# US 8,541,741 B2 · Photonic measurement instrument using fiber optics > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,541,741 B2 - Document ID: US8541741B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/949,383 - Filed: 2010-11-18 - Published: 2011-05-26 - Granted: 2013-09-24 - Earliest claimed: 2009-11-20 - Assignees: PerkinElmer Health Sciences, Inc. - Applicants: Juan C. Ivaldi; Paul L. St. Cyr; Eugene Chow; Mark C. Werner - Inventors: Juan C. Ivaldi; Paul L. St. Cyr; Eugene Chow; Mark C. Werner - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8541741B2 ## CPC - G01N 21/3103: {Atomic absorption analysis} - G01N 21/3151: {using two sources of radiation of different wavelengths (G01N21/33 - G01N21/39 take precedence)} - G01N 21/68: using high frequency electric fields - G01N 21/72: using flame burners - G01N 21/74: using flameless atomising, e.g. graphite furnaces - G01N 2201/082: Fibres for a reference path - G01N 2201/0826: Fibre array at source, distributing - G01N 2201/0833: Fibre array at detector, resolving - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) ## Abstract A photonic measurement system, such as an atomic absorption spectrometer, includes source, sample and detection modules that are interconnected by fiber optic cables. A first set of fiber optic cables guides light from one or more light sources in the source module to each of at least two analysis chambers in the sample module. A second set of fiber optic cables guides light from the analysis chambers to a detector in the detection module. The detector provides to a processing sub-system signals that correspond to intensities of the guided light. One analysis chamber is selected to perform a sample analysis at a given time, and the processing sub-system processes the signals associated with the selected analysis chamber as measurement signals. The processing sub-system may further process the signals associated with a given non-selected analysis chamber as reference signals. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A photonic measurement system including one or more light sources; at least two analysis chambers, wherein one or more of the analysis chambers contains a sample to be analyzed; a first set of fiber optic cables that guide light produced by the one or more light sources to each of the analysis chambers; a second set of fiber optic cables that guide light from the respective analysis chambers to a detector; the detector configured to produce signals corresponding to intensities of light guided to the detector from respective cables of the second set of fiber optic cables; a processing sub-system that processes signals provided by the detector; and a system controller that controls the one or more light sources and the analysis chambers to operate a selected analysis chamber to perform a sample analysis and controls the processing sub-system to process the signals associated with the selected analysis chamber as measurement signals. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The photonic measurement system of claim 1 wherein the light sources are of first and second types, and the first set of fiber optic cables includes a selector/mapper that bundles and maps optical fibers to guide light from each of the first and second types of light sources to respective analysis chambers. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The photonic measurement system of claim 2 wherein the processing sub-system processes signals associated with a non-selected analysis chamber as reference signals. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The photonic measurement system of claim 3 wherein the system is an atomic absorption spectrometer and the analysis chambers are a furnace atomizer and a flame atomizer. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The photonic measurement system of claim 4 wherein the first and second light sources are hollow cathode lamps and Deuterium lamps. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The photonic measurement system of claim 4 wherein the first and second light sources are electrodeless discharge lamps and Deuterium lamps. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The photonic measurement system of claim 4 further including a switching mechanism that provides light from the first source type to a first selected analysis chamber and light from both first and second source types to a different selected analysis chamber. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The photonic measurement system of claim 2 further including a third fiber optic cable that provides light from the first and second types of light sources to the detector; and the processing sub-system processes signals associated with the third fiber optic cable as reference signals. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The photonic measurement system of claim 1 further including a first plurality of couplers to couple light to and from the fiber optic cables in the first set, and a second plurality of couplers to couple light to the fiber optic cables in the second set. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The photonic measurement system of claim 9 wherein the first and second couplers are off-axis ellipsoid mirrors. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The photonic measurement system of claim 9 further including multiple light sources of the first type that produce light in respective wavelengths, and means for positioning the corresponding coupler relative to a given one of the light sources of the first type to couple light of a selected wavelength to the first set of fiber optic cables. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The photonic measurement system of claim 9 further including multiple light sources of the first type that produce light in respective wavelengths for absorption, and means for positioning the light sources with respect to the corresponding coupler to couple light from a selected light source of the first type to the first set of fiber optic cables. