Magnetic confinement of arc discharge migration in spark OES systems
AssigneeThermo Electron Scientific Instruments LLC
InventorsPatrick Lancuba, Matthew Spencer Neighbour
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Analytical instrument systems, components, and methods for stabilizing discharge formation are described. A spark gap device includes a first planar coil, defining an axis normal to a coil plane and defining a first aperture substantially centered about the axis. The spark gap device includes a second planar coil, offset from the first planar coil along the axis and substantially parallel with the coil plane, the second planar coil defining a second aperture substantially centered about the axis. The spark gap device also includes a conductive element disposed in the first aperture and substantially aligned with the axis.
Claims19
A spark gap device, comprising:
- a first planar coil, defining an axis normal to a coil plane and defining a first aperture substantially centered about the axis;
- a second planar coil, offset from the first planar coil along the axis and substantially parallel to the coil plane, the second planar coil defining a second aperture substantially centered about the axis;
- a first substrate, thermally coupled with the first planar coil and electrically isolated from the first planar coil;
- a second substrate, thermally coupled with the second planar coil and electrically isolated from the second planar coil;
- and
- a conductive element disposed in the first aperture and substantially aligned with the axis.
A spectroscopy system, comprising:
- a spark gap device, comprising:
- a first planar coil, defining an axis normal to a coil plane and defining a first aperture substantially centered about the axis;
- a second planar coil, offset from the first planar coil along the axis and parallel to the coil plane, the second planar coil defining a second aperture substantially centered about the axis;
- a first substrate, thermally coupled with the first planar coil and electrically isolated from the first planar coil;
- a second substrate, thermally coupled with the second planar coil and electrically isolated from the second planar coil;
- a conductive element disposed in the first aperture and substantially aligned with the axis;
- electronic circuitry operably coupled with the spark gap device, the electronic circuitry comprising a voltage source electrically coupled with the conductive element and a capacitor electrically coupled with the first planar coil or the second planar coil;
- and
- a controller, operably coupled with the electronic circuitry and configured to execute operations comprising:
- discharging the capacitor;
- and
- applying a voltage to the conductive element.
One or more non-transitory machine-readable storage media, storing instructions that, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:
- discharging a capacitor, the capacitor being electrically coupled with a first planar coil or a second planar coil of a spark gap device, the spark gap device comprising:
- the first planar coil defining an axis normal to a coil plane and defining an aperture substantially centered about the axis;
- and
- the second planar coil being offset from the first planar coil along the axis and parallel to the coil plane;
- a first substrate, thermally coupled with the first planar coil and electrically isolated from the first planar coil;
- a second substrate, thermally coupled with the second planar coil and electrically isolated from the second planar coil;
- and
- a conductive element disposed in the aperture and substantially aligned with the axis;
- and
- applying a voltage to the conductive element of the spark gap device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.