Versatile coupler for internal reflection spectrometry

Claim 2

The combination of claim 2 wherein the coupling member is supported in a vertical plane, and the internal reflection element is supported in a horizontal plane, and the incident beam of radiation is oriented in a vertical plane.

Claim 3

A coupling member for use with a separate internal reflection element, comprising a generally right-triangular shaped thin flat body having planar, parallel major surfaces and side edges and a reflecting hypotenuse edge extending at an angle of approximately 45* to the side edges, both side edges being bevelled adapted to receive a beam of radiation at an angle to the plane of the major surfaces, said body being constituted of substantially optically transparent material sucH that a beam of radiation incident on one of the bevelled edges will propagate through the body by multiple reflections from the major surfaces, the other side edge enabling the beam to exit from the member after reflection from the hypotenuse, the exiting beam being rotated substantially 90* with respect to the incident beam the coupling member being adapted to mate with a separable multiple reflection internal reflection plate having a surface in contact with one side edge of the coupling member and oriented relative thereto such that the beam of radiation exiting from the coupling member enters the internal reflection plate to impinge upon the surfaces thereof at an angle exceeding the critical angle.

Claim 4

A coupling member as set forth in claim 4 wherein the member is oriented relative to the incident beam such that the angle of incidence of the beam on the major surfaces exceeds the critical angle.

Claim 5

A coupling member as set forth in claim 5 wherein both side edges are bevelled flat at an angle of 45* relative to the major surfaces.

Claim 6

A coupling member as set forth in claim 1 wherein the reflecting major surfaces are metallized.

Claim 7

A coupling member as set forth in claim 5 wherein the other side edge extends at right angles to the major surfaces.

Claim 8

The combination set forth in claim 4 wherein the contacting surfaces of the coupling member and internal reflection plate are bevelled flat at the same angle, and the thickness of the coupling member is of the same order as that of the internal reflection plate.

Claim 9

The combination of claim 9 wherein the end of the internal reflection plate remote from the coupling member is cocked at an angle to cause the returning beam to reimpinge on the entrance surface of the plate at an oblique angle.