Patent US512089A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US3732017A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3732017A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Gas analyzer utilizing a tunable laser with a reference substance in the laser cavity
Assignee: Bendix Corp
•
Filing: 1970-10-23
•
Granted: 1973-05-08
•
Expires: 1990-10-23
Abstract
Abstract A gas analyzer which employs a tunable laser is described. The laser is tunable over a well defined bandwidth so that coherent energy of all frequencies within the bandwidth is available. A known gas is introduced into the laser cavity so that the laser will lase only at the frequencies which correspond to the absorption frequencies of the gas. The output of the swept laser is therefore a reference spectrum containing a series of lines which correspond to the absorption frequencies of the known gas. The reference spectrum is therefore uniquely characteristic of the known gas. By illuminating a sample of an unknown gas with the reference spectrum some of, or all of, the peaks will be absorbed when the unknown gas partially, or completely, is composed of gases identical to those of the reference gas. The illumination from the unknown gas is detected with a broad band detector and the composition of the unknown gas identified by noting which of the reference spectrum peaks are absorbed and by the amount they are absorbed.
Inventors
- 👤 W Wolber
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 17:46
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N21/00; G01N21/17; G01N21/25; G01N21/31; G01N21/39
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
156 words
A system for qualitatively analyzing unknown substances comprising: a tunable source of coherent energy having a resonant cavity and a reference substance of known composition in said cavity, said reference substance allowing said tunable source to oscillate and thereby produce an output only at the frequencies corresponding to the absorption frequencies of said reference substance so that the output radiation of said source when tuned is a reference spectrum having a plurality of lines, said lines occurring at frequencies which correspond to the absorption frequencies of said reference substance; means for supporting a sample of an unknown substance to be analyzed in the proximity of said source so that said sample is subjected to said reference spectrum, said sample absorbing lines from said reference spectrum at frequencies which correspond to the absorption frequencies of said sample so that similarities in the composition of said reference substance and said sample substance are indicated by said line absorption.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
156 words
A system for qualitatively analyzing unknown substances comprising: a tunable source of coherent energy having a resonant cavity and a reference substance of known composition in said cavity, said reference substance allowing said tunable source to oscillate and thereby produce an output only at the frequencies corresponding to the absorption frequencies of said reference substance so that the output radiation of said source when tuned is a reference spectrum having a plurality of lines, said lines occurring at frequencies which correspond to the absorption frequencies of said reference substance; means for supporting a sample of an unknown substance to be analyzed in the proximity of said source so that said sample is subjected to said reference spectrum, said sample absorbing lines from said reference spectrum at frequencies which correspond to the absorption frequencies of said sample so that similarities in the composition of said reference substance and said sample substance are indicated by said line absorption.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
48 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said source of coherent energy is a tunable laser and said reference substance is composed of a single substance so that all lines in said reference spectrum are absorbed when said sample substance is at least partially identical to said reference substance.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
71 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said source of coherent energy is a tunable laser and said reference substance is a mixture of several known component substances so that a portion of said lines in said reference spectrum are absorbed when said reference substance and said sample substance contain common component substances, and all of said lines are proportionally absorbed when said reference substance and said sample substance are identical mixtures.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system of claim 2 wherein said reference substance and said sample substance are gases.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system of claim 3 wherein said reference substance and said sample substance are gases.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
52 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said energy source is a laser tunable over a frequency range in the order of one octave; and including a broad band detector receiving the radiation from said sample, the absorption of said lines being indicated by said detector to thereby unambiguously identify said sample substance.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
48 words
The system of claim 6 wherein said source of coherent energy is a tunable laser and said reference substance is composed of a single gas so that all lines in said reference spectrum are absorbed when said sample substance is at least partially identical to said reference gas.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
70 words
The gas analyzer of claim 6 wherein said soUrce of coherent energy is a tunable laser and said reference substance is a mixture of several known gases so that a portion of said lines in said reference spectrum are absorbed when said reference gas and said sample substance contain common components, and all of said lines are proportionally absorbed when said reference gas and said sample gas are identical mixtures.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
123 words
A method of analyzing a sample gas of unknown composition including the steps of: introducing a reference gas of known composition into the resonant cavity of a tunable laser; obtaining a reference spectrum by tuning said laser over a frequency range consistent with the absorption frequencies of said reference gas so that a reference spectrum containing a plurality of lines at frequencies corresponding to said absorption frequencies is obtained; illuminating a sample of a gas to be analyzed with said reference spectrum, said sample gas absorbing said lines at absorption frequencies of said sample which correspond to absorption frequencies of said reference gas; detecting the illumination from said sample and noting the absorption of said reference lines to unambiguously identify said sample gas.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
123 words
A method of analyzing a sample gas of unknown composition including the steps of: introducing a reference gas of known composition into the resonant cavity of a tunable laser; obtaining a reference spectrum by tuning said laser over a frequency range consistent with the absorption frequencies of said reference gas so that a reference spectrum containing a plurality of lines at frequencies corresponding to said absorption frequencies is obtained; illuminating a sample of a gas to be analyzed with said reference spectrum, said sample gas absorbing said lines at absorption frequencies of said sample which correspond to absorption frequencies of said reference gas; detecting the illumination from said sample and noting the absorption of said reference lines to unambiguously identify said sample gas.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 9 wherein said step of introducing includes introducing a plurality of known gases into said cavity so that said reference gas is a mixture of gases.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
103 words
A method of analyzing an unknown gas sample including the steps of: introducing a reference gas into the resonant cavity of a tunable laser, said reference gas allowing said laser to oscillate only at frequencies which correspond to the absorption frequencies of said reference gas; obtaining at least one reference line by tuning said laser to one of said absorption frequencies; locking said laser to said one absorption frequency; exposing said sample gas to said reference line and detecting the radiation passing through said sample, absorption of said line unambiguously revealing a similarity of composition between said reference gas and said sample gas.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
103 words
A method of analyzing an unknown gas sample including the steps of: introducing a reference gas into the resonant cavity of a tunable laser, said reference gas allowing said laser to oscillate only at frequencies which correspond to the absorption frequencies of said reference gas; obtaining at least one reference line by tuning said laser to one of said absorption frequencies; locking said laser to said one absorption frequency; exposing said sample gas to said reference line and detecting the radiation passing through said sample, absorption of said line unambiguously revealing a similarity of composition between said reference gas and said sample gas.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2212211A
Cited
US3277396A
Cited
US3287556A
Cited
GB1113986A
Cited
US3609583A
Cited
US3588253A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-05-07 | 1976-11-06 | 1977-05-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-05-07 | 1980-11-06 | 1981-05-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-05-07 | 1984-11-06 | 1985-05-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |