Plasma mass spectrometer
US5308977A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 2, 1993 |
| Grant date | May 3, 1994 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 2, 2013 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01J49/105
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A plasma mass spectrometer generates an aerosol of a sample, by dissolving the sample in a liquid solvent, and spraying the liquid into a spray chamber via a nebulizer. The solvent condenses in the spray chamber and an aerosol of the sample then passes through a supply tube to a plasma torch. Microwave power from an output on the plasma torch converts the aerosol to a plasma, and the plasma passes to an analyzer. If microwave radiation reached the spray chamber, it would cause heating of the solvent which may evaporate it so that the solvent would be present in the plasma. Therefore, there is a wall between the spray chamber and the plasma torch and microwave output which blocks such microwave radiation.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.