Optical technique for material characterization

1. A polarized Raman Spectrometric system for defining parameters of a polycrystalline material, said system comprising:

a polarized Raman Spectrometric apparatus,

a computer-controlled sample stage for positioning a sample at different locations, and

a computer comprising a processor and an associated memory,

wherein said polarized Raman Spectrometric apparatus is configured to generate one or more signals from an elongated line-shaped points on said sample, and said processor analyzes said one or more signals to define the parameters of said polycrystalline material;

wherein said polarized Raman Spectrometric apparatus comprises:

a light source for generating a light beam;

a detection unit including a spectrometer;

an optical system comprised of multiple lenses including an objective lens and a line-spot element for shaping an illumination spot so as to project said elongated line-shaped points on said sample; and

a 2-D image sensor connected to said spectrometer, said 2-D image sensor receives said elongated line-shaped points from said spectrometer and creates a 2D image of lines that are directly related to the points on the sample.

2. The polarized Raman Spectrometric system of claim 1 , wherein one of the parameters of said polycrystalline material is an average grain size.

3. The polarized Raman Spectrometric system of claim 1 , wherein said line-spot element is selected from a cylindrical lens, a holographic optical element, and a micro-lens array.

4. The polarized Raman Spectrometric system of claim 1 , wherein said optical system is a high numerical aperture (NA) to allow collection of the one or more from multiple locations in a single measurement.

5. The polarized Raman Spectrometric system of claim 4 , wherein said numerical aperture is adjustable to vary the dimensions of said elongated line-shaped points on the sample.

6. The polarized Raman Spectrometric system of claim 5 , wherein said numerical aperture is adjustable via a variable aperture positioned at the back-focal-plane of said objective lens.

7. The polarized Raman Spectrometric system of claim 1 , wherein said processor uses the 2D image of lines created by said 2-D image sensor for (i) retrieving Raman peaks from said 2D image of said lines; (ii) generating a distribution of Raman amplitudes; (hi) determining the intensity of the Raman peaks related to said material; (iv) calculating the standard deviation from the distribution of Raman amplitudes of said Raman peaks; and (v) calculating the average grain size therefrom.

8. The polarized Raman Spectrometric system of claim 1 , wherein said sample stage is translated along the X-Y axes.

9. The polarized Raman Spectrometric system of claim 1 , wherein scanning said light beam enables collecting signals from the small spots at multiple locations on said sample.

10. A polarized Raman Spectrometric system for defining parameters of a polycrystalline material, said system comprising:

a polarized Raman Spectrometric apparatus;

a computer-controlled sample stage for positioning a sample at different locations; and

a computer comprising a processor and an associated memory;

wherein said polarized Raman Spectrometric apparatus comprises:

a light source for generating a light beam,

a detection unit including a spectrometer, and

an optical system comprised of multiple lenses including an objective lens;

wherein said polarized Raman Spectrometric apparatus generates one or more signals from small sized spots at multiple locations on a sample, and said processor analyzes said one or more signals to define the parameters of said polycrystalline material;

wherein said processor uses the one or more signals detected via said detection unit for (i) retrieving Raman peaks from said 2D image of said lines; (ii) generating a distribution of Raman amplitudes; (iii) determining the intensity of the Raman peaks related to said material; (iv) calculating the standard deviation from the distribution of Raman amplitudes of said Raman peaks; and (v) calculating the average grain size therefrom.

11. A method for defining parameters of a polycrystalline material, said method comprising:

(i) providing a Polarized Raman Spectrometric system; wherein the Polarized Raman Spectrometric system comprises: (i) a polarized Raman Spectrometric apparatus; (ii) a computer-controlled sample stage for positioning a sample at different locations, and (iii) a computer comprising a processor and an associated memory; wherein said polarized Raman Spectrometric apparatus generates one or more signals from either small sized spots at multiple locations on a sample, or from an elongated line-shaped points on said sample, and said processor analyzes said one or more signals to define the parameters of said polycrystalline material;

(ii) generating plurality of signals from either small spots at multiple locations on a sample or from an elongated line-shaped points on said sample, and

(iii) analyzing said plurality of signals to define the parameters of said polycrystalline material; and

wherein at least one of the following is true:

(i) when generating one or more signals from the elongated line-shaped points on said sample, the method further comprising: (i) creating a 2D image of lines, (ii) retrieving Raman peaks from said 2D image of said lines; (hi) generating a distribution of Raman amplitudes of the Raman peaks from said 21) image of said lines; (iii) determining the intensity of the Raman peaks from said 2D image of said lines related to said material; (iv) calculating the standard deviation from the distribution of Raman amplitudes of said Raman peaks from said 2D image of said lines; and (v) calculating the average grain size therefrom; or

(ii) when generating one or more signals from said small spots at multiple locations on said sample, the method further comprising: (i) detecting said one or more signals from said small spots, (ii) retrieving Raman peaks of said one or more signals from said small spots: (ii generating a distribution of Raman amplitudes of the Raman peaks of said one or more signals from said small spots; (iii) determining the intensity of the Raman peaks of said one or more signals from said small spots; related to said material; (iv) calculating the standard deviation from the distribution of Raman amplitudes of said Raman peaks of said one or more signals from said small spots; and (v) calculating the average grain size therefrom.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein said method comprising defining an average grain size of said polycrystalline material.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein generating the one or more signals from said small spots comprising translating said sample stage along the X-Y axes of said stage for positioning the sample at the multiple locations, thus, for collecting signals from the multiple locations.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein generating the one or more signals from said small spots comprising scanning a light beam for collecting signals from the multiple locations.