Surface contamination detection
AssigneeAgilent Technologies, Inc.
InventorsKaren L. Seaward, David T. Dutton
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A contamination detector in accordance with one embodiment of the invention includes a plasma generation system operable to direct an atmospheric plasma discharge towards a surface. The contamination detector further includes a light capture system to capture light generated by interaction of the atmospheric plasma discharge with the surface. The light capture system guides the captured light to an optical detection system configured to detect a contaminant.
Claims20
A contamination detector, comprising:
- a plasma generation system operable to expel an atmospheric plasma discharge from said plasma generation system and direct the atmospheric plasma discharge towards a surface;
- an optical detection system configured to detect a contaminant;
- and
- a light capture system configured to capture light generated by interaction of the atmospheric plasma discharge with the surface and to guide the light to the optical detection system for detection;
- wherein said discharge is created within said plasma generation system and is independent of said surface.
A contamination detector, comprising:
- a plasma generation system operable to direct an atmospheric plasma discharge towards a surface;
- an optical detection system configured to detect a contaminant;
- and
- a light capture system configured to capture light generated by interaction of the atmospheric plasma discharge with the surface and to guide the light to the optical detection system for detection
- wherein the atmospheric plasma discharge is a micro-discharge and the light capture system is configured to capture light from a region close to the surface.
A method for detecting contamination of a surface, the method comprising:
- generating an atmospheric plasma discharge within a plasma generation system;
- expelling the atmospheric plasma discharge from the plasma generation system;
- directing the atmospheric plasma discharge towards the surface;
- and
- detecting contamination of the surface from the spectral signature of light generated by interaction of the atmospheric plasma discharge with the surface.
A method comprising:
- providing a hand-held contamination detector comprising an enclosure,
- generating an atmospheric plasma discharge within the enclosure;
- expelling the atmospheric plasma discharge out of the enclosure;
- directing the atmospheric plasma discharge towards a surface using the hand-held contamination detector;
- using the hand-held contamination detector to capture the spectral signature of light generated by interaction of the atmospheric plasma discharge with the surface;
- and
- detecting contamination of the surface from the spectral signature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.