Optical device, analysis device, and data analysis method

Abstract

The present invention relates to an optical device, for use in ion chromatography detection of a sample, comprising: a light source portion configured to provide light having a predetermined wavelength range to form a first light beam propagating in free space; and a flow cell provided with a guide channel, wherein the guide channel accommodates the sample and is provided with a first lens and a second lens, a first clear aperture is provided at the first lens, and a second clear aperture is provided at the second lens; the ratio of the first clear aperture to the second clear aperture is between 1 and 3, and the ratio of the equivalent spot size of a focusing portion to the second clear aperture is not greater than 0.5, such that the ratio of the light intensity of a third light beam to the light intensity of the first light beam is not less than 62%. By generating a highly focused light beam in the flow cell, the device increases the ratio of the intensity of emitted light to the intensity of incident light, thereby improving the light utilization efficiency and enhancing the sample detection sensitivity. In addition, the present invention also relates to an analysis device and a data analysis method.

Description

Optical devices, analytical devices and data analysis methods Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to an optical device. Additionally, the invention also relates to an analytical apparatus and a data analysis method. Background Technology

[0002] Ion chromatography is a high-performance liquid chromatography technique used to separate and detect ionic compounds. Currently, ion chromatography detection can be mainly divided into two categories: electrochemical detection and optical detection.

[0003] Optical detection is based on the principle that solute molecules absorb ultraviolet or visible light. According to Beer-Lambert's law, the light intensity is proportional to the absorbance of the analyte solution, thereby enabling the determination of the concentration or type of the analyte.

[0004] For example, in an optical system that includes a flow cell, a light beam passing through the flow cell is absorbed by ions or compounds in the test solution, causing a change in the light intensity after passing through the flow cell. The Beer-Lambert law can then be used to determine the concentration or type of ions or compounds in the test solution.

[0005] However, existing optical systems, such as ion chromatography flow cell optical systems, still have some technical problems, such as low beam utilization efficiency and insufficient detection sensitivity.

[0006] Therefore, an improved optical device is needed to overcome one or more drawbacks of the prior art. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The purpose of this invention is to provide an optical device that can be used for ion chromatography detection and can improve light utilization efficiency and detection sensitivity.

[0008] According to a first aspect of the present invention, an optical device is provided for ion chromatography detection of a sample and may include: a light source portion that provides light having a predetermined wavelength range to form a first light beam propagating in free space; and a flow cell provided with a guide channel that accommodates a sample and has a first lens and a second lens respectively provided at both ends, the first lens having a first aperture and the second lens having a second aperture; wherein the first light beam enters the guide channel via the first lens, the first lens causing the first light beam to converge into a second light beam in the guide channel, the second light beam forming a focal portion between the first lens and the second lens and diverging away from the guide channel via the second lens to form a third light beam; wherein the ratio of the first aperture to the second aperture is between 1 and 3, and the ratio of the equivalent spot size of the focal portion to the second aperture is not greater than 0.5, such that the ratio of the light intensity of the third light beam to the light intensity of the first light beam is not less than 62%.

[0009] This optical device improves the ratio of outgoing to incident light intensity by generating a highly focused beam within the flow cell (especially its guide channel), thereby increasing light utilization efficiency and sample detection sensitivity.

[0010] According to the above aspects of the present invention, in order to further improve light utilization efficiency and improve sample detection sensitivity, preferably, the ratio of the light intensity of the third beam to the light intensity of the first beam does not exceed 96%.

[0011] According to the above aspects of the present invention, preferably, the ratio of the first light-transmitting aperture to the second light-transmitting aperture is 1, and the ratio of the equivalent spot size of the focusing portion to the second light-transmitting aperture is 0.1.

[0012] The inventors discovered that, under this configuration, the ratio of emitted energy to incident energy unexpectedly reaches its highest level, thereby enabling better measurement results.

[0013] According to the above aspects of the present invention, in order to better improve light utilization efficiency and improve sample detection sensitivity, preferably, the equivalent spot size of the focusing portion can be no greater than 25% of the first light-transmitting aperture.

[0014] According to the above aspects of the present invention, in order to better improve light utilization efficiency and improve sample detection sensitivity, preferably, the focusing part can be located between the midpoint of the guide channel and the second lens.

[0015] According to the above aspects of the present invention, preferably, the guide channel may have a first open end and an opposing second open end, a first lens may be disposed at the first open end and a second lens may be disposed at the second open end, wherein the first open end defines a first light-transmitting aperture and the second open end defines a second light-transmitting aperture.

[0016] According to the above aspects of the present invention, preferably, the deviation between the principal optical axis of the first lens and the central axis of the guide channel can be less than 10% of the second light-transmitting aperture.

[0017] The inventors discovered that, compared to the case where there is no deviation from the center, a deviation between the principal optical axis of the first lens and the central axis of the guide channel of less than 10% of the second aperture can ensure more than 90% of the emission energy, and more preferably, a deviation between the principal optical axis of the first lens and the central axis of the guide channel of less than 5% of the second aperture can ensure more than 98% of the emission energy.

[0018] According to the above aspects of the present invention, in order to ensure at least 90% of the emitted energy, thereby further improving the light utilization efficiency and sample detection sensitivity, preferably, the first distance between the focusing portion and the second lens satisfies the following relationship:

[0019] Where L1 is the first distance between the focusing part and the second lens; A1 is the first light-transmitting aperture; A2 is the second light-transmitting aperture; LF is the effective optical path of the flow cell; and n is the refractive index of the sample in the flow cell.

[0020] According to the above aspects of the present invention, preferably, the equivalent spot of the focusing portion can have a circular cross-section.

[0021] According to a second aspect of the present invention, an analytical apparatus is provided, which may include: an optical device for ion chromatography detection of a sample and may include: a light source portion that provides light having a predetermined wavelength range to form a first light beam propagating in free space; and a flow cell having a guide channel that accommodates a sample and has a first lens and a second lens respectively disposed at both ends, the first lens having a first aperture and the second lens having a second aperture; wherein the first light beam enters the guide channel via the first lens, the first lens causing the first light beam to... The light beam converges into a second light beam in the guide channel. The second light beam forms a focusing section between the first lens and the second lens and diverges through the second lens before leaving the guide channel to form a third light beam. The ratio of the first light-transmitting aperture to the second light-transmitting aperture is between 1 and 3, and the ratio of the equivalent spot size of the focusing section to the second light-transmitting aperture is not greater than 0.5, such that the ratio of the light intensity of the third light beam to the light intensity of the first light beam is not less than 62%. A detection device is also included, which can receive the third light beam and process it to convert it into an electrical signal to determine the type and / or concentration of ions contained in the sample.

[0022] According to the above aspects of the present invention, preferably, the flow cell may further be provided with: an inlet channel that fluidly connects the chromatographic column of the flow path system and the first opening end of the guide channel for feeding the sample into the guide channel; and an outlet channel that is connected to the second opening end of the guide channel for allowing the sample to leave the guide channel.

[0023] According to the above aspects of the present invention, preferably, the light source portion may include: a first light source that can emit first light with a wavelength range between 400-800 nm; a second light source that can emit second light with a wavelength range between 180-400 nm; and an optical guiding component that can be used to guide the first light emitted by the first light source and the second light emitted by the second light source to form a first light beam.

[0024] This setup allows the analyzer to detect two substances simultaneously, or to use one light source as a background light, thereby improving detection accuracy.

[0025] According to the above aspects of the present invention, preferably, the detection device may include a beam splitter for separating the first light and the second light contained in the third beam, and after filtering by a filter and converging by a converging device, converting them into a first electrical signal by a photoelectric device.

[0026] In this way, filtering out interfering light sources can improve the signal-to-noise ratio and measurement accuracy.

[0027] According to the above aspects of the present invention, preferably, the detection device includes a spectrometer that receives a third light beam and converts it into a first electrical signal.

[0028] A spectrometer can be used to detect fluctuations within a predetermined wavelength range around the peak value of the incident wavelength, further improving measurement accuracy.

[0029] According to a third aspect of the present invention, a data analysis method is proposed, which may include the following steps: providing an analysis device according to the above aspects; acquiring baseline noise; optionally, powering on the analysis device and stabilizing it for a predetermined time; sampling a first electrical signal during the operation of the analysis device, wherein the sampling frequency is ≥500Hz; subtracting the baseline noise from the first electrical signal to obtain a second electrical signal; performing smoothing filtering on the second electrical signal to match and output a third electrical signal; and processing the third electrical signal based on the SG filtering algorithm to output the final calculation result.

[0030] This data analysis method can effectively reduce signal noise, thereby improving the accuracy and reliability of the data.

[0031] According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, a data analysis method is proposed, which may include the following steps: providing an analysis device according to the claim; acquiring baseline noise; optionally, powering on the analysis device and stabilizing it for a predetermined time; sampling a first electrical signal during the operation of the analysis device; obtaining a second electrical signal by taking the difference between the first electrical signal obtained from the spectrometer and the baseline noise, the second electrical signal representing the true absorption spectrum of the sample; pixel merging to meet resolution and signal-to-noise ratio requirements and obtaining a third electrical signal; and selecting appropriate SG filter parameters according to requirements, and outputting the final calculation result.

[0032] This data analysis method can also effectively reduce signal noise, thereby improving the accuracy and reliability of the data.

[0033] This invention optimizes the design of the optical device, particularly by rationally designing the specific parameters of each lens in the flow cell to increase the light intensity passing through the flow cell, thereby generating a highly focused beam within the flow cell. This solves technical problems such as low beam utilization efficiency and insufficient detection sensitivity.

[0034] Therefore, the optical device of the present invention can meet the usage requirements, overcome the shortcomings of the prior art, and achieve the intended purpose. Attached Figure Description

[0035] To further clarify the optical device according to the present invention, the invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments, in which:

[0036] Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of an analysis apparatus according to a first non-limiting embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 2 shows a schematic diagram of an optical device according to a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 3 shows a schematic diagram of the connection relationship between the flow cell and the flow path system of an optical device according to a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 3A shows a schematic diagram of the guide channel of the flow cell according to a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 4 shows a schematic diagram of a first non-limiting embodiment of the flow cell of an optical device according to a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention;

[0041] Figure 5 shows a schematic diagram of a second non-limiting embodiment of the flow cell of an optical device according to a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention;

[0042] Figure 6 shows the ratio of the light intensity of the third beam to the light intensity of the first beam under different conditions in an optical device according to a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention;

[0043] Figure 6A shows an example position of the focusing part of the optical device according to a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention when the output energy is maximized under different conditions; Figure 7 shows a comparison between the ratio of the light intensity of the third beam to the light intensity of the first beam and a reference ratio of the optical device according to a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention under different conditions, and the graph is shown in discrete values;

[0044] Figure 8 shows a comparison between the ratio of the light intensity of the third beam to the light intensity of the first beam and a reference ratio under different conditions of an optical device according to a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention. The graph is shown in continuous values.

