Inventors:
Aljosa Vrancic - Austin TX
Kresimir Rupnik - Baton Rouge LA
Sean P. McGlynn - Baton Rouge LA
Assignee:
Board of Supervisors of Louisiana State University and Agricultural and
Mechanical College - Baton Rouge LA
International Classification:
H03M 100
H03M 112
Abstract:
A device and method are disclosed for the acquisition of data at high flow rates and with high accuracy. The device, called a "Selective Digital Integrator" (SDI), provides many improved features relative to older techniques, and in certain instances it provides a less-expensive replacement for lock-in amplifiers while affording greater functionality and versatility. The device can be integrated into existing instrumentation and technology for high-resolution measurements using various radiation sources (e. g. , lamps, lasers, synchrotrons), various polarizations (e. g. , linear, circular, elliptical), and various detectors (e. g. , photo multipliers, diodes). Unlike the case with conventional lock-in amplifiers, the signal need not be known (or presumed) in advance to have a particular shape, but instead may have an arbitrary or unknown waveform. Examples of the new capabilities include the ability to measure circular dichroism by separating out the left circular and right circular components of that spectrum; and the ability to make polarization-selective measurements that simultaneously measure both linear and circular dichroism. The device has a substantially better signal-to-noise ratio than that of previous systems.
