Optical beam spectrometer with movable lens
A spectroscopic system is described that provides at least one of focus of an excitation beam onto a sample, automatic focus of an optical system of the spectroscopic system for collecting a spectroscopic signal, and/or averaging of excitation intensity over a surface area of the sample.
1. A spectroscopic system comprising:
a light source adapted to provide a beam of illumination;
an optical system comprising an optical element adapted to focus the beam of illumination on a sample and receive a spectroscopy signal from the sample;
an electro-mechanical stage adapted to move the optical element along a spectroscopic axis; and
a controller adapted to (i) receive a plurality of spectroscopic measurements taken with the optical element disposed in different locations along the spectroscopic axis and (ii) control the focus of the beam of illumination via the electro-mechanical stage based upon a comparison of the plurality of spectroscopic measurements; and,
wherein the controller is adapted to sum each of the plurality of the spectroscopic signals along a dispersion axis and compare the sums.
2. A spectroscopic system according to claim 1 wherein the controller is adapted to sum each of the spectroscopic signals along a dispersion axis via a horizontal bin of a detector.
3. A spectroscopic system according to claim 1 wherein the optical element comprises a lens.
4. A spectroscopic system according to claim 1 wherein the spectroscopic system comprises a hand-held spectrometer.
5. A spectroscopic system comprising:
a light source adapted to provide a beam of illumination;
an optical system comprising an optical element adapted to focus the beam of illumination on a sample and receive a spectroscopy signal from the sample;
an electro-mechanical stage adapted to move the optical element along a spectroscopic axis; and
a controller adapted to (i) receive a plurality of spectroscopic measurements taken with the optical element disposed in different locations along the spectroscopic axis and (ii) control the focus of the beam of illumination via the electro-mechanical stage based upon a comparison of the plurality of spectroscopic measurements; and,
wherein the optical element comprises a prism.
6. A spectroscopic system according to claim 5 wherein the prism comprises a wedge prism.
7. A spectroscopic system comprising:
a light source adapted to provide a beam of illumination;
an optical system comprising an optical element adapted to focus the beam of illumination on a sample and receive a spectroscopy signal from the sample;
an electro-mechanical stage adapted to move the optical element along a spectroscopic axis; and
a controller adapted to (i) receive a plurality of spectroscopic measurements taken with the optical element disposed in different locations along the spectroscopic axis and (ii) control the focus of the beam of illumination via the electro-mechanical stage based upon a comparison of the plurality of spectroscopic measurements; and,
wherein the electro-mechanical stage is adapted to move the optical element to raster the beam across the sample.
8. A spectroscopic system comprising:
a light source adapted to provide a beam of illumination;
an optical system comprising an optical element adapted to focus the beam of illumination on a sample and receive a spectroscopy signal from the sample;
an electro-mechanical stage adapted to move the optical element along a spectroscopic axis; and
a controller adapted to (i) receive a plurality of spectroscopic measurements taken with the optical element disposed in different locations along the spectroscopic axis and (ii) control the focus of the beam of illumination via the electro-mechanical stage based upon a comparison of the plurality of spectroscopic measurements; and,
wherein the electro-mechanical stage is adapted to move the optical element to scan the beam across the sample.
9. A spectroscopic system comprising:
a light source adapted to provide a beam of illumination;
an optical system comprising an optical element adapted to receive the beam of illumination along a spectroscopic axis, focus the beam of illumination on a sample and receive a spectroscopy signal from the sample;
an electro-mechanical stage adapted to move the optical element of the optical system; and
a controller adapted to control the electro-mechanical stage to alter a path of the beam of illumination with respect to the spectroscopic axis by moving the optical element with respect to the spectroscopic axis.
10. A spectroscopic system according to claim 9 wherein the optical element comprises a lens.
11. A spectroscopic system according to claim 9 wherein the optical element comprises a prism.
12. A spectroscopic system according to claim 11 wherein the prism comprises a wedge prism.
13. A spectroscopic system according to claim 9 wherein the controller is adapted to control the electro-mechanical stage to scan the focused beam across a surface area of a sample.
14. A spectroscopic system according to claim 9 wherein the controller is adapted to control the electro-mechanical stage to raster the focused beam across a surface area of a sample.
15. A spectroscopic system according to claim 9 wherein the electro-mechanical stage is adapted to move the optical element orthogonally to the illumination beam.
16. A spectroscopic system according to claim 9 wherein the optical element comprises a wedge prism and the electro-mechanical stage is adapted to move the wedge prism with respect to the beam of illumination to change the path of the beam of illumination.
17. A spectroscopic system according to claim 9 wherein the controller is further adapted to average a plurality of spectroscopic signals received in response to moving the illumination beam across a surface of a sample.