Patent GB-1386963-A (GB)
Title: Testing of optically active substances
IPC: G01N21/21
Filed: 1971-03-10
Abstract: 1386963 Photo-electric investigation of optical activity NATIONAL RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT CORP 18 Feb 1972 [10 March 1971] 6454/71 Heading G1A Optical activity (natural or induced by application of a magnetic field to the sample) is investigated by detecting the intensity of radiation scattered in a particular direction after irradiation of the sample with polarized radiation, the effective state of which is modulated so as to alternate between right and left circular polarization. From the detected intensities, which are different for the different polarization states, the circular intensity differential may be obtained, providing information on optical activity (from the Rayleigh scattering) and on optical activity variations due to molecular vibrational characteristics (from the Raman scattering). The effective state of polarization may be altered in a number of ways. Firstly, as in the arrangement of Fig. 1, the sample 5 may be irradiated by a single beam which is initially linearly polarized at 3, and is changed in effective state by an electro-optic modulator 4 (or an elasto-optic or magneto-optic modulator, a mechanically rotated wave plate or a combination of a rotating polarizer and a fixed wave plate). Secondly, as in the arrangement of Fig. 2, a two-beam system is used, and a mechanical chopper 21 is used either in the path of the incident (as in Fig. 2) or scattered radiation so that left and right circularly polarised light are alternatively considered. In these latter arrangements a single detector 7 is used; alternatively two detectors receiving the two scattered beams (the chopper being absent) have their outputs alternately switched to a single output channel. Thirdly, when the optical activity is induced with a magnetic field parallel to the direction of an incident circularly polarised single beam, the field is periodically reversed to introduce the required modulation. In more detail, the apparatus of Fig. 1 includes a laser 1 producing monochromatic light; the polarizer 3 is orientated so that the plane of  polarisation produced is at 45to the scattering plane so as to minimize unwanted components in the detector signal; the angle of scattering is 90, the detector 7 is a photo-multiplier. The modulator 4 is supplied by a square wave voltage from 300 Hz generator 6 which also supplies a reference voltage to phase sensitive detector 8 for demodulating the detector output. To calibrate the apparatus, a zero optical activity sample is put into holder 5 and a bias voltage, super-imposed on the modulator 4, is adjusted to give zero detector output. The photo-detector output after detection by device 8 and after smoothing at 9 represent (I R -I L ) and (I R +I L ), respectively, where I R  and IL are the right and left circularly polarization scattered intensities. The required circular intensity differential is the ratio (10) of these signals obtained by integration over a number of cycles. The ratio may be indicated or recorded, or used for alarm or control purposes. For measurement of additional components either polarizer 11 or monochrometer 12 (for the Raman circular intensity differential). Details of Fig. 2 include a Wollaston prism 13 to produce two beams, and a bi-prism 16 to render them parallel; attenuators 18, 19, the former being adjustable for zero calibration. The prism 13 co-acts with ¥ plate 17 to provide left and right circular polarization in the respective beams. A circuit 8, 9, 10 as in Fig. 1 is provided, the reference signal for 8 being derived from the chopper 20. An alternative circuit for Figs. 1 and 2 includes switching the detector output alternately to two matched photon counters. A tunable laser may aid the Rayleigh investigation. Applications suggested are optical activity of gases, liquids and solids (particular components) e.g. in sugar industry; chemical process rates; characteristic vibrational properties of molecules, structure of crystals, non-transparent and amorphous materials; plasma investigation in reactors.