Patent US556579A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US4633084A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4633084A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
High efficiency direct detection of ions from resonance ionization of sputtered atoms
Assignee: United States Department of Energy
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Filing: 1985-01-16
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Granted: 1986-12-30
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Expires: 2005-01-16
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus are provided for trace and other quantitative analysis with high efficiency of a component in a sample, with the analysis involving the removal by ion or other bombardment of a small quantity of ion and neutral atom groups from the sample, the conversion of selected neutral atom groups to photoions by laser initiated resonance ionization spectroscopy, the selective deflection of the photoions for separation from original ion group emanating from the sample, and the detection of the photoions as a measure of the quantity of the component. In some embodiments, the original ion group is accelerated prior to the RIS step for separation purposes. Noise and other interference are reduced by shielding the detector from primary and secondary ions and deflecting the photoions sufficiently to avoid the primary and secondary ions.
Inventors
- 👤 Dieter M. Gruen
- 👤 Michael J. Pellin
- 👤 Charles E. Young
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 16:57
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01J; H01J49/00; H01J49/02; H01J49/10; H01J49/16; H01J49/161; H01J49/162; H01J37/00; H01J37/252; H01J37/256; H01J49/04; H01J49/0459; H01J49/0463; H01J49/14; H01J49/142; H01J2237/00; H01J2237/30; H01J2237/317; H01J2237/31749
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
132 words
A method for the quantitative analysis of a component in a sample comprising the steps of: bombarding the sample with a beam of energetic particles or photons to produce ion and neutral atom groups emanating in a direction away from the sample, selectively accelerating the ions in the ion group emanating from the sample for separation from the neutral atom group, directing one or more laser energy pulses at the neutral atom group to convert the neutral atoms to ions by laser initiated resonance ionization spectroscopy, causing the ionized neutral atoms to be selectively deflected with respect to the emanating ions to form a deflected beam of ionized neutral atoms, and detecting the ionized neutral atoms in the deflected beam as a measure of the quantity of said component in the sample.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
132 words
A method for the quantitative analysis of a component in a sample comprising the steps of: bombarding the sample with a beam of energetic particles or photons to produce ion and neutral atom groups emanating in a direction away from the sample, selectively accelerating the ions in the ion group emanating from the sample for separation from the neutral atom group, directing one or more laser energy pulses at the neutral atom group to convert the neutral atoms to ions by laser initiated resonance ionization spectroscopy, causing the ionized neutral atoms to be selectively deflected with respect to the emanating ions to form a deflected beam of ionized neutral atoms, and detecting the ionized neutral atoms in the deflected beam as a measure of the quantity of said component in the sample.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the step of causing the ionized neutral atoms to be selectively deflected is carried out with a broad band pass and the step of detecting the ionized neutral atoms includes the step of isolating the detection from the ion group emanating from the sample.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the deflecting step includes the focusing of the deflected beam.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the deflection of the ionized neutral atoms group causes at least a 90° change in direction of said atoms.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the bombarding step includes the steps of focusing the energetic particles into a small beam and directing the beam on a surface of the sample substantially perpendicular to the surface.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the bombarding step is discontinued prior to directing the laser energy pulse at the neutral atom group.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 6 including the step of photoionizing any neutral atoms of another component emanating from the sample prior to the ionization of said neutral atoms.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 4 wherein the bombarding step is carried out with a beam of energetic particles and is discontinued prior to directing the laser energy pulse at the neutral atom group.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 8 including the step of photoionizing any neutral atoms of another component emanating from the sample prior to the ionization of said neutral atoms.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method of claim 9 wherein the bombarding step includes the steps of focusing the energetic particles into a small beam and directing the beam on a surface of the sample substantially perpendicular to the surface and the deflecting step includes the focusing of the deflected beam.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the step of bombarding the sample is carried out with a beam of energetic photons.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 8 including the step of sequentially moving the energy beam over a surface of the sample to sequentially provide a plurality of separate ion and neutral groups for analysis.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
132 words
Apparatus for the quantitative analysis of a component in a sample comprising: means for bombarding the sample with an energy beam to produce ion and neutral atom groups emanating in a direction away from the sample, means for selectively accelerating the ions in the ion group emanating from the sample for separation from the neutral atom group, means for directing a laser energy pulse at the neutral atom group to convert the neutral atoms to ions by laser initiated resonance ionization spectroscopy, means for causing the ionized neutral atoms to be selectively deflected with respect to the emanating ions to form a deflected beam of ionized neutral atoms, and means for detecting the ionized neutral atoms in the deflected beam as a measure of the quantity of said component in the sample.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
132 words
Apparatus for the quantitative analysis of a component in a sample comprising: means for bombarding the sample with an energy beam to produce ion and neutral atom groups emanating in a direction away from the sample, means for selectively accelerating the ions in the ion group emanating from the sample for separation from the neutral atom group, means for directing a laser energy pulse at the neutral atom group to convert the neutral atoms to ions by laser initiated resonance ionization spectroscopy, means for causing the ionized neutral atoms to be selectively deflected with respect to the emanating ions to form a deflected beam of ionized neutral atoms, and means for detecting the ionized neutral atoms in the deflected beam as a measure of the quantity of said component in the sample.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
46 words
The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the means for causing the ionized neutral atoms to be selectively deflected includes a broad band-pass filter and the means for detecting the ionized neutral atoms includes means for isolating the detection from the ion group emanating from the sample.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the means includes means for focusing of the deflected beam.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the means for deflection of the ionized neutral atoms group causes at least a 90° change in direction of said atoms.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
35 words
The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the bombarding means includes means for focusing the energetic particles into a small beam and directing the beam on a surface of the sample substantially perpendicular to the surface.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the bombarding means is discontinued prior to the action of the means directing the laser energy pulse at the neutral atom group.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 18 including means for photoionizing any neutral atoms of another component emanating from the sample prior to the ionization of said neutral atoms.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the bombarding is carried out with a beam of energetic particles and is discontinued prior to the action of means for directing the laser energy pulse at the neutral atom group.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 20 including means for photoionizing any neutral atoms of another component emanating from the sample prior to the ionization of said neutral atoms.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
46 words
The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the bombarding includes means for focusing the energetic particles into a small beam and directing the beam on a surface of the sample substantially perpendicular to the surface and the deflecting means includes means for focusing of the deflected beam.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the means for bombarding the sample produces a beam of energetic photons.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
31 words
The apparatus of claim 13 including means for sequentially moving the energy beam over a surface of the sample to sequentially provide a plurality of separate ion and neutral atom groups.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1989-12-29 | 1990-06-30 | 1990-12-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-12-29 | 1994-06-30 | 1994-12-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-12-29 | 1998-06-30 | 1998-12-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |