Sample introduction system for flameless emission spectroscopy

In a system for analyzing the composition of a sample wherein the sample components are excited through collision with an active metastable gaseous species, the excited sample components emitting a characteristic wavelength of light which may be detected, said system including a chamber through which said gaseous species flows, a microwave cavity surrounding said chamber, and a microwave source coupled to said cavity, said source and said cavity exciting said gaseous species, means for introducing a liquid sample and said gaseous species into said chamber comprising:

• a first tube, one end of said first tube receiving said liquid sample, the other end of said first tube extending into said chamber;
• a second tube positioned coaxially with and surrounding said first tube, one end of said second tube receiving said gaseous species, the other end of said second tube being positioned adjacent to said other end of said first tube whereby said sample enters the flow of said gaseous species as it emerges from said other end of said first tube;
• and
• means for heating said other end of said second tube to vaporize said sample.

In a system for analyzing the composition of a sample wherein the sample components are excited in a chamber through collision with an active metastable gaseous species, the excited sample components emitting a characteristic wavelength of light, said system including a microwave cavity surrounding said chamber and a microwave source coupled to said cavity, means for introducing said sample into said chamber comprising:

• first and second coaxial tubes, first ends of which extend into said reaction chamber;
• means for heating said first ends of said tubes;
• and
• means for conducting said sample and said gaseous species into the other ends of said tubes.