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US5844149A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Method for analyzing solid specimen and apparatus therefor

Assignee: JFE Steel Corp
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Filing: 1996-12-12
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Granted: 1998-12-01
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Expires: 2016-12-12
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Abstract

Abstract A method for analyzing a solid specimen comprises the steps of: preparing a pulsed laser beam having a frequency of at least 100 Hz and a half width of 1 mu sec or less; determining a laser irradiation region; irradiating the pulsed laser beam in an inert gas stream and vaporizing a part of the solid specimen to generate fine particles; transferring said fine particles to a detector; and performing elemental analysis in the detector. An apparatus comprises: laser oscillating device including a semiconductor laser; converging device for converging a laser beam; irradiating device for irradiating the converged laser beam to generate fine particles; an analyzer for performing elemental analysis; and transfer device for transferring the fine particles to said analyzer.

Inventors

  • 👤 Takanori Akiyoshi
  • 👤 Akiko Sakashita
  • 👤 Yohichi Ishibashi
  • 👤 Tadashi Mochizuki
  • 👤 Shigeomi Sato
  • 👤 Toshiya Maekawa

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-08 15:27
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N21/00; G01N21/62; G01N21/71; G01N21/718; G01N1/00; G01N1/02; G01N1/22

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim 166 words
A method for analyzing a solid specimen comprising the steps of: (a) preparing a pulsed laser beam having a frequency of at least 100 Hz and a half width of 1 μsec or less; (b) determining a laser irradiation region so that an energy density satisfies the following equation: Q>t.sup.1/2 ×α/r where Q represents the energy density (J/cm 2 ); t represents the pulse half width; α represents a parameter inherent in the solid specimen; and r represents an absorption coefficient of the laser beam; (c) irradiating the pulsed laser beam having said irradiation region on a surface of the solid specimen in an inert gas stream and vaporizing a part of the solid specimen to generate fine particles; (d) repeating the step (c) on the same surface that the pulsed laser beam is irradiated at the step (c) to generate further fine particles; (e) transferring said fine particles formed in steps (c) and (d) to a detector; and (f) performing elemental analysis in the detector.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 166 words
A method for analyzing a solid specimen comprising the steps of: (a) preparing a pulsed laser beam having a frequency of at least 100 Hz and a half width of 1 μsec or less; (b) determining a laser irradiation region so that an energy density satisfies the following equation: Q>t.sup.1/2 ×α/r where Q represents the energy density (J/cm 2 ); t represents the pulse half width; α represents a parameter inherent in the solid specimen; and r represents an absorption coefficient of the laser beam; (c) irradiating the pulsed laser beam having said irradiation region on a surface of the solid specimen in an inert gas stream and vaporizing a part of the solid specimen to generate fine particles; (d) repeating the step (c) on the same surface that the pulsed laser beam is irradiated at the step (c) to generate further fine particles; (e) transferring said fine particles formed in steps (c) and (d) to a detector; and (f) performing elemental analysis in the detector.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 31 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the step (c) of irradiating the pulsed laser beam comprises irradiating the pulsed laser beam from a laser oscillating means including a semiconductor laser.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 56 words
A method according to claim 2, wherein said laser oscillating means comprises: a semiconductor laser for emitting the laser beam; a laser rod for receiving the laser beam from said semiconductor laser and oscillating a single mode laser beam by optical amplification; and an optical transfer cable for connecting said semiconductor laser with said laser rod.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 49 words
A method according to claim 2, wherein said laser oscillating means comprises: a semiconductor laser for emitting a laser beam as pumping light; a laser rod for receiving and optically amplifying said laser beam from said semiconductor laser; and resonators arranged at the both sides of said laser rod.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 26 words
A method according to claim 4, wherein said laser oscillating means further comprises an optical transfer cable for connecting said semiconductor laser with said laser rod.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 34 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the step (c) of irradiating the pulsed laser beam comprises irradiating the pulsed laser beam by scanning two-dimensionally so that the irradiation regions are overlapped each other.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 19 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein said laser irradiation region has a diameter of 10 to 500 μm.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 22 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the step (d) of repeating the step (c) is carried out at least two times.
Claim 10
Independent Claim 130 words
A method for analyzing a solid specimen including an element in the form of a solid solution and the element in the form of a compound, comprising the steps of: continuously moving a position of a solid specimen to be analyzed at a predetermined speed; irradiating a pulsed laser beam on the solid specimen to generate fine particles; repeatedly measuring a composition of the fine particles at a minute time interval to obtain a plurality of momentary values, the momentary values being of a waveform having peaks and troughs; determining an amount of the element existing in the form of the solid solution based on the momentary values of the troughs; and determining an amount of the element existing in the form of the compound based on the momentary values.
Claim 11
Independent Claim 130 words
A method for analyzing a solid specimen including an element in the form of a solid solution and the element in the form of a compound, comprising the steps of: continuously moving a position of a solid specimen to be analyzed at a predetermined speed; irradiating a pulsed laser beam on the solid specimen to generate fine particles; repeatedly measuring a composition of the fine particles at a minute time interval to obtain a plurality of momentary values, the momentary values being of a waveform having peaks and troughs; determining an amount of the element existing in the form of the solid solution based on the momentary values of the troughs; and determining an amount of the element existing in the form of the compound based on the momentary values.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4243887A Cited
DE3203912A1 Cited
DE4028102A1 Cited
US5304357A Cited
US5351251A Cited
US5452070A Cited

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