Patent ID: 8542353

Claim:
A refractive index sensor, comprising: a source generating an input signal; an adaptive optical element optically coupled to the source and routing the input signal at sequential angles; a sensing optic optically coupled to the adaptive optical element and having an interface with a sample; at least one detector optically coupled to the sensing optic and detecting one or more reflected signals from the interface, the one or more reflected signals indicative of any of the sequential angles of the input signal that are at least equal to or greater than a critical angle of reflection at the interface, the at least one detector optically coupled to the adaptive optical element and detecting at least one direct signal directly from the adaptive optical element; and a processor operably coupled to the at least one detector, the processor determining a refractive index value from the one or more reflected signals and the direct signal and correlating the refractive index value to a characteristic associated with the sample.