Patent ID: 6031609
Filing Date: 2000-02-29
Classification: G01J

Abstract:
A Fourier transform spectrometer, which comprises in combination:(a) a polychromatic light source;(b) means for dispersing the light from the light source into spectral components;(c) a first polarizer intercepting the spectrally dispersed light and providing a chosen angle of polarization thereto;(d) a multiple-element polarizing device intercepting the spectrally dispersed and polarized light, each element thereof being responsive to an applied voltage which voltage determines the amount of polarization rotation of that element, for encoding each spectral component with a different time-varying dependence of polarization rotation for that spectral component;(e) a second polarizer for intercepting the time-varying polarization rotation spectral components and generating therefrom a time-varying intensity for each spectral component;(f) a time-varying voltage generator for each element of said multiple element polarization device;(g) means for recombining the intensity modulated, dispersed light into a single light beam;(h) a beam splitter for dividing the intensity modulated collimated light into a sample light beam and a reference light beam;(i) means for introducing a sample into the sample light beam and for permitting light to exit the sample after passing therethrough;(j) means for detecting the light exiting from the sample and the reference light beam; and(k) means for performing a Fourier transform of the detected light exiting from the sample cell and the reference light beam, whereby a spectrum of the sample is obtained.