Patent ID: 9063072
Filing Date: 2015-06-23
Classification: G01J,G01N

Abstract:
1. A method for analyzing a specimen comprising: providing a source of a directed polarized beam of light having a polarization and a two dimensional array of sensors defining an array of pixels; directing the directed polarized beam of light as an incoming polarized beam of light at a transparent substrate, wherein the transparent substrate is configured to receive the specimen on a surface of the substrate and the incoming polarized beam of light is reflected by single internal reflection at the surface at a location where the specimen is to be positioned to establish a reflected polarized beam of light directed to the two dimensional array of pixels; for each pixel of the two dimensional array; positioning a specimen on the transparent substrate; directing a directed polarized beam of light as a second incoming polarized beam of light at the transparent substrate for single internal reflection at the surface on which the specimen is located to establish a second reflected polarized beam of light; for each pixel; in the specially programmed computer Fourier transforming the measured light intensity specimen of the second reflected beam of light and calculating a specimen phase and specimen amplitude; calculating a difference between the baseline phase and the specimen phase and optionally calculating a difference between the baseline amplitude and the specimen amplitude to obtain phase and optionally amplitude data for the specimen; and using at least the phase data converting to image data for each pixel on a display connected to the computer; and either or both, displaying on a display all or selected portions of the two dimensional area of sensors comprehended by the two dimensional array of sensors and allowing use of the phase data and optionally of the amplitude data to compare portions of said data and to calculate the degree of changed effects of specimens over time.