Benchtop Optical Spectroscopy Providing Improved Workflow

An apparatus for plasma emission spectroscopy comprising:

• an electronically controllable plasma generator providing a dielectric resonator to generate a plasma in an axially extending plasma region within the resonator;
• a sample-handling system for introducing a sample into the plasma region;
• an optical collimation system capturing light from the plasma region during introduction of the sample;
• at least two optical sensors directed across the axis and spaced along the axis on opposite sides of the dielectric resonator;
• and
• an analysis circuit receiving electrical signals from the optical sensors to indicate fugitive plasma outside of the plasma region when signals from the at least two optical sensors differ by a predetermined amount.

An apparatus for plasma emission spectroscopy comprising:

• an electronically controllable plasma generator providing a dielectric resonator to generate a plasma in an axially extending plasma region within the resonator;
• a sample-handling system for introducing a sample into the plasma region;
• an optical collimation system capturing light from the plasma region during introduction of the sample;
• at least one optical sensor directed along the axis in the plasma region;
• and
• an analysis circuit receiving an electrical signal from the at least one optical sensor to indicate a plasma ignition failure when the at least one signal is below a predetermined threshold.

An apparatus for plasma emission spectroscopy comprising:

• a housing having a base on which the housing may be supported, the housing in turn supporting:
• an inductive plasma generator receiving electrical power to generate plasma in a plasma region;
• a sample jet tube for introducing a gas-carried sample into the plasma region for spectrographic analysis along an axis;
• an optical collimation system capturing light from the plasma heated sample;
• a plasma vent receiving the gas-carried sample after passing through the plasma region and having an outlet adapted to attached to a vent fan and inlet positioned along the axis downstream from the sample jet tube and having an inlet pressure less than ambient air pressure during operation of the vent fan, sample jet tube, and plasma generator.

An apparatus for plasma emission spectroscopy comprising:

• a housing having a base on which the housing may be supported, the housing in turn supporting:
• an electronically controllable plasma generator providing a dielectric resonator to generate a plasma in an axially extending plasma region within the resonator;
• a sample jet tube positionable to extend along the axis and having a first and second inlet for receiving a sample and a sheath gas, respectively, and an outlet for directing the sample and sheath gas into the plasma region;
• an optical collimation system capturing light from the plasma region during introduction of the sample;
• and
• a sample jet tube holder providing a spring-biased clamp with an operator accessible outside of the housing to move in a first direction separating portions of the spring-biased clamp to receive or remove the sample jet tube and in the second direction allowing the spring-biased clamp to close the portions about the sample jet tube and align the sample jet tube with the axis.