Patent ID: 9400214
Filing Date: 2016-07-26
CPC Classification: G01J,G01N

Claim Text:
1. An apparatus for analyzing, identifying or imaging a target, the apparatus comprising: a laser system operable to generate first and second laser beams having respective different frequencies, and to combine the first and second laser beams in an optical path; a photoconductive element provided in the optical path exposed to the combined first and second laser beams to emit electromagnetic radiation having a difference frequency dependent on a difference between said respective different frequencies of the first and second laser beams such that the electromagnetic radiation at the difference frequency is incident on the target which produces a return electromagnetic radiation that is co-incident on the photoconductive element with the combined first and second laser beams and detected by the photoconductive element to produce a detection signal such that a single photoconductive element produces (i) the difference frequency that is incident on the target as well as (ii) the detection signal responsive to the return electromagnetic radiation; and a processor for processing the detection signal to identify at least one characteristic of the target.