Analytical thermal lens instrumentation

TLDR

This review surveys recent developments in thermal lens instrumentation and projects future directions for the field. The authors detail the theory and design of a range of thermal lens instruments—including single‑beam, dual‑beam, differential, multi‑wavelength, spectrally tunable, circular dichroism spectropolarimeters, rotoreflecting, and miniaturized devices—covering laser selection, focusing, modulation, sample handling, data acquisition, noise reduction, and acousto‑optic filter applications.

Abstract

This review describes recent instrumentation developments of the thermal lens techniques. It will begin with a brief discussion of the theory of the techniques. Its main focus is, however, on the detail description of various instruments. Specifically, the discussion will begin with the description of single beam instruments which were initially developed following by dual beam instruments. Elaboration will be focused on some of the most sophisticated instruments which were developed recently. These include differential thermal lens instruments, multiwavelength and spectral tunable instruments, circular dichroism spectropolarimeters, rotoreflecting instruments, and miniaturized thermal lens instruments. Selection of lasers, focusing, modulation, sample position, sample cells, data acquisition, noise reduction, and applications of acousto-optic tunable filters will also be discussed. The future of the techniques in terms of instrumentation will be finally forecasted.