Zeeman effect atomic absorption spectrometer
AssigneeE. I. Du Pont de Nemours and Company
InventorRobert R. Dorsch
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An acyclic Zeeman effect atomic absorption spectrometer viewing the sample analyzed continuously and simultaneously with two linear orthogonally polarized radiation beams preselected as to wavelength to effectively cancel out, upon logarithmic ratioing of their electrical analogs, the contribution of adulterants to the mass determination of a trace element in analysis and thereafter obtaining the ratio of the integrated value of the monitored sample logarithmic ratio signal with that of a stored standard sample integrated logarithmic ratio signal as a measure of the concentration of trace element present.
Claims8
Apparatus for acyclic spectrochemical trace analysis employing the Zeeman effect comprising, in optical train in the order recited,
- a radiation emission source emitting the characteristic spectral line radiation of an element to be analyzed,
- magnetic means applying a D-C magnetic field transverse the path of said characteristic radiation in the region of its emission maintaining a substantially steady D-C magnetic flux resolving said characteristic radiation into continuous linear orthogonally polarized radiation components a preselected one of which, the analytical beam, has a specific frequency characteristic of said element to be analyzed and a preselected other of which, the reference beam, has frequencies different from said analytical beam,
- furnace means open to the passage of said analytical beam and said reference beam for atomizing a sample of a substance to be analyzed,
- optical means segregating said analytical beam and said reference beam along separate courses according to their simultaneous linear orthogonal polarization directions and within preselected wavelength limits, each course being provided with electronic transducing means developing an electrical signal corresponding to the sensed radiation intensity of the respective beam viewed,
- means deriving the logarithmic ratio of said electrical signals one to the other,
- and means utilizing said logarithmic ratio in values specific to separate sample and standard analyses to give the concentration of said element to be analyzed in said sample.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.