Patent · US Expired

System for collecting weakly scattered electromagnetic radiation

US5506678A · kind A · utility

15Cited by
18References
4Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 24, 1992
Grant dateApr 9, 1996
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 24, 2012

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01N2021/513
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A System for Collecting Weakly Scattered Electromagnetic Radiation is disclosed. The present invention overcomes problems suffered by previous collection systems by providing a reliable and efficient device for intensifying and collecting the scattered radiation generated by laser induced scattering. The present invention employs a laser source which illuminates an unknown gas contained by a long hollow tube having a highly reflective sheathing. The illuminating electromagnetic radiation from the laser is directed along the entire length of the tube and collides with the molecules of the unknown gas in the tube. The collisions cause the emission of weakly scattered electromagnetic radiation that is shifted in reference to the illuminating radiation. The sheathing is sufficiently reflective of the scattered radiation to substantially contain it. An exit is coupled to the long hollow tube in such a way that the scattered radiation may pass from the reflective sheathing and be collected for analysis. The scattered radiation that is collected may be used in conjunction with conventional spectrometry devices to provide a reliable and rapid determination of the composition and concentrat…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.