The sample we are going to measure is 0.5mm thick and 2inches diameter large. Our mount has a grub screw that is not able to secure such a thin sample. So I had to add a thick ring behind the sample. I did a mounting test with a "not for use" (not polished) sapphire piece with the same dimensions as the sample. I add a ring (which is the 1.5-to-2 inches adaptor), leaned the ring on the sample, and fixed the ring with the grub screw. The ring doesn't push the sample, it only touches it. This reduces the risk of breaking the sample.

In order to test the IR probe on the LMA samples I previously cleaned them and applied the first contact.

I checked the crystalline coating sample (the one on silica substrate) under a powerful green light. I carefully blew some spray air on it to remove the dust and the best I could do is showed in the picture.

To check which side is the coated one, I put the sample on a clean tissue on the table, and I looked at the shadow below the border of the coating. We the shadow is larger, the coating faces up.