A heating chamber (1) for a heating furnace is proposed, with which electrothermal vaporization of impurities from samples can be effected in order to be able to then analyze them spectrometrically. The heating chamber has a wall (3), a sample reception area (5), a nozzle area (7) and two electrical connection areas (9, 11). The heating chamber (1) is specially configured such that an electric current flows through the wall (3) in such a way that a heating capacity caused by it is higher in the nozzle area (7) than in the sample reception area (5). For example, the electrical connection areas (9, 11) may be arranged in a radial direction remoter from the longitudinal axis (8) than a part of the wall (3) surrounding the nozzle area (7), and the heating chamber (1) may be configured, for example by means of a locally constricted area (13), in such a way that the current between the two electrical connection areas (9, 11) is predominantly conducted radially inwards towards the part of the wall (3) surrounding the nozzle area (7). Advantageous heat distribution in the heating chamber (1) achievable thereby may have a positive effect on the analysis of sample impurities.

A method for the spectral analysis of samples in a graphite tube, comprising the steps of: inserting a liquid sample into a graphite tube; drying the sample by heating the graphite tube; transferring the sample into a particle cloud by further heating up the graphite tube; and measuring one of the optical signals influenced or generated by the sample with a detector; wherein image sequences of the interior of the graphite tube are recorded with a two-dimensional camera having a plurality of image elements over selected periods of time during the spectral analysis; is characterized in that the images of the image sequences are automatically processed with image processing methods, wherein a reference image of the interior of the graphite tube is determined; and the condition of the graphite tube, of the sample and/or of a dosing means for inserting the sample into the graphite tube is determined by comparison of the images of the image sequences to the reference image.

The disclosure provides a test device and a test method for isotope measurement of noble gases in lunar soil. The testing device includes a carbon dioxide laser ultra-high vacuum sample melting system, zirconium-aluminum getters, a vacuum dry pump, a first molecular pump, a second molecular pump, a neon gas capture unit, an argon gas capture unit, an argon krypton-xenon capture unit, a dilution tank, a sputtering ion pump and a noble gas mass spectrometer which are connected through pipelines, and each pipeline and each component are connected through a specific way; in addition, control valves for controlling the opening and closing of the pipelines are installed on the connection path between each pipeline and each component, and the disclosure also provides a matching test method.

The disclosure provides a test device and a test method for isotope measurement of noble gases in lunar soil. The testing device includes a carbon dioxide laser ultra-high vacuum sample melting system, zirconium-aluminum getters, a vacuum dry pump, a first molecular pump, a second molecular pump, a neon gas capture unit, an argon gas capture unit, an argon krypton-xenon capture unit, a dilution tank, a sputtering ion pump and a noble gas mass spectrometer which are connected through pipelines, and each pipeline and each component are connected through a specific way; in addition, control valves for controlling the opening and closing of the pipelines are installed on the connection path between each pipeline and each component, and the disclosure also provides a matching test method.

A method for the spectral analysis of samples in a graphite tube, comprising the steps of: inserting a liquid sample into a graphite tube; drying the sample by heating the graphite tube; transferring the sample into a particle cloud by further heating up the graphite tube; and measuring one of the optical signals influenced or generated by the sample with a detector; wherein image sequences of the interior of the graphite tube are recorded with a two-dimensional camera having a plurality of image elements over selected periods of time during the spectral analysis; is characterized in that the images of the image sequences are automatically processed with image processing methods, wherein a reference image of the interior of the graphite tube is determined; and the condition of the graphite tube, of the sample and/or of a dosing means for inserting the sample into the graphite tube is determined by comparison of the images of the image sequences to the reference image.

An atomic absorption spectrophotometer (1), including: a sample collection unit (24) to which a chip (25) configured to collect and eject a sample is attached; a sample heating unit (11) configured to excite the sample, provided with an opening (14) in an upper face into which the sample is injected from the sample collection unit (24); a moving mechanism (27) configured to move the sample collection unit between a first position for collecting the sample into the chip and a second position for injecting the sample from the chip to the opening; a light irradiating unit (29) configured to irradiate a light on the opening from a predetermined lighting direction; and an image acquisition unit (26) configured to image the opening from an optical axis direction different from the lighting direction.

An atomic absorption spectrophotometer (1), including: a sample collection unit (24) to which a chip (25) configured to collect and eject a sample is attached; a sample heating unit (11) configured to excite the sample, provided with an opening (14) in an upper face into which the sample is injected from the sample collection unit (24); a moving mechanism (27) configured to move the sample collection unit between a first position for collecting the sample into the chip and a second position for injecting the sample from the chip to the opening; a light irradiating unit (29) configured to irradiate a light on the opening from a predetermined lighting direction; and an image acquisition unit (26) configured to image the opening from an optical axis direction different from the lighting direction.

A gauge that is configured to detect a time at which radiation enters the gauge. The gauge may include a member that is configured to transition from a first state to a second state upon receipt of the incoming radiation, and may include a light probe that is configured to detect when the member transitions to the second state. The gauge may provide for determining a time of arrival of the radiation at another gauge. For example, the gauge may correlate the time of arrival at the gauge with the another gauge, thereby providing for correlating a response time of a test specimen with actual exposure time of the test specimen to radiation (e.g., an ion beam).

A gauge that is configured to detect a time at which radiation enters the gauge. The gauge may include a member that is configured to transition from a first state to a second state upon receipt of the incoming radiation, and may include a light probe that is configured to detect when the member transitions to the second state. The gauge may provide for determining a time of arrival of the radiation at another gauge. For example, the gauge may correlate the time of arrival at the gauge with the another gauge, thereby providing for correlating a response time of a test specimen with actual exposure time of the test specimen to radiation (e.g., an ion beam).

An apparatus for detecting cracks in a plurality of samples includes: a temperature source configured to heat or cool a section of the samples; one or more infrared cameras positioned near one or both sides of the samples and configured to receive infrared image data from the samples; a data acquisition and processing unit configured to generate a two-dimensional image out of the infrared image data to detect cracks in the samples; and a conveyor unit configured to transport the samples past the temperature source and the one or more infrared cameras.