Apparatus for automated real-time material identification

• US 20060262304A1
• Filed: 04/24/2006
• Published: 11/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: University of Wyoming
• Original Assignee: University of Wyoming
• Inventors: Carron, Keith
• Application Number:
  US11/409,857
• Publication Number:
  US 20060262304A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 356/328
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 2001/4242 Modulated light, e.g. for synchronizing source and detector circuit
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/02 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/021 using plane or convex mirrors, parallel phase plates, or particular reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0229 using masks, aperture plates, spatial light modulators or spatial filters, e.g. reflective filters
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0264 Electrical interface; User interface
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0294 Multi-channel spectroscopy
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/1809 Echelle gratings
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/42 Absorption spectrometry; Double beam spectrometry; Flicker spectrometry; Reflection spectrometry beam switching arrangements G01J3/08
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/44 Raman spectrometry; Scattering spectrometry ; Fluorescence spectrometry

Abstract

An apparatus is described for the real-time identification of one or more selected components of a target material. In one embodiment, an infrared spectrometer and a separate Raman spectrometer are coupled to exchange respective spectral information of the target material preferably normalized and presented in a single graph. In an alternative embodiment, both an infrared spectrometer and a Raman spectrometer are included in a single instrument and a common infrared light source is used by both spectrometers. In another embodiment, a vibrational spectrometer and a stoichiometric spectrometer are combined in a single instrument and are coupled to exchange respective spectral information of the target material and to compare the spectral information against a library of spectra to generate a real-time signal if a selected component is present in the target material.

Claims

1. Apparatus combined in a single instrument for measuring a plurality of spectra of a sample, comprising:

(a) a dispersive component;

(b) a focusing element that focuses light from the dispersive component at a focal point;

(c) a two-dimensional array of mirrors at the focal point; and

(d) a single element detector which receives light form the two-dimensional array of mirrors.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the dispersive element comprises an echelle grating and order separator to disperse the spectrum in two dimensions.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the detector comprises a digital memory device in which is stored a library of sample spectra and a digital computer for comparing a sample spectrum against the library.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising a sources of electromagnetic radiation directed on the sample which emits light spectra characteristic of the sample, and wherein the light spectra comprises molecular and elemental emission spectra.

5. An apparatus of claim 4 wherein the molecular spectra is selected from the group consisting of luminescence, Raman, resonance Raman, surface enhanced Raman, and stimulated Raman spectroscopies.

6. An apparatus of claim 4 wherein the elemental spectra is selected from the group consisting of LIBS, atomic emission, and atomic fluorescence spectroscopies.

12. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the detector normalizes each of the spectra and combines them to produce a single spectrum containing more information that the individual spectra.

7. Apparatus combined in a single instrument for measuring a plurality of spectra of a sample, comprising:

(a) a single sampling port;

(b) a first spectrometer for generating a first spectrum and a second spectrometer for generating a second spectrum; and

(c) a communication link between the spectrometers to combine the first and second spectra into a single spectrum.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 7, further comprising a detector including a digital memory device in which is stored a library of sample spectra and a digital computer for comparing the single spectrum against the library.

9. Apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein the first spectrum collected and analyzed is a molecular emission spectrum and the second spectrum collected and analyzed is an elemental emission spectrum.

10. Apparatus of claim 9, wherein the molecular spectrum is selected from the group consisting of luminescence, Raman, resonance Raman, surface enhanced Raman, and stimulated Raman spectroscopies

11. Apparatus of claim 9, wherein the elemental spectrum is selected from the group consisting of LIBS, atomic emission, and atomic fluorescence spectroscopies.

13. Apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein the detector normalizes each of the spectra and combines them to produce a single spectrum containing more information that the individual spectra.