[0045] Figure 9 illustrates the relationship between the light intensity of the third beam and the volume of the flow cell under different conditions in an optical device according to a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention. The graph is shown in discrete values.

[0046] Figure 10 shows the relationship between the light intensity of the third beam and the volume of the flow cell under different conditions in an optical device according to a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention. The graph is shown in continuous values.

[0047] Figure 11 shows a schematic diagram of an analysis apparatus according to a second non-limiting embodiment of the present invention;

[0048] Figure 12 illustrates a data analysis method according to a first non-limiting embodiment of the present invention;

[0049] Figure 13 shows a schematic diagram of the output data after processing using the data analysis method according to the first non-limiting embodiment of the present invention;

[0050] Figure 14 illustrates a data analysis method according to a second non-limiting embodiment of the present invention; and

[0051] Figure 15 shows a schematic diagram of the output data after processing using the data analysis method according to the second non-limiting embodiment of the present invention.

[0052] The above figures are for illustrative purposes only and are not drawn to scale.

[0053] The reference numerals in the figures are listed in the figures and embodiments as follows: 1000 – Analysis apparatus, including: 100 – Optical apparatus, including: 10 – Light source portion, including: 11 – First light source; 12 – Second light source; 13 – Optical guiding assembly, including: 131 – First incident lens; 132 – Second incident lens; 133 – Light mixing element; 134 – Third incident lens; 20 – Flow cell, including: 21 – First lens; A1 – First aperture; F – Focusing portion;

[0054] A0 – Equivalent spot size; 22 – Second lens; A2 – Second aperture; 23 – Housing; 20A – Guide channel; 201 – First opening end; 202 – Second opening end; 24 – Inlet channel; 25 – Outlet channel; LF – Effective optical path of the flow cell; 200 – Sample; 300 – Detection device, including: 310 – Spectroscopic element; 320 – Filtering device, including: 320A – First filter element; 320A – Second filter element; 330 – Converging device, including: 330A – First converging lens; 330B – Second converging lens; 330C – Third converging lens; 340 – Photoelectric device, including: 340A – First photoelectric converter; 340B – Second photoelectric converter; 350 – Spectrometer; 400 – Flow path system, including: 401 – Chromatographic column; A – Central axis; B1 – First beam; B2 – Second beam; B3 – Third beam; C – Flow direction; L1 – First distance; L2 – Second distance; LF – Effective optical path of the flow cell. Detailed Implementation

[0055] It should be understood that, unless explicitly stated otherwise, the invention may employ various alternative orientations and sequences of steps. It should also be understood that the specific apparatus shown in the drawings and described in the specification are merely exemplary embodiments of the inventive concept disclosed and defined herein. Therefore, unless expressly stated otherwise, the specific orientations, directions, or other features involved in the various disclosed embodiments should not be considered limiting.

[0056] Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of an analysis apparatus 1000 according to a first non-limiting embodiment of the present invention.

[0057] As shown in the figure and as a non-limiting embodiment, the analytical apparatus 1000 may mainly include an optical device 100 and a detection device 300. The optical device 100 can be used to perform ion chromatography detection on the sample 200. Additionally, although not shown in the figures, it should be understood that the analytical apparatus 1000 may also include a housing, a power supply, or corresponding control devices, etc.

[0058] As an example, the analytical device 1000 may be an ion chromatography detection optical system for performing ion chromatography detection on a sample 200 in a flow cell. For example, it can detect the type and / or concentration of one or more ions or compounds in a solution for applications such as environmental monitoring, food safety testing, and drug analysis.

[0059] Figure 2 shows a schematic diagram of an optical device 100 according to a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention.

[0060] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the optical device 100 may mainly include a light source part 10 and a flow cell 20.

[0061] The light source section 10 can provide light with a predetermined wavelength range to form a first beam B1 that propagates in free space. As described herein, "propagating in free space" means that the light can propagate freely in the environment, such as in the atmosphere, without the need for an additional guiding medium, such as an optical fiber.

[0062] The light source section 10 includes one or more light sources, such as the first light source 11 and the second light source 12 as shown in the figure.

[0063] As an example, the first light source 11 can emit first light with a wavelength range between 400-800 nm. For example, the first light source 11 can be an LED lamp, particularly a monochromatic LED, to emit visible light. The second light source 12 can emit second light with a wavelength range between 180-400 nm. For example, the second light source 12 can be a deuterium lamp to emit ultraviolet light.

[0064] Additionally, the light source portion 10 may be provided with an optical guiding assembly 13. As an example, the optical guiding assembly 13 may mainly include a first incident lens 131, a second incident lens 132, a light mixing element 133, and a third incident lens 134, etc.

[0065] The first incident lens 131 can be a convex lens, used to guide the first light emitted by the first light source 11. The second incident lens 132 can also be a convex lens, used to guide the second light emitted by the second light source 12. The first light and the second light can be mixed by the mixing element 133 and then enter the third incident lens 134 to form the first beam B1. The third incident lens 134 can also be a convex lens.

[0066] It should be understood that the structure of the light source portion 10 shown above in conjunction with the accompanying drawings is merely illustrative. Those skilled in the art can provide only the first light source 11 or only the second light source 12, or an additional third light source, as needed, without departing from the scope of the invention. Furthermore, the specific type and arrangement of the lenses may differ from the arrangement shown in the accompanying drawings, as long as they can provide the desired first beam B1 for incident on the flow cell 20.