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The photonic measurement system of claim 9 further including multiple light sources of the first type that produce light in respective wavelengths for absorption, and multiple couplers that couple light from the respective multiple light sources to the first set of fiber optic cables. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The photonic measurement system of claim 1 wherein the system is an atomic absorption spectrometer and all of the analysis chambers are furnaces. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The photonic measurement system of claim 1 wherein the system performs one of inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy, optical detection in liquid chromatography, UltraViolet/visible spectroscopy and UltraViolet/visible near infrared spectroscopy. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The photonic measurement system of claim 1 wherein one or both of the first and second sets of fiber optic cables consist of non-solarizing UV grade optical fibers. ### Claim 17 A method of operating an atomic absorption spectrometer comprising selecting an atomizer from at least two atomizers that are configured within respective guided light paths from light sources to a detector; and operating a processing sub-system that is configured to receive signals from the detector to process signals associated with the selected atomizer as measurement signals. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17 further including operating the processing sub-system to process signals associated with a given non-selected atomizer as reference signals. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18 further including making a new atomizer selection; and operating the processing sub-system to processing signals associated with the newly selected atomizer as measurement signals and signals associated with a given non-selected atomizer as reference signals. ### Claim 20 A photonic measurement system including a source module including one or more light sources; a sample module including at least two analysis chambers, wherein one or more of the analysis chambers contains a sample to be analyzed; a detection module including a detector that produces signals associated with each of the analysis chambers; a first set of fiber optic cables that guide light from the one or more light sources to each of the analysis chambers; a second set of fiber optic cables that guide light from each of the analysis chambers to the detector; a processing sub-system that processes the signals produced by the detector; and a system controller that controls the one or more light sources and the analysis chambers to operate a selected analysis chamber to perform a sample analysis and controls the processing sub-system to process the signals associated with the selected analysis chamber as measurement signals. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The photonic measurement system of claim 20 wherein the light sources are different types of light sources, and the first set of fiber optical cables includes optical fibers that guide light from each of the different types of light sources and a mapper/selector that bundles and maps the optical fibers to guide light from each of the two types of light sources to each of the analysis chambers. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The photonic measurement system of claim 21 wherein the system controller further operates the detection module to process as reference signals the signals associated with a given analysis chamber that is not selected. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The photonic measurement system of claim 22 wherein the system is an atomic absorption spectrometer and the analysis chambers are a furnace atomizer and a flame atomizer. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The photonic measurement system of claim 23 wherein one or both of the first and second sets of fiber optic cables consist of non-solarizing UV grade optical fibers. ### Claim 25 An atomic absorption spectrometer including one or more light sources, wherein the light sources are of first and second types; at least two analysis chambers, wherein at least one of the analysis chambers is a furnace atomizer and at least one of the analysis chambers is a flame atomizer; a first set of fiber optic cables that guide light produced by the one or more light sources to each of the analysis chambers, wherein the first set of optic cables includes a selector/mapper that maps optical fibers to guide light from each of the first and second types of light sources to respective analysis chambers; a second set of fiber optic cables that guide light from the respective analysis chambers to a detector; the detector configured to produce signals corresponding to intensities of light guided to the detector from respective cables of the second set of fiber optic cables; a processing sub-system that processes signals provided by the detector, wherein the signals associated with a non-selected analysis chamber are processed as reference signals; and a system controller that controls the one or more light sources and the analysis chambers to operate a selected analysis chamber to perform a sample analysis and controls the processing sub-system to process the signals associated with the selected analysis chamber as measurement signals. ### Claim 26 An atomic absorption spectrometer including one or more light sources; at least two analysis chambers, wherein all of the analysis chambers are furnaces; a first set of fiber optic cables that guide light produced by the one or more light sources to each of the analysis chambers; a second set of fiber optic cables that guide light from the respective analysis chambers to a detector; the detector configured to produce signals corresponding to intensities of light guided to the detector from respective cables of the second set of fiber optic cables; a processing sub-system that processes signals provided by the detector; and a system controller that controls the one or more light sources and the analysis chambers to operate a selected analysis chamber to perform a sample analysis and controls the processing sub-system to process the signals associated with the selected analysis chamber as measurement signals.