Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, USA.
Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, USA.
Appl Spectrosc. 2021 Sep;75(9):1067-1092. doi: 10.1177/00037028211013372.
Discrete frequency infrared chemical imaging is transforming the practice of microspectroscopy by enabling a diversity of instrumentation and new measurement capabilities. While a variety of hardware implementations have been realized, design considerations that are unique to infrared (IR) microscopes have not yet been compiled in literature. Here, we describe the evolution of IR microscopes, provide rationales for design choices, and catalog some major considerations for each of the optical components in an imaging system. We analyze design choices that use these components to optimize performance, under their particular constraints, while providing illustrative examples. We then summarize a framework to assess the factors that determine an instrument's performance mathematically. Finally, we provide a validation approach by enumerating performance metrics that can be used to evaluate the capabilities of imaging systems or suitability for specific intended applications. Together, the presented concepts and examples should aid in understanding available instrument configurations, while guiding innovations in design of the next generation of IR chemical imaging spectrometers.
离散频率红外化学成像是通过实现多种仪器和新的测量功能来改变微光谱学的实践。虽然已经实现了各种硬件实现，但尚未在文献中编译专门针对红外（IR）显微镜的设计注意事项。在这里，我们描述了 IR 显微镜的演变，为设计选择提供了理由，并为成像系统中的每个光学组件列出了一些主要注意事项。我们分析了使用这些组件根据其特定限制来优化性能的设计选择，并提供了一些示例。然后，我们总结了一个框架，从数学上评估决定仪器性能的因素。最后，我们通过列举可用于评估成像系统的性能或特定预期应用适用性的性能指标来提供一种验证方法。总之，所提出的概念和示例应该有助于理解可用的仪器配置，同时指导下一代 IR 化学成像光谱仪的设计创新。
