HYBRID REFLECTION-TRANSMISSION SURFACE LIGHT-SCATTERING INSTRUMENT WITH REDUCED SENSITIVITY TO SURFACE SLOSHING

A hybrid reflection-transmission surface light-scattering instrumental design is presented, examined theoretically, and tested experimentall y. The purpose of the design is to reduce the sensitivity of the instr ument to vibration in general and surface sloshing in particular while sacrificing Little performance. Traditional optical arrangements and two new optical configurations with varying trade-offs between slosh r esistance and instrumental simplicity and accuracy are examined by use of Fourier optics methods. The most promising design was constructed and tested with acetone, ethanol, and water as subject fluids. The tes t involved backcalculation of the wave number of the capillary wave ex amined with the known physical parameters for the test fluids. The agr eement of the computed wave number was +/-1.4%. (C) 1997 Optical Socie ty of America.