Fluid analyzer utilizing a laser beam

Claim 3

Method as defined in claim 1 wherein said step of forming a fluid stream is carried out by injecting the fluid into the vacuum chamber via a nozzle at a rate selected to prevent significant deterioration of the vacuum level in the chamber, said step of exciting is carried out by directing the laser beam approximately perpendicularly to the direction of injection of the fluid into the chamber and concentrating the beam to a point in the fluid stream directly in front of the exit opening of the nozzle, and said step of subjecting is carried out by disposing the entrance opening of the analyzer at an optimum distance from the point of intersection of the laser beam with the fluid stream.

Claim 4

Method as defined in claim 2 wherein said step of forming a stream comprises pulsing the fluid stream in approximately the same rhythm as the pulsed laser radiation.

Claim 5

Apparatus for studying a fluid comprising: a vacuum chamber; means for generating a pulsed laser beam and converging the beam to a point within said chamber; means for directing an unconfined stream of the fluid along a path traversing the beam convergence point; and means for analyzing the photoionized ions of molecules of the fluid produced by impingement of the beam on the fluid, said analyzing means including a time of flight mass spectrometer provided with a time of flight tube constituting the input portion of the spectrometer and enclosing an electric field free region, said tube being located in proximity to the beam convergence point for permitting the ions to enter said tube and pass through said field free region.

Claim 6

Apparatus for studying a fluid comprising: a vacuum chamber; means for generating a pulsed laser beam and converging the beam to a point within said chamber; means for directing an unconfined stream of the fluid along a path traversing the beam convergence point; and means for analyzing the photoionized ions of molecules of the fluid produced by impingement of the beam on the fluid, said analyzing means including a time of flight mass spectrometer provided with a time of flight tube constituting the input portion of the spectrometer and enclosing an electric field free region, said tube being located in proximity to the beam convergence point for permitting the ions to enter said tube and pass through said field free region.

Claim 7

Apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said vacuum chamber includes a wall portion transparent to laser radiation, said beam generating and converging means are disposed outside of said vacuum chamber in such a manner that the laser beam enters said vacuum chamber through said wall portion, and said stream directing means include a conduit extending into said vacuum chamber and an exit nozzle disposed at the outlet end of said conduit and located upstream of the beam convergence point, said nozzle being oriented to cause the fluid stream to exit therefrom approximately perpendicularly to the laser beam axis.

Claim 8

Apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said mass spectrometer has its input portion oriented to define an input path coaxial with the laser beam and so positioned that the point of intersection of the laser beam with the fluid stream lies between said beam generating and converging means and said input portion.

Claim 9

Apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein said input portion comprises an ion optical system.

Claim 10

Apparatus as defined in claim 5, 6 or 7 wherein said stream directing means further comprise a suction line having an inlet opening aligned with the outlet end of said exit nozzle for withdrawing the fluid stream from said chamber after the stream has exited from said nozzle and passed beyond the beam convergence point.