Patent ID: 8325337
Filing Date: 2012-12-04
Classification: G01J,G01N

Abstract:
1. A method for determining the composition of a sample, comprising: providing a controller and a source of pulsed light and a sensor receiving photons and providing an electrical signal corresponding to each received photon; repetitiously illuminating the sample with a pulse of light from the source, wherein some of the source photons from each pulse are scattered by the sample; substantially eliminating the elastically scattered photons and collecting the Raman-shifted inelastically scattered photons; preparing a time histogram of the number of collected Raman-shifted photons, the histogram dividing a predetermined period of time into a plurality of counting bins arranged in sequential order, each bin containing a natural number corresponding to the number of Raman-shifted photons collected during the corresponding time interval, one of the bins having the largest natural number; and determining by the controller the composition of the sample by analyzing the photons collected earlier in time than the one bin and ignoring the photons collected later in time than the one bin.