Aerosol beam-focus laser-induced plasma spectrometer device
US6359687B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 12, 1999 |
| Grant date | Mar 19, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 12, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N21/718
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An apparatus for detecting elements in an aerosol includes an aerosol beam focuser for concentrating aerosol into an aerosol beam; a laser for directing a laser beam into the aerosol beam to form a plasma; a detection device that detects a wavelength of a light emission caused by the formation of the plasma. The detection device can be a spectrometer having at least one grating and a gated intensified charge-coupled device. The apparatus may also include a processor that correlates the wavelength of the light emission caused by the formation of the plasma with an identity of an element that corresponds to the wavelength. Furthermore, the apparatus can also include an aerosol generator for forming an aerosol beam from bulk materials. A method for detecting elements in an aerosol is also disclosed.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.