation wavelengths within a range comprising 400 to at least 4400 nm, that results from interaction of a pulsed laser and non-linear processes to cause extensive spectral broadening; and
said sample investigation system further comprising a speckle reducer; said speckle reducer serving to reduce wild swings in intensity of electromagnetic radiation as a function of time and position in a beam, resulting from interference effects between different coherent wavelengths in said extensively broadened spectrum;
and in that said sample investigation system is characterized by at least one selection from the group consisting of:
in use, said source of a spectroscopic beam of electromagnetic radiation directs a beam provided thereby to a sample placed on said stage for supporting a sample, at an angle thereto, but does not involve said beam passing through a combination beam splitter and objective lens, in that order;
in use, fluorescence caused to occur by an illumination beam of electromagnetic radiation is not detected by a detector for spatially resolving radiation emitted by an object to be examined, and an illumination beam path between an illumination means and an object to be examined, and a detection beam path between said object to be examined and a detector do not comprise illumination optics which are designed to generate a light sheet of illumination radiation extending transverse to the illumination beam path, and wherein the axis of the detection beam path is oriented substantially perpendicular to a section plane of light sheet and the object to be examined, and an illumination beam path between an illumination means and an object to be examined, and a detection beam path between said object to be examined and a detector do not comprise illumination optics which are designed to generate a light sheet of illumination radiation extending transverse to an axis of the illuminating beam path, and the detection beam path is not oriented at an angle diverging from θ degrees to a section plane of the light sheet and of the object to be examined; and
in use said system does not utilize a supercontinuum source comprised of a pulsed laser adapted to pump into a photonic crystal fiber made from chalogenide glasses as a substantial element; or from a pumping CO2 laser adapted to fire into a photonic crystal fiber formed in part from at least one selection from the group of: AlClxBr(1-x), NaCl and ZnSe; or a system comprising a Titanium:Saphire laser adapted to fire femtosecond pulses through a non-linear optical element disposed in an inert gas in a gas containment cell, such that a second harmonic pulse is produced and generates supercontinuum terahertz radiation.
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