Patent ID: 8823802

Claim:
A method for analyzing a sample, comprising: illuminating at least a portion of a sample with modulated light from a modulated light source; monitoring infrared energy from the sample using an infrared detector; and analyzing the AC response of the infrared energy to determine at least one of reflection data or emission data about the sample wherein analyzing the AC response of the infrared energy comprises: accessing a first AC image of the sample associated with a first phase relative to the modulated light, the first AC image associated with an AC response per pixel for one or more digital images captured when the modulated light is at the first phase; accessing a second AC image of the sample associated with a second phase relative to the modulated light, the second AC image associated with an AC response per pixel for one or more digital images captured when the modulated light is at the second phase, further wherein the first AC image and the second AC infrared image depict the same sample; and comparing the first AC image with the second AC image to determine chemical contrast between varying substances in the sample.