MID-INFRARED SPECTROMETER ATTACHMENT TO LIGHT MICROSCOPES

摘要

A mid-infrared spectrometer attachment (100) introduces infrared radiation into the optical path (8) of a commercially available infinity corrected visible light microscope. A radiation director (103) in the attachment (100) directs radiation from a mid-IR spectrometer source (101) into the optical path (8) and a mid-infrared objective lens focuses the radiation on to a subject sample surface in order to acquire either internally or externally reflected infrared spectra by subsequently directing the sample encoded reflected infrared radiation detector (104B). The radiation director (103) is a trichroic element which is designed to be a reflector in the mid-infrared region and a beam splitter in the near infrared region. The trichroic element in the visible region is either transparent, for observation near infrared radiation from the sample using commercially available video cameras, or a beam splitter, for incorporation of a visible light illuminator in the attachment.