Patent ID: 9222879
Filing Date: 2015-12-29
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
1. A device for optical characterisation of a sample and/or of the materials of the sample, the device comprising: a laser as illumination unit or part of the same which is capable of being orientated for one- or two-dimensional scanning with incident light of a sample spatial portion into which the sample can be introduced, a receiver as detection unit or part of the same which is capable of being orientated to receive light which is reflected by a sample introduced into the sample spatial portion, the receiver comprising: a first beam splitter, which is polarization-maintaining, for the light reflected by the sample, for dividing the laser light incident on the receiver into a first and a second partial beam path, respectively in the first and in the second partial beam path: a polarising optical element with which the light of the respective partial beam path can be split into two different polarisation components, a receiving element respectively for detecting light of the respective polarisation component being disposed in the beam path of each of the two thus separated polarisation components, and a polarisation-changing element merely in one of the two partial beam paths after the first beam splitter and in front of the polarising optical element, with which polarisation-changing element the polarisation of the light of this partial beam path is capable of being changed, and an evaluation unit with which, on the basis of the different polarisation components detected by the receiving elements of the receiver, the polarisation state of the light reflected by the sample is determined for the optical characterization, wherein the illumination unit comprising the laser and the detection unit comprising the receiver are configured integrated as transmitting and receiving unit, and wherein the device comprises a retroreflector as follows: the laser and the receiver of the transmitting and receiving unit and also the retroreflector are disposed and orientated such that a sample introduced into the sample spatial portion is illuminated by the laser and in that laser light beam components which are scattered, diffusely reflected, reflectively reflected, or transmitted by the sample, are reflected back by the retroreflector per se such that the laser light beam components are reflected back per se by the retroreflector via the sample and arrive at the transmitting and receiving unit for division there into the first and the second partial beam path through the receiver.