Patent ID: 7187443

Claim:
A method of determining bulk refractive indices of flowable liquids comprising the steps of: in any functional order practicing steps a, b and c: a) providing a quantity of flowable liquid; b) providing a rigid or semi-rigid object comprising two sides which is roughened on one side thereof; c) providing a source means of electromagnetic radiation, a sample supporting stage and detector means; d) covering the roughened side of said rigid or semi-rigid object, with a thin film of said flowable liquid; e) placing said rigid or semi-rigid object which has been covered with a thin film of said flowable liquid on said roughed side thereof, onto the sample supporting stage with said thin film of flowable liquid being directly accessible; f) causing said source means of electromagnetic radiation to provide a beam of electromagnetic radiation and directing it to be incident upon and reflect from said thin film of flowable liquid on said roughened side of said rigid or semi-rigid object, and then enter said detector means such that it produces an output in response thereto; g) analyzing resulting detector means output to the end that bulk refractive indicies of the thin film of flowable liquid are determined; and h) displaying the bulk refractive indicies determined in step g; said method being characterized in that the flowable liquid is flowable before, during, and remains so after practice thereof.