# US 2014/0192343 A1 · Vacuum Ultraviolet Absorption Spectroscopy System And Method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0192343 A1 - Document ID: US20140192343A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/792,853 - Filed: 2013-03-11 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2012-10-18 - Assignees: VUV Analytics, Inc. - Inventors: Dale A. Harrison; Anthony T. Hayes; Phillip Walsh - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140192343A1 ## CPC - G01N 30/78: using more than one detector - G01J 3/02: Details - G01N 21/05: Flow-through cuvettes (G01N21/09 takes precedence; handling fluid samples G01N1/10) - G01N 21/15: Preventing contamination of the components of the optical system or obstruction of the light path - G01N 21/33: using ultraviolet light (G01N21/39 takes precedence) - G01N 21/85: Investigating moving fluids or granular solids - G01N 30/02: Column chromatography - G01N 30/74: Optical detectors {(measurement of intensity, velocity, spectral content, polarisation, or phase of infrared, visible or ultraviolet light G01J)} - G01N 33/0004: {Gaseous mixtures, e.g. polluted air} - G01N 33/0027: {concerning the detector} - G01N 21/0332: {with temperature control (control of temperature G05D23/00; cryostats F17C3/08)} - G01N 2021/0325: {Cells for testing reactions, e.g. containing reagents} - G01N 2021/151: {Gas blown} - G01N 2021/158: {Eliminating condensation} - G01N 2021/335: {Vacuum UV} - G01N 2021/8578: {Gaseous flow} - G01N 2030/025: {Gas chromatography} - G01N 2030/027: {Liquid chromatography} - G01N 2201/024: Modular construction - G01N 2201/0633: Directed, collimated illumination - G01N 2201/12: Circuits of general importance; Signal processing - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) - G01J: MEASUREMENT OF INTENSITY, VELOCITY, SPECTRAL CONTENT, POLARISATION, PHASE OR PULSE CHARACTERISTICS OF INFRARED, VISIBLE OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT; COLORIMETRY; RADIATION PYROMETRY (light sources F21, H01J, H01K, H05B; investigating properties of materials by optical means G01N) ## Abstract An efficient absorption spectroscopy system is provided. The spectroscopy system may be configured to measure solid, liquid or gaseous samples. Vacuum ultra-violet wavelengths may be utilized. Some of the disclosed techniques can be used for detecting the presence of trace concentrations of gaseous species. A preferable gas flow cell is disclosed. Some of the disclosed techniques may be used with a gas chromatography system so as to detect and identify species eluted from the column. Some of the disclosed techniques may be used in conjunction with an electrospray interface and a liquid chromatography system so as to detect and identify gas phase ions of macromolecules produced from solution. Some of the disclosed techniques may be used to characterize chemical reactions. Some of the disclosed techniques may be used in conjunction with an ultra short-path length sample cell to measure liquids. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A gas chromatography analysis system, comprising: a gas chromatography column, the gas chromatography column configured to provide at least one gas analyte to be analyzed; a gas flow cell coupled to the gas chromatography column so as to receive a flow of the analyte from the gas chromatography column; a detection space within the gas flow cell, the detection space having a volume of approximately equal to or greater than the volume of the analyte provided from the gas chromatography column; a light source coupled to the gas flow cell; and a detector coupled to the gas flow cell, the gas flow cell configured to pass light from the light source through the detection space to the detector for detecting a property of the analyte. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the light source is a broadband VUV light source and the detector is a spectrometer capable of measuring multiple wavelengths of light simultaneously, a light path from the light source to the detector being contained within one or more controlled environments. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the light source is a VUV light source. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein the gas flow cell is environmentally sealed and has VUV optical coupling mechanisms to allow VUV light to pass through the gas flow cell. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein the light passing through the gas flow cell is collimated VUV light. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the detector is a spectrometer. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a makeup gas flow coupled to the gas flow cell. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, wherein light source is a VUV light source and the makeup gas flow is comprised of a gas that is relatively invisible to the detector in the VUV light region. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the system allows for movement of the gas flow cell from thermal expansion of the gas flow cell by allowing for at least one of the components coupled to the gas flow cell to move. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein at least one module coupled to the gas flow cell is configured to move due to thermal expansion of the gas flow cell. ### Claim 11 A gas flow cell for use with an optical detection system coupled to a gas source, the gas flow cell comprising: a gas inlet; a gas outlet; a gas flow channel, the gas flow cell being environmentally sealed to provide a controlled environment for a flow of gas from the gas inlet to the gas outlet; and a plurality of optically couplings through which VUV wavelengths or less of light pass as part of transmission of the light through the gas flow channel, the gas flow cell being configured to accept collimated VUV light. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The gas flow cell of claim 11, the volume of the gas flow channel being sufficiently large so that substantially all of an analyte within the gas flow may be contained in the gas flow channel simultaneously. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The gas flow cell of claim 11, further comprising at least one thermal isolation coupling providing a coupling point for coupling the gas flow cell to other components. ### Claim 14 A method of obtaining data regarding a gas analyte, comprising: providing the analyte from a gas chromatography column; providing the analyte to a gas flow cell; passing VUV wavelengths or less of light through the gas flow cell; detecting absorption of the VUV wavelengths of light by the analyte through the use of a spectrometer optically coupled to an optical output of the gas flow cell; obtaining a three dimensional data set indicative of an amount of absorption of the analyte as a function of wavelength and time; and analyzing the three dimensional data set to determine an identity and quantity of the analyte. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising providing a makeup gas flow to the gas flow cell in conjunction with the analyte. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising varying the flow rate of the makeup gas flow. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising varying the flow rate of the makeup gas flow in a manner to enhance temporal resolution of the analyte provided from the gas chromatography column in a manner that does not affect the detection of the absorption of the analyte. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising varying the flow rate of the makeup gas flow in a manner to ensure substantially all analyte molecules are present in the gas flow cell during detection. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising varying the flow rate of the makeup gas flow in a manner to improve absorption measurements. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the VUV light source is a broadband light source and the absorption of multiple wavelengths of light is detected simultaneously ### Claim 21 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein a flow channel is provided in the gas flow cell, the flow channel being in the light path of the gas flow cell, the volume of the flow channel being approximately equal to or greater than a volume of the analyte provided from the gas chromatography column. ### Claim 22 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein two or more analytes are provided by the gas chromatography column. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, wherein at least two analytes are provided simultaneously. ### Claim 24 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the analysis of the three dimensional data set comprises at least an optimization procedure. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, wherein the optimization procedure comprises constructing a model for an amount of absorption of the analyte and comparing it to the detected absorption. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The method of claim 25, wherein the optimization procedure further comprises iteratively adjusting inputs to the model in an effort to minimize differences between the modeled and detected absorption.