[0067] Figure 3 shows a schematic diagram of the connection relationship between the flow cell 20 and the flow path system 400 of the optical device 100 according to a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, while Figure 3A shows a schematic diagram of the guide channel 20A of the flow cell 20 according to a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention.

[0068] As shown in the figure, the flow cell 20 may be provided with a guide channel 20A. As an example, the guide channel 20A may have a cylindrical or truncated conical shape and have a first open end 201 and an opposing second open end 202. Figure 3A illustrates a truncated conical guide channel 20A, where the first open end 201 is larger than the second open end 202. However, in alternative embodiments, the first open end 201 may be smaller than the second open end 202, and in a preferred embodiment, the first open end 201 of the guide channel 20A may be equal to the second open end 202.

[0069] The guide channel 20A can accommodate the sample 200, particularly a fluid sample, and allows the sample 200 to flow within the guide channel 20A. The flow cell 20 may also be provided with an inlet channel 24 and an outlet channel 25. The inlet channel 24 allows fluid communication between the chromatographic column 401 of the flow path system 400 and the first opening 201 of the guide channel 20A.

[0070] As an example, the chromatographic column 401 can separate different components in the mixture of the flow path system 400 and separate the sample 200 to be detected therefrom, and feed the sample 200 to the guide channel 20A via the inlet channel 24. The outlet channel 25 can be connected to a second opening 202 of the guide channel 20A for allowing the sample 200 to exit the guide channel 20A. The direction of fluid flow is shown by arrow C in Figure 3.

[0071] Lenses can be provided at both ends of the guide channel 20A. Specifically, a first lens 21 can be provided at the first opening end 201 of the guide channel 20A (i.e., the left end in Figure 3), and a second lens 22 can be provided at the second opening end 202 of the guide channel 20A (i.e., the right end in Figure 3). Both the first lens 21 and the second lens 22 can be convex lenses, and are briefly shown in Figure 3 using optical symbols.

[0072] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the first lens 21 and the second lens 22 can be supported by the housing 23 of the flow cell 20. The first lens 21 can directly contact and seal the first opening end 201 of the guide channel 20A. Similarly, the second lens 22 can directly contact and seal the second opening end 202 of the guide channel 20A.

[0073] At this time, the first lens 21 has a first light-transmitting aperture A1, and the second lens 22 has a second light-transmitting aperture A2. The size of the first light-transmitting aperture A1 and the second light-transmitting aperture A2 can be determined by the opening size of the first opening end 201 and the second opening end 202 of the guide channel 20A, for example, by the inner diameter of their openings.

[0074] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the first beam B1 can enter the guide channel 20A through the first lens 21. The first lens 21 causes the first beam B1 to converge into a second beam B2 in the guide channel 20A. The second beam B2 can form a focusing part F between the first lens 21 and the second lens 22 and diverges out of the guide channel 20A after passing through the second lens 22 to form a third beam B3.

[0075] Figure 4 shows a schematic diagram of a first non-limiting embodiment of the flow cell 20 of the optical device 100 according to a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention; while Figure 5 shows a schematic diagram of a second non-limiting embodiment of the flow cell 20 of the optical device 100 according to a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention.

[0076] In the embodiment shown in FIG4, the first lens 21 and the second lens 22 are biconvex lenses, while in the embodiment shown in FIG5, the first lens 21 and the second lens 22 are plano-convex lenses. This plano-convex lens arrangement is advantageous, especially since the planar portions of the first lens 21 and the second lens 22 both face the guide channel 20A, thereby facilitating their engagement with the first opening end 201 and the second opening end 202 to form a sealed connection.

[0077] According to embodiments of the present invention, in order to generate a highly focused light beam within the flow cell 20, while simultaneously achieving a desired ratio between the light intensity of the third beam B3 and the light intensity of the first beam B1, the inventors conducted theoretical research and selected key parameters for experimental verification based on this research. These experimental results are shown in Figures 6-10. In particular, embodiments of this application propose that simultaneously limiting the ratio of the first aperture A1 to the second aperture A2 and the ratio of the equivalent spot size A0 of the focusing portion F to the second aperture A2 can achieve unexpected technical effects.

[0078] Specifically, Figure 6 shows the ratio of the light intensity of the third beam B3 to the light intensity of the first beam B1 under different conditions in the optical device 100 according to a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention.

[0079] As shown in Figure 6, if the ratio of the first light-transmitting aperture A1 to the second light-transmitting aperture A2 is limited to between 1 and 3 and not greater than 0.5, then the ratio of the light intensity of the third beam B3 to the light intensity of the first beam B1 is not less than 78%.

[0080] As an example, the simulated values ​​in Figure 6 use QUART-Z material for the first lens 21 and the second lens 22. The reflectivity of air and the lens at a wavelength of 0.23 μm is about 5%, and the reflectivity between the lens and the fluid sample is about 1%.

[0081] As an alternative embodiment, the materials of the first lens 21 and the second lens 22 can be replaced with materials with higher refractive indices (e.g., the refractive index becomes 1.9, the reflectivity becomes 10%, and the energy utilization rate is 95% of the simulated value in Figure 6), and the fluid sample can be replaced with other substances (e.g., replaced with a gas with a refractive index of 1, the reflectivity becomes 10%, and the energy utilization rate is 94% of the simulated value in Figure 6).

