Noble gas detection and determination

US6072577A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Hewlett-Packard Company, L.P. · US

Inventors

• Martin Wunderling · Loveland, US
• Bernhard Fischer · Wien, AT
• Siegfried Kaestle · Herrenberg, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 31, 1999
• Grant date: Jun 6, 2000
• Expiry date: Mar 31, 2019

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01N2021/651
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

Disclosed is the determining of a composition of a gas mixture comprising an amount of one or more noble gases. A Raman spectrum of the gas mixture is measured first, and the amount(s) of Raman-active gas(es) in the gas mixture are determined based on the measured Raman spectrum. The amount of the (Raman non-active) one or more noble gases in the gas mixture can then be determined from the determined amount(s) of Raman-active gas(es). The composition of the gas mixture can also be determined by analyzing the Raman scattering in combination with the Rayleigh scattering. Based on the measured Raman spectrum, the expected intensifies of the Rayleigh lines of the Raman-active gases in the gas mixture are determined. The amount of the noble gas in the gas mixture is represented by the difference of the summed up Rayleigh lines of the Raman-active gases to the Rayleigh line in the measured spectrum.