Handheld laser induced breakdown spectroscopy device
First Claim
1. An apparatus for performing laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy, comprising:
- a housing configured as a handheld apparatus having an exit for electromagnetic radiation generated from within the housing;
an intracavity, active Q-switched OPO Nd;
YAG diode pumped solid state laser module that operates at an eye-safe wavelength of about 1574 nanometers and provides instantaneous laser emissions upon actuation, with a controller system operatively coupled thereto disposed and within the housing, the intracavity laser module including a reflective mirror and an output coupler mirror that form a first resonant cavity and form a second resonant cavity within the first resonant cavity for directing a laser beam through the exit with an energy level per pulse from about 4 millijoules (mJ) to about 10 millijoules (mJ), wherein the laser module operates at a power mode of about 30 watts or less, and wherein the active Q-switched Nd;
YAG OPO diode pumped solid state laser module and the laser beam operate with a numerical aperture as low as about 0.0555;
a fiber optic member disposed substantially in the housing for transferring light collected at a distal end of the fiber member without a collection lens or reflective mirror from a plasma induced of a sample material by the laser beam, the fiber optic member distal end being disposed adjacent the exit;
a spectrometer module disposed substantially in the housing for receiving light from a proximal end of the fiber optic member, the spectrometer module producing a spectral distribution corresponding to the sample material from the received light, wherein the controller system provides timing and control between the laser pulse and a spectrometer shutter of the spectrometer module; and
a sampling point interface member with a proximal opening disposed over the housing exit, the laser beam adapted to be projected through the proximal opening and through a distal opening of the interface member, the fiber optic member being disposed adjacent to the interface member distal opening, wherein the sampling point interface is configured in the shape of a cone member, the cone member having an opening opposite an exit opening disposed over the housing exit, wherein an end of the cone member includes a housing-to-sample material interaction section disposed about the housing exit, the interaction section having an area of less than about 2 cm^2.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A novel device, method and systems disclosed managing the thermal challenges of LIBS laser components and a spectrometer in a handheld structure as well the use of simplified light signal collection which includes a bare fiber optic to collect the emitted light in close proximity to (or in contact with) the test material. In one example embodiment of the handheld LIBS device, a burst pulse frequency is 4 kHz is used resulting in a time between pulses of about 250 μs which is a factor of 10 above that of other devices in the prior art. In a related embodiment, an active Q-switched laser module is used along with a compact spectrometer module using a transmission grating to improve LIBS measurement while substantially reducing the size of the handheld analyzer.
69 Citations
10 Claims
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1. An apparatus for performing laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy, comprising:
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a housing configured as a handheld apparatus having an exit for electromagnetic radiation generated from within the housing; an intracavity, active Q-switched OPO Nd;
YAG diode pumped solid state laser module that operates at an eye-safe wavelength of about 1574 nanometers and provides instantaneous laser emissions upon actuation, with a controller system operatively coupled thereto disposed and within the housing, the intracavity laser module including a reflective mirror and an output coupler mirror that form a first resonant cavity and form a second resonant cavity within the first resonant cavity for directing a laser beam through the exit with an energy level per pulse from about 4 millijoules (mJ) to about 10 millijoules (mJ), wherein the laser module operates at a power mode of about 30 watts or less, and wherein the active Q-switched Nd;
YAG OPO diode pumped solid state laser module and the laser beam operate with a numerical aperture as low as about 0.0555;a fiber optic member disposed substantially in the housing for transferring light collected at a distal end of the fiber member without a collection lens or reflective mirror from a plasma induced of a sample material by the laser beam, the fiber optic member distal end being disposed adjacent the exit; a spectrometer module disposed substantially in the housing for receiving light from a proximal end of the fiber optic member, the spectrometer module producing a spectral distribution corresponding to the sample material from the received light, wherein the controller system provides timing and control between the laser pulse and a spectrometer shutter of the spectrometer module; and a sampling point interface member with a proximal opening disposed over the housing exit, the laser beam adapted to be projected through the proximal opening and through a distal opening of the interface member, the fiber optic member being disposed adjacent to the interface member distal opening, wherein the sampling point interface is configured in the shape of a cone member, the cone member having an opening opposite an exit opening disposed over the housing exit, wherein an end of the cone member includes a housing-to-sample material interaction section disposed about the housing exit, the interaction section having an area of less than about 2 cm^2. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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Specification