[0082] Since the light travels through the interfaces formed by the two lenses with air and liquid respectively, the ratio of the light intensity of the third beam B3 to the light intensity of the first beam B1 is not less than 62%, i.e., 78% × 95% × 94% × 94% × 95%. To further verify whether a better combination of parameters can be obtained, the inventors conducted a comparative verification based on the following benchmark conditions: the ratio of the first aperture A1 to the second aperture A2 is limited to 1, and the ratio of the equivalent spot size A0 to the second aperture A2 is limited to 0.1.

[0083] The verification results are shown in Figures 7 and 8. Figure 7 shows a comparison between the ratio of the light intensity of the third beam B3 to the light intensity of the first beam B1 under different conditions and a reference ratio of the optical device 100 according to a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention. The graph is shown as discrete values. Figure 8 shows a comparison between the ratio of the light intensity of the third beam B3 to the light intensity of the first beam B1 under different conditions and a reference ratio of the optical device 100 according to a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention. The graph is shown as continuous values.

[0084] It can be seen that as the ratio of the first aperture A1 to the second aperture A2 decreases, the ratio of the light intensity of the third beam B3 to the light intensity of the first beam B1 gradually increases. However, the inventors noted that as the ratio of the first aperture A1 to the second aperture A2 decreases, the volumetric efficiency (the ratio of emitted energy to volume) also decreases, that is, the energy-volume yield decreases.

[0085] This unit volume efficiency is shown in Figures 9 and 10 as a function of the ratios of A1 to A2 and A0 to A2. Figure 9 shows the relationship between the light intensity of the third beam B3 and the volume of the flow cell 20 under different conditions in the optical device 100 according to a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, and the graph is shown as discrete values. Figure 10 shows the relationship between the light intensity of the third beam B3 and the volume of the flow cell 20 under different conditions in the optical device 100 according to a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, and the graph is shown as continuous values.

[0086] As shown in the figure, a significant improvement in efficiency is observed when the ratio of the first aperture A1 to the second aperture A2 is in the range of 1.0 to 3.0. However, when the ratio of A1 to A2 is above 3.0, the efficiency improvement is not significant.

[0087] It should be understood that the above ratios are determined based on baseline conditions, namely, the flow cell 20 contains only water or an eluent with a similar refractive index, and there is no sample 200 to be measured. Furthermore, it should be understood that the calculation conditions for the equivalent spot size A0 of the focusing section F described herein can be as follows: a spot range bounded by an intensity of 1 / e² of the peak intensity, within which, for example, 86.5% of the total beam energy can be obtained. If those skilled in the art select other energy ranges as the calculation conditions for the equivalent spot, the concept of this invention can be applied through simple conversion.

[0088] Similarly, as schematically shown in Figure 6, the ratio of the light intensity of the third beam B3 to the light intensity of the first beam B1 does not exceed 85% (e.g., 84.2%).

[0089] At this time, the materials used for the first lens 21 and the second lens 22 are QUART-Z. The reflectivity of air and the lens at a wavelength of 0.23µm is about 5%, and the reflectivity between the lens and the fluid (liquid) sample is about 1%.

[0090] However, in an alternative embodiment with lens coating and air / liquid refractive index matching, the light traveling through the two lenses is almost unreflected. Therefore, the ratio of the light intensity of the third beam B3 to the light intensity of the first beam B1 will not exceed 96%, i.e., 85% ÷ 95% ÷ 95% ÷ 99% ÷ 99% = 96%.

[0091] Furthermore, the inventors discovered that if the ratio of the first light-transmitting aperture A1 to the second light-transmitting aperture A2 is 1, and the ratio of the equivalent spot size A0 of the focusing part F to the second light-transmitting aperture A2 is 0.1, then the ratio of emitted energy to incident energy can reach its maximum, and the measurement effect is better. In this case, as described above, the opening size of the first opening end 201 of the guide channel 20A can be equal to the opening size of the second opening end 202, allowing the guide channel 20A to have a generally cylindrical shape, or alternatively, the guide channel 20A can have the shape of a hollow rhombus with a polygonal cross-section.

[0092] In a preferred embodiment, to generate a highly focused beam within the flow cell 20, the equivalent spot size A0 of the focusing portion F is no greater than 25% of the first aperture A1, thereby ensuring at least 90% of the emitted energy (for example, A1 can be equal to A2, with A0:A1 = 10% emitted energy as a reference). Furthermore, preferably, the focusing portion F can be located between the midpoint of the guide channel 20A and the second lens 22. The midpoint of the guide channel 20A can be measured along the direction of the central axis A. For example, this midpoint can be the midpoint between the first opening end 201 and the second opening end 202.

[0093] Furthermore, in order to further improve the ratio of emitted to incident light intensity, thereby further improving light utilization efficiency and sample detection sensitivity, the inventors have found that the following configuration can be further provided: in particular, preferably, the deviation between the principal optical axis of the first lens 21 and the central axis A of the guide channel 20A is less than 10% of the second aperture A2, more preferably, less than 5% of the second aperture A2, and most preferably, the principal optical axis of the first lens 21 coincides with the central axis A of the guide channel 20A.

[0094] In addition, in order to achieve the above technical effects, the inventors found that the following arrangement is preferred, in particular, the first distance L1 between the focusing part F and the second lens 22 can satisfy the following relationship:

[0095] Where A1 is the first light-transmitting aperture; A2 is the second light-transmitting aperture; LF is the effective optical path of the flow cell 20; and n is the refractive index of the sample 200 within the flow cell 20. This arrangement allows for the positioning of the focusing section that maximizes energy output.

[0096] Figure 6A shows an example position of the focusing portion F of the optical device 100 according to a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention when the output energy is at its maximum under different conditions.

