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Title: Apparatus and method for transient thermal infrared spectrometry

Patent ·
OSTI ID:5524288

This patent describes a method for enabling analysis of a material. It comprises cooling a thin surface layer portion of the material to transiently generate a temperature differential between the thin surface layer portion and a lower portion of the material sufficient to alter the thermal infrared emission spectrum of the material from the black-body thermal infrared emission spectrum of the material; and detecting the altered thermal infrared emission spectrum of the material while the altered thermal infrared emission spectrum is sufficiently free of self-absorption by the material of emitted infrared radiation, prior to the temperature differential propagating into the lower portion of the material to an extent such that the altered thermal infrared emission spectrum is no longer sufficiently free of self-absorption by the material of emitted infrared radiation, so that the detected altered thermal infrared emission spectrum is indicative of characteristics relating to molecular composition of the material.

Assignee:
Iowa State Univ. Research Foundation, Inc., Ames, Iowa (United States)
Patent Number(s):
US 5070242; A
Application Number:
PPN: US 7-546738
OSTI ID:
5524288
Resource Relation:
Patent File Date: 2 Jul 1990
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English