Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
179 words
A method for high-sensitivity optoacoustic spectroscopy of samples of condensed matter in layer form, comprising (a) selecting a solid substrate that consists at least in part of material essentially transparent to a probe radiation of frequency ν, at least part of the substrate being adapted to permit propagation therein of ultrasonic waves having frequencies much larger than a repetition frequency ν, the substrate containing a substrate source region, and, located to be nonoverlapping with that source region, a detection region, and the substrate source region being in intimate contact with at least part of the sample of condensed matter comprising a layer source region, (b) irradiating the substrate source region and the layer source region with intermittent probe radiation of frequency ν, the repetition rate of the intermittent irradiation being ν R , (c) detecting ultrasonic waves of frequencies much greater than ν R that arrive at the detection region of the substrate after propagation through at least part of the substrate, whereby the absorption of the probe radiation of frequency ν in the sample layer can be determined.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
179 words
A method for high-sensitivity optoacoustic spectroscopy of samples of condensed matter in layer form, comprising (a) selecting a solid substrate that consists at least in part of material essentially transparent to a probe radiation of frequency ν, at least part of the substrate being adapted to permit propagation therein of ultrasonic waves having frequencies much larger than a repetition frequency ν, the substrate containing a substrate source region, and, located to be nonoverlapping with that source region, a detection region, and the substrate source region being in intimate contact with at least part of the sample of condensed matter comprising a layer source region, (b) irradiating the substrate source region and the layer source region with intermittent probe radiation of frequency ν, the repetition rate of the intermittent irradiation being ν R , (c) detecting ultrasonic waves of frequencies much greater than ν R that arrive at the detection region of the substrate after propagation through at least part of the substrate, whereby the absorption of the probe radiation of frequency ν in the sample layer can be determined.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the sample layer consists of a suspension of solid particles in a liquid that is essentially transparent to the probe radiation.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the sample layer consists of at least one layerlike distribution of atoms or molecules of at least a first kind within an essentially transparent solid matrix consisting of atoms or molecules other than of the first kind.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the sample layer consists at least of a part of at least one surface of the substrate, the part of the surface being less transparent to the probe radiation than the bulk of the substrate.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the sample layer consists of a continuous liquid or solid film.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the sample layer consists of a discontinuous solid layer.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the peak amplitude of an electrical signal that is essentially proportional to the peak amplitude of the detected ultrasonic waves is recorded.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
157 words
Apparatus for high-sensitivity optoacoustic spectroscopy of samples of condensed matter in layer form, comprising (a) a solid substrate consisting at least in part of material essentially transparent to a probe radiation of frequency ν, at least part of the substrate being adapted to permit propagation of ultrasonic waves having frequencies much larger than a repetition frequency ν R , the substrate containing a substrate source region and, located to be nonoverlapping with the source region, a detection region, at least the substrate source region adapted to support the sample of condensed matter, (b) means for irradiating the substrate source region and the part of the sample in contact therewith with intermittent probe radiation of frequency ν at a repetition frequency ν R , (c) means for detecting ultrasonic waves of frequencies much greater than the repetition frequency ν R that arrive at the detection region of the substrate after propagation through at least part of the substrate.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
157 words
Apparatus for high-sensitivity optoacoustic spectroscopy of samples of condensed matter in layer form, comprising (a) a solid substrate consisting at least in part of material essentially transparent to a probe radiation of frequency ν, at least part of the substrate being adapted to permit propagation of ultrasonic waves having frequencies much larger than a repetition frequency ν R , the substrate containing a substrate source region and, located to be nonoverlapping with the source region, a detection region, at least the substrate source region adapted to support the sample of condensed matter, (b) means for irradiating the substrate source region and the part of the sample in contact therewith with intermittent probe radiation of frequency ν at a repetition frequency ν R , (c) means for detecting ultrasonic waves of frequencies much greater than the repetition frequency ν R that arrive at the detection region of the substrate after propagation through at least part of the substrate.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
Apparatus of claim 8 wherein the substrate consists at least in part of fused quartz.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus of claim 8 wherein the substrate is of a shape that does not permit the drawing of any straight line, lying entirely in the substrate surface, between source region and detection region.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
12 words
Apparatus of claim 8 wherein the irradiation means comprise a pulsed laser.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
Apparatus of claim 8 wherein the means for detecting ultrasonic waves comprise a piezoelectric bulk transducer.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
17 words
Apparatus of claim 8 wherein the means for detecting ultrasonic waves comprise a surface acoustic wave transducer.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
24 words
Apparatus of claims 12 or 13 further comprising means for measuring a part of an intermittent electrical signal by means of a time-gating technique.