Analysis apparatus and method

1. A method for investigating the macro structure of a sample, the method comprising:

irradiating the sample with radiation having a plurality of frequencies in the range from 25 GHz to 20 THz;

detecting radiation reflected from and/or transmitted by said sample to obtain a spectra of the sample; and

identifying structure in the resultant spectra which arises from intermolecular interactions in order to determine information about the macrostructure of the sample.

2. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising irradiating the sample with radiation in the range of 25 THz to 120 THz and identifying structure in the resultant spectra which arises from intramolecular vibrations.

3. A method according to either of claims 1 or 2 , wherein the radiation is pulsed radiation.

4. A method according to claim 3 , further comprising the step of deriving the refractive index of the sample.

5. A method according to claim 3 , wherein said sample is held at a maximum temperature of up to 150K during irradiation.

6. A method according to claim 5 , wherein said sample is held at a maximum temperature of up to 101K.

7. A method according to claim 3 , wherein the sample is under vacuum when irradiated.

8. A method according to claim 3 , wherein the sample is under dry nitrogen or dry air when irradiated.

9. A method according to claim 3 , wherein the sample is powderized and mixed with an inert material prior to irradiation.

10. A method according to claim 9 , wherein the inert material is polyethylene.

11. A method according to claim 3 , wherein said sample is at most 5 mm thick.

12. A method according to claim 3 , adapted for assessing samples after storage, where the resultant spectra is compared with the known spectra of the molecule.

13. A method according to claim 3 , wherein the sample is irradiated while located in a plastic bag.

14. A method according to claim 3 , wherein the step of identifying structure in the resultant spectra comprises comparing the resultant spectra with known spectra.

15. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the step of identifying the structure in the resultant spectra comprises determining information concerning the polymorphic structure of the sample.

16. A method according to either of claims 1 or 2 , wherein the radiation is continuous wave radiation.

17. A method according to claim 16 , further comprising the step of deriving the refractive index of the sample.

18. A method according to claim 16 , wherein said sample is held at a maximum temperature of up to 150K during irradiation.

19. A method according to claim 18 , wherein said sample is held at a maximum temperature of up to 101K.

20. A method according to claim 16 , wherein the sample is under vacuum when irradiated.

21. A method according to any of claim 16 , wherein the sample is under dry nitrogen or dry air when irradiated.

22. A method according to claim 16 , wherein the sample is powderized and mixed with an inert material prior to irradiation.

23. A method according to claim 22 , wherein the inert material is polyethylene.

24. A method according to claim 16 , wherein said sample is at most 5 mm thick.

25. A method according to claim 16 , adapted for assessing samples after storage, where the resultant spectra is compared with the known spectra of the molecule.

26. A method according to claim 16 , wherein the sample is irradiated while located in a plastic bag.

27. A method according to claim 16 , wherein the step of identifying structure in the resultant spectra comprises comparing the resultant spectra with known spectra.

28. method according to either of claims 1 or 2 , further comprising the step of deriving the refractive index of the sample.

29. A method according to claims 1 or 2 , wherein said sample is held at a maximum temperature of up to 150K during irradiation.

30. A method according to claim 29 , wherein said sample is held at a maximum temperature of up to 101K.

31. A method according to either of claims 1 or 2 , wherein the sample is under vacuum when irradiated.

32. A method according to either of claims 1 or 2 , wherein the sample is under dry nitrogen or dry air when irradiated.

33. A method according to either of claims 1 or 2 , wherein the sample is powderized and mixed with an inert material prior to irradiation.

34. A method according to claim 33 , wherein the inert material is polyethylene.

35. A method according to either of claims 1 or 2 , wherein said sample is at most 5 mm thick.

36. A method according to either of claims 1 or 3 adapted for quality control, where the resultant spectra is compared with the known spectra of the molecule.

37. A method according to either of claims 1 or 2 , adapted for assessing samples after storage, where the resultant spectra is compared with the known spectra of the molecule.

38. A method according to either of claims 1 or 2 , wherein the sample is irradiated while located in a plastic bag.

39. A method according to either of claims 1 or 2 , wherein the step of identifying structure in the resultant spectra comprises comparing the resultant spectra with known spectra.

40. An apparatus for studying the macro structure of a molecular sample, the apparatus comprising:

an emitter for irradiating the sample with radiation having a plurality of frequencies in the range from 25 GHz to 20 THz;

a detector for detecting radiation reflected from and/or transmitted by the sample and producing a spectra of the sample; and

means for identifying structure in the spectra arising from intermolecular interactions in order to determine information about the macrostructure of the sample.

41. An apparatus according to claim 40 , wherein said means for identifying structure comprises means to compare the detected spectra with known spectra.

42. An apparatus according to claim 41 , configured to monitor quality of a batch of samples, said apparatus comprising means to set a known spectra of the desired Polymorph and means to compare spectra produced from each of said samples with said known spectra.