Robert O Burch

US Patent:

47990015, Jan 17, 1989

Filed:

Jul 23, 1987

Appl. No.:

7/076916

Inventors:

Robert V. Burch - Madison WI

Assignee:

Nicolet Corporation - Madison WI

International Classification:

G01B 902

US Classification:

318640

Abstract:

A start of scan circuit for an FTIR spectrometer includes a mode counter, counting through various states of operation of the moving mirror in the FTIR interferometer, and a positioning counter circuit which counts laser pulses from a positioning laser also directed through the interferometer. By appropriately loading and counting up or down the counter in various states, as determined by the mode counter, the circuit can flexibly control the start of scan of the FTIR so that that start of scan can be selectively varied by switches and/or under software control.

US Patent:

51073668, Apr 21, 1992

Filed:

Sep 28, 1989

Appl. No.:

7/414178

Inventors:

Yuchi Huang - Madison WI
Robert V. Burch - Madison WI

Assignee:

Nicolet Instrument Corporation - Madison WI

International Classification:

G02B 2608
G01B 902
H02K 4100

US Classification:

359223

Abstract:

An electromagnetic coil is wound on a circular mold and potted with a potting compound in order to eliminate the bobbin which is used with prior art electromagnetic coils. The potting technique can be advantageously applied to coils wound on any shape mold and to coils wound with wire of any cross-sectional shape. In the preferred embodiment the "bobbinless" coil is wound on a cylindrical mold and uses wire which has been partially flattened to improve the density of the coil. The flattened wire is preferably made by flattening ordinary wire copper to an aspect ratio of about 1. 5. In an alternate embodiment, the bobbinless coil is wound with ordinary circular wire. In the preferred embodiment, the bobbinless coil forms part of a linear motor for use in driving the movable mirror in an interferometer spectrometer. In this application the coil provides a strong flux density and a strong force, yet occupies a relatively small volume.

US Patent:

52393615, Aug 24, 1993

Filed:

Oct 25, 1991

Appl. No.:

7/782611

Inventors:

Robert V. Burch - Madison WI

Assignee:

Nicolet Instrument Corporation - Madison WI

International Classification:

G01B 902
G01N 2135
G02B 2610

US Classification:

356345

Abstract:

An interferometer mirror such as may be used in an FTIR spectrometer is mounted to a mirror alignment device which allows alignment of the mirror during operation of the interferometer. The alignment device includes a base, a mirror support to which the mirror is mounted, and means for mounting the mirror support to the base to allow resilient pivoting of the mirror about an initial position around two orthogonal axes when force is applied to the mirror support. Two drive coils of square configuration are mounted around the periphery of the mirror support. Each drive coil has lower coil sections along two opposite quadrants and higher coil sections, with the two drive coils being mounted to the mirror supports so that the lower sections of each are in adjacent quadrants. A magnetic field, such as that provided by permanent magnets, is applied to the lower sections of each coil while the upper sections of each coil are outside the magnetic field. When current is supplied in one direction to a drive coil, the current interacts with the magnetic field passing through the lower sections of the coil to tilt the mirror support about one axis of rotation in one direction, whereas current supplied to the coil in the opposite direction will tilt the magnet support in the opposite direction about the axis.

US Patent:

52473430, Sep 21, 1993

Filed:

Nov 1, 1991

Appl. No.:

7/786521

Inventors:

Robert V. Burch - Madison WI

Assignee:

Nicolet Instrument Corporation - Madison WI

International Classification:

G01B 902

US Classification:

356346

Abstract:

A spectrometer for Raman spectrometry has a radiation source which provides a beam of radiation directed onto a sample, sample collection optics which directs the radiation from the sample as an input beam into an interferometer, the output beam of the interferometer being focused onto a detector, and filters interposed in the input and output beams of the interferometer. The filters are preferably holographic notch filters. Optical subtraction occurring in the interferometer as a result of the filters provides enhanced attenuation of the Rayleigh line of the reflected radiation while substantially passing the Raman lines, with the two filters achieving attenuation of the Rayleigh line equivalent to that obtained by several comparable filters stacked together.