Molecular gas analysis by Raman scattering in intracavity laser configuration

Claim 1

A system for the near simultaneous analysis and quantitation of selected multiple polyatomic gases in a gas sample by Raman light scattering comprising in combination; (a) laser means capable of producing a polarized laser beam of a selected wavelength containing a laser cavity said laser cavity containing a plasma tube and wherein one end of said laser cavity contains a high reflectivity output coupler mirror; (b) a gas sampling cell located within said laser cavity between said plasma tube and said output coupler mirror, said cell having opposing parallel end windows interconnected by a continuous sidewall, said end windows and sidewall defining a longitudinal gas chamber oriented such that, when said laser beam is activated, the laser beam is coincident with and traverses the axis of said longitudinal gas chamber, said end windows being positioned to be substantially normal to the axis of the longitudinal gas cell chamber, said cell also having opposing, aligned side windows in said sidewall parallel to and on either side of the axis of said longitudinal gas chamber, said gas cell further containing inlet and outlet means communicating with said chamber to pass a sample gas through said cell; (c) a reflection mirror positioned adjacent to and outside of said gas cell parallel to and in alignment with said side windows on one side thereof to capture and redirect a proportion of scattered elastic laser light and inelastic Raman light through said side windows, (d) collection lens means positioned parallel to and in alignment with said side windows outside said gas cell and on the side opposite from said reflection mirror to collect elastic laser scattered light and inelastic Raman light passing through said side windows, (e) laser line rejection filter means positioned to receive the scattered light passing through said collection lens means, said filter being selected to reject elastic laser scattered light passing through said collection lens means while allowing the transmission of inelastic Raman scattered light, (f) a rotatable filter wheel containing a series of interference filters wherein each interference filter is selected to transmit only a single Raman spectra line of a predetermined wavelength, said filter wheel being positioned such that, as it rotates, each interference filter will sequentially receive Raman scattered light passing through said laser line rejection filter means; (g) detection and amplification means for sequentially receiving Raman line signals passing through each of said interference filters and converting said signals to digital electrical pulses; (h) processing means for intrepreting said digital electrical pulses and converting them to visual readouts indicative of the concentration of each of said selected polyatomic molecular gases in said sample; and (i) power means to operate said laser means, rotating filter wheel, detection and amplification means and processing means.

Claim 2

A system for the near simultaneous analysis and quantitation of selected multiple polyatomic gases in a gas sample by Raman light scattering comprising in combination; (a) laser means capable of producing a polarized laser beam of a selected wavelength containing a laser cavity said laser cavity containing a plasma tube and wherein one end of said laser cavity contains a high reflectivity output coupler mirror; (b) a gas sampling cell located within said laser cavity between said plasma tube and said output coupler mirror, said cell having opposing parallel end windows interconnected by a continuous sidewall, said end windows and sidewall defining a longitudinal gas chamber oriented such that, when said laser beam is activated, the laser beam is coincident with and traverses the axis of said longitudinal gas chamber, said end windows being positioned to be substantially normal to the axis of the longitudinal gas cell chamber, said cell also having opposing, aligned side windows in said sidewall parallel to and on either side of the axis of said longitudinal gas chamber, said gas cell further containing inlet and outlet means communicating with said chamber to pass a sample gas through said cell; (c) a reflection mirror positioned adjacent to and outside of said gas cell parallel to and in alignment with said side windows on one side thereof to capture and redirect a proportion of scattered elastic laser light and inelastic Raman light through said side windows, (d) collection lens means positioned parallel to and in alignment with said side windows outside said gas cell and on the side opposite from said reflection mirror to collect elastic laser scattered light and inelastic Raman light passing through said side windows, (e) laser line rejection filter means positioned to receive the scattered light passing through said collection lens means, said filter being selected to reject elastic laser scattered light passing through said collection lens means while allowing the transmission of inelastic Raman scattered light, (f) a rotatable filter wheel containing a series of interference filters wherein each interference filter is selected to transmit only a single Raman spectra line of a predetermined wavelength, said filter wheel being positioned such that, as it rotates, each interference filter will sequentially receive Raman scattered light passing through said laser line rejection filter means; (g) detection and amplification means for sequentially receiving Raman line signals passing through each of said interference filters and converting said signals to digital electrical pulses; (h) processing means for intrepreting said digital electrical pulses and converting them to visual readouts indicative of the concentration of each of said selected polyatomic molecular gases in said sample; and (i) power means to operate said laser means, rotating filter wheel, detection and amplification means and processing means.

Claim 12

A method for the near simultaneous and instantaneous determination of the concentration of multiple polyatomic gas molecules in a gas sample comprising; (a) introducing said gas sample into a gas sampling cell located within the resonance cavity of a laser; (b) subjecting said gas sample in said laser cavity to a polarized laser beam of selected wavelength and having sufficient intensity to produce detectable signals of inelastic Raman scattered light, (c) capturing and redirecting signals of both inelastic Raman scattered light and elastic laser scattered light in a plane normal to the axis of said laser beam by means of a reflection mirror located adjacent to and outside of said gas cell said reflection mirror being parallel to the axis of said laser beam, (d) collecting signals of both inelastic Raman scattered light and elastic laser scattered light by collection lens means located opposite said reflection mirror said collection lens means also being parallel to the axis of said laser beam and in alignment with said reflection mirror, (e) directing said signals of both inelastic Raman scattered light and elastic laser scattered light onto a laser line rejection filter wherein scattered elastic laser light signals are rejected and signals of inelastic Raman scattered light are transmitted; (f) subjecting said signals of Raman scattered light to a rotating filter wheel containing a series of interference filters wherein each interference filter is specific for the transmission of a single Raman line, (g) sequentially sensing single Raman line signals passing through the interference filters of said filter wheel by detection and amplification means and converting said signals into digital electrical pulses (h) sequentially processing said digital electrical pulses in processing means and converting them to visual readouts indicative of the concentration of each of said polyatomic molecules in said gas sample being determined.

Claim 13

A method for the near simultaneous and instantaneous determination of the concentration of multiple polyatomic gas molecules in a gas sample comprising; (a) introducing said gas sample into a gas sampling cell located within the resonance cavity of a laser; (b) subjecting said gas sample in said laser cavity to a polarized laser beam of selected wavelength and having sufficient intensity to produce detectable signals of inelastic Raman scattered light, (c) capturing and redirecting signals of both inelastic Raman scattered light and elastic laser scattered light in a plane normal to the axis of said laser beam by means of a reflection mirror located adjacent to and outside of said gas cell said reflection mirror being parallel to the axis of said laser beam, (d) collecting signals of both inelastic Raman scattered light and elastic laser scattered light by collection lens means located opposite said reflection mirror said collection lens means also being parallel to the axis of said laser beam and in alignment with said reflection mirror, (e) directing said signals of both inelastic Raman scattered light and elastic laser scattered light onto a laser line rejection filter wherein scattered elastic laser light signals are rejected and signals of inelastic Raman scattered light are transmitted; (f) subjecting said signals of Raman scattered light to a rotating filter wheel containing a series of interference filters wherein each interference filter is specific for the transmission of a single Raman line, (g) sequentially sensing single Raman line signals passing through the interference filters of said filter wheel by detection and amplification means and converting said signals into digital electrical pulses (h) sequentially processing said digital electrical pulses in processing means and converting them to visual readouts indicative of the concentration of each of said polyatomic molecules in said gas sample being determined.