Microwave spectrometer
First Claim
1. A spectrometer for analyzing a sample substance, said spectrometer including:
- (a) means for supporting the sample substance,(b) means for providing a flow of gas through or over said substance such that molecules of said substance are entrained in said gas flow,(c) nozzle means for receiving said gas flow entraining said molecules of the substance and for ejecting said flow of gas as a supersonic beam seeded with said molecules,(d) means for creating an electric field in the vicinity of said beam which is ejected by said nozzle means,(e) means for providing a source of electromagnetic radiation which passes through said beam in the vicinity of said electric field, and(f) means for detecting said electromagnetic radiation to thereby detect an absorption signal of the molecules which has been modulated in frequency by said electric field.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A spectrometer for analyzing a sample substance which comprises a chamber (40) for supporting a sample to be analyzed. A gas drive circuit (42) communicates with the chamber (40) and the gas drive circuit (42) and chamber (40) are at least partly enclosed within a heated jacket (44). The gas flow through the gas circuit and chamber (40) entrains sample molecules in the flow and a nozzle (30) is provided to spray the gas flow and entrained molecules as a supersonic beam seeded with the molecules between a pair of plates (32 and 34) between which an electric field is created. The electrodes (32 and 34) comprise Stark electrodes. A microwave source (50) and a receiver (60) are arranged so that the source (50) produces a microwave beam which passes through the supersonic beam as the beam expands between the electrodes 32 and 34 which is detected by the detector 60. The detector 60 detects an absorption signal of the molecules which seed the supersonic beam.
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Citations
5 Claims
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1. A spectrometer for analyzing a sample substance, said spectrometer including:
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(a) means for supporting the sample substance, (b) means for providing a flow of gas through or over said substance such that molecules of said substance are entrained in said gas flow, (c) nozzle means for receiving said gas flow entraining said molecules of the substance and for ejecting said flow of gas as a supersonic beam seeded with said molecules, (d) means for creating an electric field in the vicinity of said beam which is ejected by said nozzle means, (e) means for providing a source of electromagnetic radiation which passes through said beam in the vicinity of said electric field, and (f) means for detecting said electromagnetic radiation to thereby detect an absorption signal of the molecules which has been modulated in frequency by said electric field. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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Specification