Patent ID: 7253899

Claim:
Apparatus for sensing and measuring optically active material in a sample, comprising: a) a light source emitting light of a wavelength that can pass through the sample; b) a light transparent sample container for holding the sample; c) a linear polarizer interposed between the light source and the sample for producing a polarized light beam; d) a symmetrical linear split-field polarizer having a separation angle expressed as ½δ=12.5°-30°, and a polarity from about 90°±45° to 90°±½° with respect to the first linear polarizer, said polarizer being fixedly positioned to intercept the polarized light that passed through the sample; e) detectors to detect the split light beams passing through each polarizer of the split-field polarizer; f) means to amplify the current or voltage passing through each of the detectors; g) a differential amplifier; h) a data processor; i) a display; and j) electronic circuitry to operate the apparatus and provide an output on the display.