Abstract:
Techniques and apparatus for measuring the concentration of elements in a solid metal sample by atomic absorption and fluorescence are described. A silica disc with an annular discharge-suppressing gap surrounding the sample area and an Oring seal are used to locate a surface of the sample for sputtering, and gas passages in the disc allow sputtered atoms to be swept into the body of a vacuum chamber for convenient analysis.
Abstract:
Method and apparatus for atomic absorption spectroscopic analysis, particularly of a solid sample substance, by sputtering the sample to produce an atomic vapor, illuminating the vapor with spectral radiation including the spectrum of an element to be determined and using a photodetector to measure the quantity of resonance radiation emitted by the vapor as a measure of the quantity of the element in the sample, with or without the use of modulation techniques to obtain usable signal to noise ratios in the detector output.
Abstract:
896,744. Glow discharge lamps. COMMONWEALTH SCIENTIFIC INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH ORGANIZATION. Oct. 14, 1960 [Oct. 19, 1959], No. 35362/60. Class 39(1). A sealed-off discharge tube comprises a transparent envelope containing at least two hollow electrodes 5, 6 each of which is adapted to function as a cathode capable of providing an atomic spectral light source. The materials of the electrodes are such that no two electrodes provide the same spectrum and the electrodes are arranged so that light from any of the electrodes can be viewed without obstruction by any of the others. For example, seven hollow electrodes may be arranged side by side so that their interiors may be viewed from one end of the envelope, Fig. 3 (not shown). As shown, tungsten or chrome-iron lead wires 7 support two hollow electrodes which may be of Ag, Al, Au, Bi, C, Ca, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hf, Ir, Mg, Mu, Na, Ni, Pb, Pt, Sb, Ti, V, Zn or Zr. Metals of low mechanical strength such as Pb, Cd, Sb or Bi, may be melted into the bottom of a hollow aluminium cathode or provided as a liner therein. Cathodes of an easily oxidizable metal, e.g. Ca, may be machined under oil. Highly reactive metals, e.g. Na, may be used in the form of a salt in an aluminium or graphite cathode. One electrode may be made of an alloy of various metals, e.g. brass, or of sections of different metals. The envelope 4 may be of C9 or W11 glass with a window 11 of Corning 9741 glass or fused silica, and preferably has an internal volume of at least 150 cm 3 . The tube may be operated with an A.C. or D.C. source of several hundred volts connected across two electrodes. During manufacture of the tube, the envelope is evacuated and internally "torched" with a gas flame several times before being filled with neon at a pressure which is increased until the luminous region of the discharge is confined to the interior of the negative electrode, i.e. about 2 mm. of Hg. The discharge is operated for a period at the highest current which is possible without melting the cathode and then rapidly evacuated, whereupon profuse sputtering occurs, which cleans the cathode surface. This process is repeated about six times after which the anode is conditioned similarly by reversing the potentials. The tube is finally filled with neon at about 2 mm. of Hg. Alternatively, to obtain a longer tubelife, the tube is filled with argon.