Analysis of Minute Objects Using a Sample Compartment Type Infrared Microscopy System

Introduction

The sample compartment type infrared microscopy system is a combination of an FTIR instrument and the microspectroscopy accessory SurveyIRTM is a product manufactured by Czitek, LLC., which is designed to fit in the FTIR's sample compartment. The sample compartment type infrared microscopy system is capable of measurements on minute objects down to about 100μm. Infrared spectra are detected using the FTIR's standard detector. SurveyIR is capable of transmission, reflectance, and ATR measurement (diamond or Ge prism), and an aperture can be selected from six sizes (2000, 250, 200, 160, 100, 60 μm). Therefore, measurement of minute areas is possible using SurveyIR if the sample is about 100 μm in size. In cases where the sample size is a few dozen μm, analysis using an infrared microscope equipped with an MCT detector is effective. IRSpirit features the highest signal to noise ratio and maximum resolution in its class. A highly compact FTIR, the instrument has a footprint smaller than an A3 sheet of paper with dimensions being a mere 390 (W) × 250 (D) × 210 (H) mm. In addition, the sample compartment of IRSpirit is easily accessible whether installed in "landscape" or "portrait" orientation, so that even a narrow opening on a lab bench can accommodate it. IRSpirit is also designed to accommodate transmission accessories such as a KBr pellet holder and demountable cells as well as existing Shimadzu and third party accessories such as single reflectance ATR attachments and diffuse reflectance attachments. There are two models to IRSpirit which differ by the infrared detector that is used. One is the IRSpirit-T which is equipped with a DLATGS detector and the other is the IRSpirit-L which is equipped with a LiTaO3 detector. The DLATGS detector is a high performance model featuring a temperature control function which can minimize the influence of ambient temperature changes on measurement results. This article introduces example analyses of minute objects using a sample compartment type infrared microscopy system employing IRSpirit-T.

March 13, 2018 GMT