Element analyzer exploiting a magneto-optic effect

• US 4,171,912 A
• Filed: 09/29/1977
• Issued: 10/23/1979
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Ito, Masaru, Murayama, Seiichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Evans, F. L.
• Application Number:
  US05/837,802
• Time in Patent Office: 754 Days
• Field of Search: 356/85-88, 356/93-97, 356/319, 356/320
• US Class Current: 356/320
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/3103 Atomic absorption analysis

Abstract

In an element analyzer exploiting a magneto-optic effect, when a concentration of the element in a sample material to be detected is high, two peaks are produced in the wave form of the signal obtained during the measurement. The present invention provides a discriminating technique to indicate whether two peaks appear in the wave form of the signal, with the object of reducing the error produced in the element analysis exploiting a magneto-optic effect.

Claims

1. An element analyzer exploiting a magneto-optic effect comprising:

a space for a sample material, means for applying a magnetic field to said sample material,

a light source arranged on an optical axis,

a polarizer arranged on the optical axis between said light source and said space for said sample material,

an analyzer arranged on the optical axis next to the space for said sample material and disposed on the side of said space opposite that on which said polarizer is arranged,

spectro analyzing means arranged on the optical path of the light emergent from said analyzer which acts on the light which has passed through said space for the sample material, and

detector means for detecting light emergent from said spectro analyzing means, including a detector for detecting the light and means for discriminating between a signal obtained at the output of said detector having a single peak and a signal having multiple peaks.

2. An element analyser according to claim 1 wherein said discriminating means includes means for splitting the output signal derived from said detector into first and second signals, delay means for delaying said first signal with respect to said second signal, a differential amplifier receiving said delayed first signal and said second signal, and means for counting the number of pulses of a given polarity emergent from the output of said differential amplifier.

3. An element analyser according to claim 1, said discriminating means includes a differentiation circuit connected to receive the output of said detector, and means for counting the number of pulses having a required sign emergent from the output of said differentiation circuit.

4. An element analyser according to claim 1, said discriminating means includes means for splitting the output signal obtained from the output of said detector into first and second signals, a delay circuit, a first differential amplifier receiving said first signal through said delay circuit, a peak-hold circuit connected to receive said second signal, a second differential amplifier having one input connected to the output of said peak-hold circuit and a second input connected to a standard voltage to obtain the difference therebetween, the output of said second differential amplifier being applied to said first differential amplifier, and means for counting the number of peaks having a required sign which emergent from the output of said first differential amplifier.

5. An element analyser according to claim 2 wherein said counting means includes a first comparator receiving the output of said differential amplifier and a first reference voltage source, a monostable multivibrator connected to the output of said first comparator, a flip-flop circuit connected to the output of said multivibrator, a differentiator connected to the output of said flip-flop circuit, a second comparator receiving the output of said differentiator and a second reference voltage, and an indicator connected to the output of said second comparator.

6. An element analyser according to claim 3 wherein said counting means includes a first comparator receiving the output of said differentiation circuit and a first reference voltage source, a monostable multivibrator connected to the output of said first comparator, a flip-flop circuit connected to the output of said multivibrator, a differentiator connected to the output of said flip-flop circuit, a second comparator receiving the output of said differentiator and a second reference voltage, and an indicator connected to the output of said second comparator.

7. An element analyser according to claim 4 wherein said counting means includes a first comparator receiving the output of said first differential amplifier and a first reference voltage source, a monostable multivibrator connected to the output of said first comparator, a flip-flop circuit connected to the output of said multivibrator, a differentiator connected to the output of said flip-flop circuit, a second comparator receiving the output of said differentiator and a second reference voltage, and an indicator connected to the output of said second comparator.