US 11,131,628 B1Granted

Spectroscopic methods and systems for isotopic analysis

AssigneeSavannah River Nuclear Solutions, LLC

InventorsPatrick E. O'Rourke, Kimberly Alicia Strange Fessler, Nicholas F. Deroller, Steven M. Serkiz

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Abstract

Disclosed are spectroscopy systems and methods. A spectroscopy system can include a reference cell and a multi-pass sample cell. The reference arm can include an etalon and a reference cavity containing a reference gas. A system can include a fractional sublimation cold trap. Detectors of the reference and sample arms can detect both intensity and absorption spectra of impinging beams. A frequency calibration based on a reference absorption spectra can be used to analyze a sample absorption spectrum. The analysis can provide information regarding an absorption band shift of the sample absorption spectrum, said shift being related to the isotope concentration of the sample.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A spectroscopy system comprising:

A tunable emission source;
a beam splitter in optical communication with the emission source, the beam splitter defining a reference path and a sample path;
a reference cell in the reference path, the reference cell comprising an etalon and a reference cavity;
a first detector located at a terminus of the reference path, the first detector being configured to detect an intensity of a reference beam and an absorption spectrum of a reference gas;
a multi-pass sample cell in the sample path, the multi-pass sample cell comprising an inlet for a gas sample;
a second detector located at a terminus of the sample path, the second detector being configured to detect a sample beam intensity and an absorption spectrum of a sample gas;
and
a processor in communication with the tunable emission source, the first detector and the second detector, the processor being configured to perform a frequency calibration based on the reference gas absorption spectrum and using that frequency calibration, perform an analysis of the sample gas absorption spectrum, the analysis providing information regarding an absorption band shift of the sample gas absorption spectrum as compared to a known absorption spectrum, the shift being related to an isotope content of a sample.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.