Patent ID: 6423249
Filing Date: 2002-07-23
Classification: G01J,G01N

Abstract:
An optical instrument comprising:a spectral light source, wherein said light source emits light in the far UV range, wherein said light travels along a light path, and wherein said light has at least one wavelength; a means for receiving a sample within said light path; a sensor assembly, wherein said sensor assembly produces a signal upon receiving light, and a calibration medium, wherein said calibration medium assumes a position in said light path between said spectral light source and said sensor assembly, wherein said calibration medium comprises: a gel-silica based glass monolith, wherein said gel-silica based monolith is a type IV porous gel-silica base glass, wherein said type IV porous gel-silica base glass has a UV transmittance of about 50% at 250 nm, and a rare-earth material dopant, wherein said rare-earth material dopant is selected from the group consisting of atoms of a rare-earth class that have partially filled 4f electron shells.