Atomic absorption spectrophotometer for simultaneous multi-element analysis

Atomic absorption spectrophotometer for simultaneous measurement of atomic absorption of a plurality of elements, comprising:

• a plurality of line-emitting light sources for simultaneously emitting resonant lines of respective ones of a plurality of looked-for elements;
• optical coupler means for superimposing upon each other the resonant lines simultaneously originating from said plurality of line-emitting light sources in order to form a single light beam containing the superimposed resonant lines from the plurality of line-emitting light sources;
• an atomizing device for atomizing a sample under investigation and for generating an atomic vapor in which the looked-for elements of the sample are present in their atomic state;
• optical means for passing the single light beam through the atomic vapor;
• detector means for receiving said single light beam after passage through said atomic vapor, for separately detecting the absorptions to which the resonant lines of the different looked-for elements in the sample are subjected;
• light guide means which only insignificantly absorb light in the spectral range of the resonant lines emitted by the plurality of line-emitting light sources;
• said light guide means being disposed intermediate said plurality of line-emitting light sources and said optical coupler means, for guiding the emitted resonant lines from the line-emitting light sources to said optical coupler means;
• said optical coupler means constituting an integrated optical system containing a plurality of entrance-side light guides for receiving the emitted resonant lines from said light guide means, and a common exit-side light guide which is coupled to said entrance-side light guides;
• and
• an exit light guide coupled to said common exit-side light guide of said optical coupler means for directing said single light beam from said optical coupler means to said atomizing device.