[0097] The reference distance L0 in Figure 6A satisfies the following relationship:

[0098] Where A1 is the first light-transmitting aperture; A2 is the second light-transmitting aperture; LF is the effective optical path of the flow cell 20; and n is the refractive index of the sample 200 within the flow cell 20. The corresponding expression in the table represents the optimal value of the first distance L1. For example, when A1:A2 = 0.75 and A0:A2 = 10%, the optimal value of the first distance L1 is 0.87 × L0 (or 0.87L0).

[0099] It should be understood that, as used herein, the term "effective optical path" can refer to the actual path length of light propagating through the flow cell 20. For example, it can refer to the actual path length of light propagating from the exit surface of the first lens 21 (i.e., the right side in the figure) to the incident surface of the second lens 22 (i.e., the left side in the figure).

[0100] For ease of theoretical calculation, the effective optical path LF can be expressed as the shortest distance (measured along the optical axis) between the exit surface of the first lens 21 (i.e., the right side in the figure) and the incident surface of the second lens 22 (i.e., the left side in the figure) multiplied by the refractive index n. Furthermore, the refractive index n can be measured under reference conditions. For example, in a reference solution including water and eluent, the refractive index n measured at 20°C is 1.333.

[0101] At this time, the second distance L2 between the focusing part F and the first lens 21 can satisfy the following relationship: L2 = LF - L1. Now, let's continue to describe a non-limiting embodiment of the detection device 300 with reference to FIG1. ​​As shown, the detection device 300 may mainly include a beam splitting element 310, a filtering device 320, a converging device 330, and a photoelectric device 340, etc.

[0102] When the light source section 10 includes two or more light sources, such as a first light source 11 and a second light source 12, the beam splitter 310 can be used to separate the first light and the second light contained in the third beam B3.

[0103] As shown in Figure 1, the light transmitted through the beam splitter 310 can travel to the first filter element 320A to filter out unwanted noise signals (e.g., light of different wavelengths). Then, the filtered light can be focused by the first converging lens 330A and sent to the first photoelectric converter 340A to convert the optical signal into an electrical signal.

[0104] Similarly, the light reflected by the beam splitter 310 can travel to the second filter element 320B to filter out unwanted noise signals (e.g., light of different wavelengths). Then, the filtered light can be focused by the second converging lens 330B and sent to the second photoelectric converter 340B to convert the optical signal into an electrical signal.

[0105] The first electrical signal D1, obtained by conversion via photoelectric device 340 (e.g., first photoelectric converter 340A and second photoelectric converter 34BA), can be used for subsequent data analysis to determine the type and / or concentration of ions contained in sample 200. Thus, by filtering the third beam B3 to remove interfering light sources, the signal-to-noise ratio is improved, and the measurement accuracy is enhanced.

[0106] Figure 11 shows a schematic diagram of an analysis apparatus 1000 according to a second non-limiting embodiment of the present invention.

[0107] Apart from the differences described below, the second embodiment of the analysis apparatus 1000 is similar to the first embodiment of the analysis apparatus 1000 shown in FIG1, and the same or similar elements are generally indicated by the same or similar reference numerals herein, and may not be reintroduced below.

[0108] In the embodiment shown in Figure 11, the detection device 300 includes a spectrometer 350 but does not include a filter 320. The spectrometer 350 can receive a third light beam B3, for example, via a third converging lens 330C, and convert the optical signal therein into a first electrical signal to determine the type and / or concentration of ions contained in the sample 200. In this way, the spectrometer 350 can detect fluctuations within a predetermined wavelength range around the peak of the incident wavelength, improving measurement accuracy.

[0109] Figure 12 illustrates a data analysis method 1200 according to a first non-limiting embodiment of the present invention.

[0110] As shown in the figure, the method can begin at 1210, and an analysis device 1000 according to Figure 1 is provided. Then, at 1220, baseline noise D0 can be acquired. For example, the operator can acquire baseline noise D0 at a sampling frequency greater than or equal to 500 Hz.

[0111] Optionally, after acquiring the baseline noise D0, the analysis device 1000 can be powered on, particularly the light source section 10, and stabilized for a predetermined time so that the light source section 10 emits stable incident light (e.g., a first beam B1) with a predetermined wavelength range.

[0112] Next, at 1230, the first electrical signal D1 is sampled during the operation of the analysis device 1000, where the sampling frequency Fs ≥ 500 Hz.

[0113] At 1240, the second electrical signal D2 can be obtained by subtracting the baseline noise D0 from the first electrical signal D1. The second electrical signal D2 is the actual electrical signal after removing the baseline noise D0.

[0114] Next, at 1250, the second electrical signal D2 can be smoothed and filtered to match the output third electrical signal D3. For example, the second electrical signal D2 with a frequency of 500Hz can be modulated and matched to the third electrical signal D3 with a frequency of 10Hz for subsequent data analysis or processing.

[0115] At position 1260, the third electrical signal D3 can be processed based on the SG filtering algorithm to output the final calculation result. The SG filtering described in this paper is the Savitzky-Golay filtering. Method 1200 can end at position 1270.

[0116] Figure 13 shows a schematic diagram of the output data after processing using the data analysis method 1200 according to a first non-limiting embodiment of the present invention.

[0117] As shown in the figure, this data analysis can accurately identify the peak index (or the valley value of the actual absorption wavelength) of the emitted light (e.g., the third beam B3) after absorption by sample 200, thereby effectively reducing noise and improving the accuracy and reliability of the data.

