The invention relates to a smoke analysis characterization cell employing optical spectroscopy, which comprises: a reaction chamber, an inlet orifice for injecting smoke into the reaction chamber; an outlet orifice for discharging the smoke from the reaction chamber; and an analysis window for the entry of a laser beam intended to form the plasma inside the reaction chamber, which cell is characterized in that the system further includes a blower for blowing an inert gas close to the analysis window; and a shielding gas injector for the shielded injection of the smoke into the reaction chamber, the shielding being provided by a jet of inert gas around the smoke.

An analysis (e.g., LIBS) system includes a source of radiation, an optical emission path for the radiation from the source of radiation to a sample, and an optical detection path for photons emitted by the sample. A detector fiber bundle transmits photons to the spectrometer subsystem. At least one fiber of the fiber bundle is connected to an illumination source (e.g., an LED) for directing light via at least a portion of the detection path in a reverse direction to the sample for aligning, sample presence detection, localizing, and/or focusing based on analysis of the resulting illumination spot on the sample.

A cable identification system is provided. The cable identification system includes a cable sleeve with some predetermined unique properties. The cable sleeve is adapted to receive a cable therein. The cable includes one or more electrical conductors therein. The cable identification system further includes a portable measuring device configured to detect the predetermined unique properties of the cable sleeve when positioned adjacent the cable at any point along the cable.

The present invention relates to a device for the discrimination of biological tissues, such that it is capable of carrying out the discrimination of tissue under complicated operating conditions, for example due to the presence of contaminating elements given off by a cutting operation, due to the presence of moisture in the biological tissue, or due to the presence of a non-controlled atmosphere that interferes with the results of the readings. The invention allows building more complex devices, including cutting instruments, such that it is possible to carry out a surgical intervention in a safe manner by preventing cutting into tissues that are to be avoided during said cutting operation.

This invention discloses a laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) apparatus with automatic wavelength calibration. The LIBS apparatus comprises a database of pre-obtained LIBS spectra of standard calibration samples. When the LIBS spectrum of a target sample is acquired, a processor unit calculates a cross correlation between the LIBS spectrum of the calibration sample and the spectrum of the target sample in reference to a possible wavelength shift between the two spectra. The exact wavelength shift between the two spectra is found where the cross correlation reaches a maximum value. The wavelength shift of the target spectrum is then corrected through an interpolation procedure and the wavelength shift corrected spectrum is analyzed to obtain the composition information of the target sample.

The disclosure features methods for analyzing a sample, the methods including exposing the sample to plurality of pulses of electromagnetic radiation to convert a portion of the sample into a plasma, recording a spectrum of electromagnetic radiation emitted in response to each of the plurality of pulses to define a sequence of spectra for the sample, and using an electronic processor to determine information about the sample based on the spectra, where exposing the sample to the plurality of pulses of electromagnetic radiation includes directing the pulses to be incident on different spatial regions of the sample, and where a temporal delay between exposing the sample to each successive radiation pulse is constant.

The present invention relates to a chemical element analysis device and method for contaminants in a liquid. The chemical element analysis device for contaminants in a liquid according to the present invention comprises: a sample storage unit 10 for storing a sampled liquid sample 1; a laser unit 20 for emitting a laser beam 21: 21a, 21b, and 21c and irradiating the laser beam 21 to the sample 1: 1a, 1b, and 1c sprayed from the sample storage unit 10; and a spectrometer 30 for collecting plasma light 31: 31a, 31b, and 31c generated by irradiating the laser beam 21 to the sample 1, and measuring a spectrum of the plasma light 31.

A spectrograph that includes camera focusing optics with a primary mirror having a concave-shaped reflective mirror surface, a secondary mirror having a convex-shaped reflective mirror surface and positioned to receive light reflected by the primary mirror, a tertiary mirror having a concave reflective mirror surface and positioned to receive light reflected by the secondary mirror, and a field correcting lens comprising a convex lens surface in combination with a concave lens surface, wherein light received by said field correcting lens from said tertiary mirror enters said convex lens surface, traverses said field correcting lens, and exits from said concave lens surface. The optional field correcting lens is positioned such that the primary mirror, secondary mirror, tertiary mirror, and the field correcting lens share the common parent vertex axis.

This invention discloses a compact laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) apparatus suitable for field operations. The LIBS apparatus comprises a Q-switched laser with laser pulse energy between several tens and several thousands of micro joules (μJ), which is significantly lower than that of traditional LIBS lasers. The spectrograph of the LIBS apparatus employs a dual CCD (charge coupled device) design, which maintains compact size and in the meantime offers large spectral coverage and high spectral resolution.

The invention relates to a process and an apparatus for sorting reusable raw-material pieces (5) which are moved continually in conveying direction (2) by a transport means (1), where the chemical composition of the raw-material pieces (5) is analyzed by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) and automated sorting of the raw-material pieces (5) is implemented depending on the composition found, where the raw-material pieces (5) in a first step are subjected to a plurality of first laser pulses (6) in order to remove surface coatings and/or contaminants from the raw-material pieces (5), and in a second step, one or more second laser pulses (7) are directed at those locations of the raw-material pieces (5) from which the surface coatings and/or contaminants have been removed, with exposed material of the raw-material pieces (5) being converted by the second laser pulses (7) into a plasma, where the laser (3) used for the first and second laser pulses (6, 7) is the same, and the area of the raw-material pieces (5) over which the first laser pulses (6) are moved and which is freed from surface coatings and/or contaminants is greater than the area of the raw-material pieces (5) that is embraced by the second laser pulses (7), the focal diameter and the focal point of the laser beam being kept constant between the first and second laser pulses (6, 7). In this way it is possible, utilizing only one laser, to achieve undistorted analysis of the composition of the raw-material pieces (5) and to perform sorting in dependence on said analysis.