Patent ID: 8154726

Claim:
A method of determining information carried by light using a multivariate optical analysis system, the method comprising: filtering a source light through a spectral element; reflecting the filtered light through a first region of a cavity in a first direction of a sample to be measured, the cavity including an element forming a first aperture for passage of the reflected filtered light, the element defining a second aperture having no reflected filtered light passing therethrough; focusing the reflected light proximate to the sample; reflecting the focused light from the sample through the second aperture in a second direction of a beamsplitter, the light being reflected from the sample, the reflected light carrying information about the sample; splitting the light from the second aperture with the beamsplitter into a first light and a second light; optically extracting the information of the first light with an optical element into an orthogonal component; directing the first light extracted by the optical element onto a first photodetector to measure a first signal; directing the second light onto a second photodetector to measure a second signal; and comparing the first signal to the second signal to determine a property of the sample.