[0118] Figure 14 illustrates a data analysis method 1400 according to a second non-limiting embodiment of the present invention.

[0119] As shown in the figure, the method can begin at 1410, and an analysis device 1000 as shown in Figure 11 is provided. Then, at 1420, baseline noise D0 can be acquired. For example, the operator can acquire baseline noise D0 at a sampling frequency greater than or equal to 500 Hz.

[0120] Optionally, after acquiring the baseline noise D0, the analysis device 1000 can be powered on, particularly the light source section 10, and stabilized for a predetermined time so that the light source section 10 emits stable incident light (e.g., a first beam B1) with a predetermined wavelength range.

[0121] Next, at 1430, the first electrical signal D1 is sampled during the operation of the analysis device 1000, where the sampling frequency Fs ≥ 500 Hz.

[0122] At 1440, the second electrical signal D2 can be obtained by subtracting the baseline noise D0 from the first electrical signal D1. The second electrical signal D2 is the actual electrical signal after removing the baseline noise D0, which represents the true absorption spectrum of sample 200.

[0123] Next, at 1450, pixel merging can be performed to meet the resolution and signal-to-noise ratio requirements and obtain the third electrical signal D3.

[0124] Specifically, the relationship between signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and signal strength, dark current noise, and readout noise can be expressed as follows:

[0125] Wherein, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is a dimensionless metric, P is the incident photon flux (photons / pixel / second), QE represents the CCD quantum efficiency, t is the integration time (seconds), D is the dark current value (electrons / pixel / second), and R represents the readout noise (root mean square electrons / pixel).

[0126] By merging pixels, the P·QE·t term can be added, thereby increasing the spectrometer's SNR to its original value. This helps reduce the requirements for the spectrometer in the detection system, thereby reducing instrument costs.

[0127] Next, at position 1460, appropriate parameters for the SG filter can be selected according to requirements, and the final calculation result can be output. The SG filter described in this article is the Savitzky-Golay filter.

[0128] Specifically, two key parameters for SG filtering can be selected: frame length (N) and polynomial order (k). For frame length (N), the number of data points in the window can be selected to be 7, and for polynomial order (k), the order of the polynomial used to fit the data can be 3.

[0129] Next, polynomial fitting is performed on the data: For each sliding window, the SG filter fits a 3rd-order polynomial to the data points within the window: Y(x)=a0+a1·x+a2·x 2 +a3·x 3

[0130] Where (a0, a1, a2, a3) are the polynomial coefficients to be determined.

[0131] Construct and solve the system of equations: Substitute the 7 original data points in the window into the equations to construct the system of equations and solve for the polynomial coefficients (a0, a1, a2, a3).

[0132] Next, the data is smoothed: the data points at the center of the window are calculated using the fitted polynomial, and the smoothed data points are used as the final output.

[0133] Then, slide the window: move the window forward by one data point, and repeat the above steps until all data points have been processed.

[0134] Method 1400 can end at 1470.

[0135] Figure 15 shows a schematic diagram of the output data after processing using the data analysis method 1400 according to a second non-limiting embodiment of the present invention.

[0136] As shown in the figure, this data analysis can accurately identify the peak values ​​(or valley values ​​of the actual absorption wavelengths) of the emitted light (e.g., the third beam B3) after absorption by sample 200, thereby effectively reducing noise and improving the accuracy and reliability of the data.

[0137] The terms “left” and “right” used herein to indicate orientation or direction, and “first” and “second” used to indicate sequence, are merely to enable those skilled in the art to better understand the concept of the invention as illustrated in preferred embodiments, and are not intended to limit the invention. Unless otherwise stated, all sequences, orientations, or directions are used only to distinguish one element / component / structure from another, and unless otherwise stated, do not indicate any particular order, sequence of operations, direction, or orientation. For example, in an alternative embodiment, “first light source” may be “second light source.”

[0138] As used herein, unless otherwise specified, the terms “approximately” and “about” are interpreted as indicating a value or range of values ​​plus or minus five percent, or a deviation of the shape and / or position from the value by plus or minus five percent.

[0139] In addition, it should be understood that all numerical ranges ("not less than", "not more than", or "between", etc.) mentioned in this document include values ​​at the endpoints.

[0140] In summary, the optical device 100 according to the embodiments of the present invention overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art and achieves the intended purpose of the invention.

[0141] While the optical device of the present invention has been described above with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should recognize that the above examples are merely illustrative and should not be construed as limiting the invention. Therefore, various modifications and variations can be made to the invention within the spirit and scope of the claims, and all such modifications and variations will fall within the scope claimed by the claims.

Claims

1. An optical device (100) for ion chromatography detection of a sample (200) and comprising: The light source section (10) provides light with a predetermined wavelength range to form a first beam (B1) that propagates in free space; as well as The flow cell (20) is provided with a guide channel (20A), the guide channel accommodating the sample (200) and having a first lens (21) and a second lens (22) at both ends respectively. The first lens has a first light-transmitting aperture (A1), and the second lens has a second light-transmitting aperture (A2). The first beam (B1) enters the guide channel (20A) via the first lens (21), and the first lens (21) causes the first beam (B1) to converge into a second beam (B2) in the guide channel (20A). The second beam forms a focusing part (F) between the first lens (21) and the second lens (22) and diverges away from the guide channel (20A) via the second lens (22) to form a third beam (B3). The ratio of the first light-transmitting aperture (A1) to the second light-transmitting aperture (A2) is between 1 and 3, and the ratio of the equivalent spot size (A0) of the focusing part (F) to the second light-transmitting aperture (A2) is not greater than 0.5, such that the ratio of the light intensity of the third beam (B3) to the light intensity of the first beam (B1) is not less than 62%.

