Light detector apparatus

Claim 1

A dedicated cation detector arrangement for the direct detection of cations, said arrangement comprising: means for supplying eluted cation effluent for detection of metal cations therein; a reaction vessel; said vessel being in fluid flow communication with said means for supplying eluted cation effluent; means for supplying a reagent to said reaction vessel of the type adapted to react therein with said effluent to form a reactant with meal cations having maximum light absorption at approximately a preselected wavelength for direct detection of absorptivity and quantification of metal constituents; and a dedicated light absorption detector assembly for the direct detection of said reactant of cations having a total length of about 23 millimeters; said assembly including a unitary housing having a central axis; said housing having an outside diameter on the order of about 17 millimeters and an opening through the center portion thereof of the order of about 0.74 millimeters; an elongated tubular sample flow cell mounted along said axis substantially in the middle of said housing; said flow cell defining a volume of about 1.7 microliters, said flow cell having an inlet tube directly at one end thereof, which is connected to said reaction vessel for receiving said reactant therefrom, said inlet tube having an inside diameter of about 0.25 millimeters, said inlet tube being disposed at an acute angle with respect to said axis, said flow cell having an outlet tube directly at the other end thereof, which is disposed substantially parallel to said inlet tube; said outlet tube having an inside diameter of about 0.5 millimeters; a first window mounted on said axis in said housing and sealingly connected to one extremity of aid flow cell; a light emitting diode integrally mounted in said housing on said axis and being disposed adjacent said first window, said diode having a peak wavelength output of approximately said preselected wavelength of maximum light absorption of said reactant of cations; a second window mounted on said axis in said housing and sealingly connected to the other extremity of said flow cell, said inlet tube being aligned to inlet into said flow cell directly against said second window, a photosensitive detector means for directly detecting absorptivity of metal cation reactant in said flow cell to determine quantification of the respective metal, said detector means being mounted on said axis integrally in said housing and being disposed adjacent said second window; said second window having a convex surface facing said photosensitive detector to disperse a light beam passing through the flow cell onto the total sensitive area of the photosensitive detector.