Patent ID: 6124937
Filing Date: 2000-09-26
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
A method for the synchronous determination of the absorption, dispersion, fluorescence, and refraction of a measurement volume having a coupling side, wherein radiation of defined wavelength is coupled into a multiple reflection device equipped with a coupling mirror on the coupling side and an opposing mirror, the method comprising:arranging coupling radiation to fall on a measurement volume by means of the coupling mirrormeasuring the coupling radiation transmitted through the measurement volume after virtually complete absorption of the coupling radiation with a first receiver located immediately behind one of the two mirrors, wherein the one of the two mirrors is semireflecting;measuring a saturated long-path diffuse reflection directed into the multiple reflection device against a direction of incidence with a second receiver directed at the measurement volume and located on the coupling mirror;determining the absorbing power from the reciprocal value of the transmitted coupling radiation;determining the dispersion power and the fluorescence power indirectly from the combination of saturated long-path diffuse reflection and transmitted coupling radiation;measuring with a third receiver a second radiation generated with a second radiation source, wherein the second radiation is directed through an optical window located on the coupling side of the measurement volume, such that the second radiation is specularly reflected at a boundary surface of the measurement volume; anddetermining the refraction from the combination of specularly reflected radiation and transmitted coupling radiation such that a refraction index independent of the absorption of the measurement volume results.