Methods and apparatus for isotopic analysis
AssigneeRutgers, The State University
InventorDaniel E. Murnick
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The isotopic composition of a multiatomic isotope-bearing species such as CO.sub.2 in an analyte is measured by maintaining the analyte in a condition such that isotope-bearing species are present in an excited state and directing light at wavelengths corresponding to transition energies of isotope-bearing species with different isotopes. The interaction between the analyte and light at the different wavelengths is monitored, as by monitoring the optogalvanic effect caused by the light of the different wavelengths. The light may be supplied by a laser including the isotope-bearing species. A stable isotope such as .sup.13 C or .sup.18 O can be used as a tracer in a chemical or biological test and detected using the composition-determining method.
Claims16
A method of determining the isotopic composition of an analyte including isotope-bearing species incorporating a plurality of isotopes comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing said analyte in a condition such that said isotope-bearing species are present in excited states, whereby excited isotope-bearing species incorporating different isotopes will have different transition energies;
- (b) applying radiation to said analyte at plural wavelengths corresponding to said different transition energies, whereby applied radiation at each of said wavelengths will interact selectively with excited isotope-bearing species in said analyte incorporating different ones of said isotopes;
- and
- (c) monitoring response of said analyte to said applied radiation so as to determine a magnitude of said response for each of said wavelengths, said isotope-bearing species being multiatomic moieties.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.