Abstract:
A plasma antenna assembly includes a plasma antenna element, a plasma density sensor operably coupled to the plasma antenna element to measure plasma density during ionization of the plasma antenna element, a driver circuit operably coupled to the plasma antenna element to selectively provide pulsed current to the plasma antenna element for ionization of plasma in the plasma antenna element;, and a controller operably coupled to the driver circuit and the plasma density sensor to provide control of the plasma density of the plasma antenna element
Abstract:
A Plasma torch (10) for microwave induced plasma spectrochemical analysis of a sample includes a nozzle (30) in an inlet (18) for the main plasma gas flow between outer tube (12) and intermediate tube (14) of the torch (10). The nozzle (30) increases the gas flow velocity in the sheathing gas layer for the plasma which is provided by the gas flow from the annular gap (22) between the tubes (12 and 14). The increased velocity of the gas in the sheathing gas layer "stiffens" that layer and thus better confines the microwave induced plasma (such better confinement not being necessary for an ICP torch). Thus the torch is of improved durability for a microwave induced plasma compared to an ICP torch. The sample injection (inner) tube (16) may have a reduced diameter outlet at its end (34) which is substantially level with the end (35) of intermediate tube (14) to improve injection of a sample into the microwave induced plasma. The inlet end (26) of the sample injection tube (16) may include a heater (36) to assist in preventing blockages in tube (16) near its outlet end.
Abstract:
An interferometric device for characterising a medium (24), comprising means (2, 6, 8, 12, 14) for generating a radiation pulse train at a repetition rate higher than 10 Hz, means for aiming a pump beam (28) at the medium to be measured which responds by producing a signal beam (32), sensing means (26) for receiving the signal beam, means (14) for aiming a probe beam (30) at the sensing means (26), means (34) for sampling an incident signal on the sensor (26) resulting from the interference between the signal beam (32) from the medium and the probe beam (30), and means (44-1, 44-2, ...) for varying the time at which the sampling means are actuated.