US 12,306,092 B2
Imaging spectropolarimeter and sample characterization methodology utilizing the same
Mazen Zawaideh, Carlsbad, CA (US); Chris Claypool, Carlsbad, CA (US); and Emad Zawaideh, Carlsbad, CA (US)
Assigned to BRUKER NANO, INC., Goleta, CA (US)
Filed by Bruker Nano, Inc., Santa Barbara, CA (US)
Filed on Nov. 2, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/979,427.
Application 17/979,427 is a continuation in part of application No. 16/219,618, filed on Dec. 13, 2018, granted, now 11,499,870.
Application 16/219,618 is a continuation in part of application No. 14/121,491, filed on Sep. 11, 2014, abandoned.
Prior Publication US 2023/0057928 A1, Feb. 23, 2023
Int. Cl. G01N 21/21 (2006.01); G01N 21/95 (2006.01); G01N 33/483 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 21/21 (2013.01) [G01N 21/9501 (2013.01); G01N 33/4833 (2013.01)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A material characterization apparatus comprising:
(i) a holder device configured to house material contents therein;
(ii) an imaging spectropolarimeter that includes:
a light source configured to generate polarized light, said light source including an optical spectral filter configured to define a desired spectral range of said polarized light and a source polarizer having a transmission axis thereof oriented at a polarizer angle with respect to a chosen axis, wherein the polarizer angle is defined within a range from about 18° to about 25° and is necessarily dependent on a refraction index of the material contents;
an optical detection system including:
a first optical camera sub-system comprising a first camera polarizer configured to have a first transmission axis thereof to be substantially co-linear with the chosen axis, a first lens, and a first optical sensor,
a second optical sub-system comprising a second camera polarizer configured to have a second transmission axis thereof to be tilted by substantially 45° to said chosen axis, a second lens, and a second optical sensor,
a third optical camera sub-system comprising a third camera polarizer configured to have a third transmission axis thereof to be at substantially 90° with respect to said chosen axis, a third lens, and a third optical sensor;
and
an optical delivery system configured to receive at least a portion of said polarized light and to redirect light from the at least a portion of said polarized light to each of the first, second, and third optical camera units sub-systems; and
(iii) a programmable electronic circuitry operably connected to the optical detection system and a computer usable tangible non-transitory storage medium, said storage medium having computer readable program code thereon, the computer readable program including:
program code for acquiring first, second, and third optical data respectively representing first, second, and third spatial distributions of intensities of portions of the light received respectively by the first, second, and third optical sensors; and
program code for generating, based on said first, second, and third optical data, first, second, and third polarimetric images of the material contents of the holder;
wherein the holder device is disposed in optical communication with the light source and the optical delivery system;
wherein the material characterization apparatus is configured to acquire the first, second, and third optical data substantially simultaneously and/or generate the first, second, and third polarimetric images substantially simultaneously, and
wherein said material characterization apparatus is configured as a non-invasive biomedical diagnostic system or as a semiconductor material inspection system.