FT-IR_Microscope_Specifications.pdf

FT-IR Microscopy Salient Characteristics:

Quantity: 1

1) The instrument must be a stand-alone FT-IR microscope with an integrated FT-IR spectrometer. No FT-IR microscope coupled to an external FT-IR spectrometer will be accepted.

2) The FT-IR microscope should be fully motorized. In detail that would be the following:

a. Motorized ATR crystal

b. Motorized transparent knife-edge aperture

c. Motorized condensor

d. Motorized Vis polarizer+analyzer

e. Motorized X, Y, Z stage

f. Motorized z-driveg. Motorized change from IR and Vis mode

h. Motorized change of numerical aperture between IR and Vis mode

3) The FT-IR microscope should allow fully automated mapping measurements (including background) of samples in transmission, reflection and attenuated total reflection.

4) The objective of the FT-IR-microscope should include a motorized ATR crystal to accomplish fully automated measurements in ATR mode. The ATR crystal should be inserted in the objective during the visible inspection of the sample and during IRmeasurements in transmission and reflection. For data acquisition in ATR the crystal should be positioned automatically into the focus with high accuracy. An integrated pressure control shall ensure the constancy of the pressure applied from the crystal to the sample which is essential for mapping and imaging experiments. Different pressure steps should be selectable by software in order to achieve highest performance for all types of samples ranging from very soft to very hard. For background measurement the ATR crystal should be driven automatically in the focus position without sample contact.

The ATR crystal should be made from Germanium in order to analyze also dark samples.

5) The working distance of the objective should be higher than 25 mm. Samples of a thickness of at least up to 35 mm should be measurable by this FT-IR microscope without the need for any change in the hardware.

6) The FT-IR microscope should be an one objective microscope without nose piece.

The optics should be specifically matched to this single objective resulting in a high imaging quality without field curvature distortion.

7) The FT-IR microscope should provide a lower numerical aperture for the visible inspection of the sample in order to achieve a high depth of field. For the IR measurement the system should provide a higher numerical aperture for highest sensitivity. The change of the numerical aperture between Vis and IR mode should be automated.

8) The FT-IR microscope should provide a moderate magnification to realize a large field of view. In order to recognize also very small structures in the sample a digital zoom should be implemented which increases the magnification significantly. All images have to be captured by a fast and highly resolving digital CCD camera.

9) The FT-IR microscope should include an interferometer with cube corner mirrors and with permanent alignment to be insensitive against mirror tilt, mechanical vibrations and thermal effects.

10) A motorized Vis polarizer and a Vis analyzer with accurate positioning should be available for the FTIR microscope. The polarizer and analyzer should be applicable for the visible inspection of any sample in transmission and reflection as well.

11) The FT-IR microscope should be prepared to support validation requirements as operational (OQ) and performance (PQ) qualification. Its software should comply with GMP/GLP/cGMP regulations. Comprehensive OQ and PQ test routines should be implemented and be fully automated for this FTIR microscope. This should include tests for the accuracy of the motorized stage. Whenever a component of the FTIR microscope would be out of specification or a test for OQ or PQ has expired, the user should be notified immediately by the software.

12) The software of the FT-IR microscope should optionally fulfill all requirements of the 21 CFR Part11 regulations.

13) The FT-IR microscope should be inert against water vapor to be independent of the air humidity. All included IR-transparent window material and the beam splitter itself should therefore be made from ZnSe. KBr would be not accepted as being too hygroscopic.

14) The FT-IR microscope should be characterized by low cost of ownership. For components with limited life time as laser and IR source, a life time of 5 years should be guaranteed without extra costs. No consumables apart from the liquid nitrogen for cooling of the MCT detector should be required.

15) The FT-IR microscope should not require a purge with dried air but should be dried by reusable desiccator cartridges.

16) The plates within the motorized sample stage should have an electronic recognition.

17. Additional Requirements: Minimum Operational Spectral Range: 7800 to 600 cm-1 Spectral Resolution: Better than 0.5 cm-1 Single Point Sensitivity: 40000/1 for 2 minutes at 4 cm-1 spectral resolution Automated:

Autofocus, aperture, stage and sampling locations, mode of operation (VIS/IR switchover) Auto-correction Automated switching between transmission and reflectance Automated dropdown ATR crystal (no larger than 100 micrometer tip size) for ATR imaging Automatic ATR correction processing routines Clamp for mounting cross-section samples for ATR microscope Detector:

Focal Plane Array or Linear Array Detector Must NOT require liquid nitrogen cooling Mirrors:

Gold Coated Collection Modes: Transmission, Reflectance, and ATR Sampling Modes: automated single point, line scans, and maps Polarization: Infrared and Visible polarization kits (including polarizer and analyzer) Unpacked Dimensions: Less than or equal to 1200 mm Width x 820 mm Depth Software:

Library databases and searching algorithms (Libraries preferred would include paints, textiles, polymers, additives, and solvents) Multicomponent search software/algorithms Display IR images and Visible Images simultaneously and overlaid Real-time results while analyzing capability.