2. The optical device (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ratio of the light intensity of the third beam (B3) to the light intensity of the first beam (B1) does not exceed 96%.

3. The optical device (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ratio of the first light-transmitting aperture (A1) to the second light-transmitting aperture (A2) is 1, and the ratio of the equivalent spot size (A0) of the focusing part (F) to the second light-transmitting aperture (A2) is 0.

1.

4. The optical device (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The equivalent spot size (A0) of the focusing part (F) is not greater than 25% of the first light-transmitting aperture (A1).

5. The optical device (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The focusing part (F) is located between the midpoint of the guide channel (20A) and the second lens (22).

6. The optical device (100) according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The guide channel (20A) has a first opening end (201) and an opposing second opening end (202), the first lens (21) is disposed at the first opening end (201) and the second lens (22) is disposed at the second opening end (202), wherein the first opening end (201) defines the first light-transmitting aperture (A1) and the second opening end (202) defines the second light-transmitting aperture (A2).

7. The optical device (100) according to claim 6, characterized in that, The deviation between the principal optical axis of the first lens (21) and the central axis (A) of the guide channel (20A) is less than 10% of the second light-transmitting aperture (A2).

8. The optical device (100) according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The first distance (L1) between the focusing part (F) and the second lens (22) satisfies the following relationship: Wherein, A1 is the first light-transmitting aperture; A2 is the second light-transmitting aperture; LF is the effective optical path of the flow cell (20); and n is the refractive index of the sample (200) in the flow cell (20).

9. The optical device (100) according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The equivalent spot of the focusing part (F) has a circular cross-section.

10. An analytical apparatus (1000), comprising: An optical device (100) for ion chromatography detection of a sample (200) and comprising: A light source section (10) provides light having a predetermined wavelength range to form a first beam (B1) propagating in free space; and The flow cell (20) is provided with a guide channel (20A), the guide channel accommodating the sample (200) and having a first lens (21) and a second lens (22) at both ends respectively. The first lens has a first light-transmitting aperture (A1), and the second lens has a second light-transmitting aperture (A2). The first beam (B1) enters the guide channel (20A) via the first lens (21), and the first lens (21) causes the first beam (B1) to converge into a second beam (B2) in the guide channel (20A). The second beam forms a focusing part (F) between the first lens (21) and the second lens (22) and diverges away from the guide channel (20A) via the second lens (22) to form a third beam (B3). Wherein, the ratio of the first light-transmitting aperture (A1) to the second light-transmitting aperture (A2) is between 1 and 3, and the ratio of the equivalent spot size (A0) of the focusing portion (F) to the second light-transmitting aperture (A2) is not greater than 0.5, such that the ratio of the light intensity of the third beam (B3) to the light intensity of the first beam (B1) is not less than 62%; and The detection device (300) receives the third beam (B3) and processes the third beam (B3) into an electrical signal to determine the type and / or concentration of ions contained in the sample (200).

11. The analytical apparatus (1000) according to claim 10, characterized in that, The flow pool (20) is also provided with: An inlet channel (24) is provided, which provides fluid communication between the chromatographic column (401) of the flow path system (400) and the first opening (201) of the guide channel (20A) for feeding the sample (200) into the guide channel (20A); and An exit channel (25) is provided, which is connected to the second opening end (202) of the guide channel (20A) for allowing the sample (200) to exit the guide channel (20A).

12. The analytical apparatus (1000) according to claim 10, characterized in that, The light source portion (10) includes: A first light source (11) emits first light with a wavelength range of 400-800nm; A second light source (12) emits second light with a wavelength range between 180-400 nm; and An optical guiding component (13) is used to guide a first light emitted by the first light source (11) and a second light emitted by the second light source (12) to form the first beam (B1).

13. The analytical apparatus (1000) according to claim 12, characterized in that, The detection device (300) includes a beam splitter (310) for separating the first light and the second light contained in the third beam (B3), and after being filtered by a filter (320) and converged by a convergence device (330), it is converted into a first electrical signal by a photoelectric device (340).

14. The analytical apparatus (1000) according to claim 12, characterized in that, The detection device (300) includes a spectrometer (350) that receives a third beam (B3) and converts it into a first electrical signal.

15. A data analysis method, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Provide the analytical apparatus (1000) according to claim 13; Acquire baseline noise D0; During the operation of the analysis device (1000), the first electrical signal D1 is sampled, wherein the sampling frequency (Fs) is ≥500Hz; The first electrical signal D1 is subtracted from the baseline noise D0 to obtain the second electrical signal D2; The second electrical signal D2 is smoothed and filtered to match the output of the third electrical signal D3; and The third electrical signal D3 is processed based on the SG filtering algorithm, and the final calculation result is output.

16. A data analysis method, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Provide the analytical apparatus (1000) according to claim 14; Acquire baseline noise D0; The first electrical signal D1 is sampled during the operation of the analysis device (1000); The difference between the first electrical signal D1 obtained from the spectrometer and the baseline noise D0 is used to obtain the second electrical signal D2, which represents the true absorption spectrum of the sample (200). Pixel merging is performed to meet resolution and signal-to-noise ratio requirements and to obtain a third electrical signal D3. as well as Select the appropriate parameters for the SG filter according to the requirements, and output the final calculation results.

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