Calibration method for spectroscopic systems

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a method of calibrating spectroscopic systems that allows repeatable and quantitative calibration.
FIG.
1 depicts the general functions present in existing spectroscopic systems.
Spectroscopic system 16 comprises excitation source 10, transmission means 11, 13, response detector 14, and spectroscopic instrument 12.
Excitation source 10 provides excitation radiation, for example by using a laser or a high intensity lamp.
First transmission mechanism 11 delivers excitation radiation from excitation source 10 to spectroscopic instrument 12.
Spectroscopic instrument 12 directs excitation radiation to a target 15.
Spectroscopic instrument 12 also collects the response of target 15 to the excitation radiation.
Second transmission mechanism 13 delivers the collected response to response detector 14.
Response detector 14 generates signals representative of collected response.
A user or a control system (not shown) can control excitation source 10 and response detector 14.
A user or an analysis system (not shown) can interpret signals from response detector 14.
The signal from response detector 14 depends on the response of target 15.
It also depends on many other parameters, including the output performance of excitation source 10, the transmission characteristics of first 11 and second 13 transmission mechanisms, the performance of instrument 12, the environment surrounding target 15, and the wavelength and amplitude sensitivity of response detector 14.
A calibration method can attempt to quantify all the parameters, so that signals from response detector 14 signify the actual response of target 15.
FIG.
2 shows a portion of a spectroscopic instrument 30.
Spectroscopic instrument 30 has a defined field of view 31.
The response of a portion of a target 33 in the field of view defined by circle 31 to incident excitation radiation can be measured with spectroscopic instrument 30.
Calibration spots 32 can mount with the spectroscopic instrument 30 in the field of view 31