Plasma Analysis Apparatus Using Dynamic Emission Intensity Patterns
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional analysis apparatuses for analyzing target substances using plasma light spectroscopy focus on wavelength components with high intensity, but fail to effectively utilize the variation in emission intensity of plasma light during plasma formation for substance analysis.
Innovation Solution
An analysis apparatus that generates initial plasma and maintains it with an electromagnetic wave, allowing identification of the target substance based on the variation in emission intensity from the initial plasma peak to constant value and post-irradiation emission intensity, including delay time, increase rate, and decrease rate of emission intensity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional spectroscopic analysis focuses only on wavelength components with high intensity, then the analysis method is simple, but the analysis precision and information utilization are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The invention transitions from static spectral analysis to dynamic temporal analysis by capturing the time-resolved emission intensity variations during plasma formation. The system records how emission intensity changes over time at different wavelengths, enabling identification of substances based on their unique temporal evolution patterns rather than just peak intensities.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention adds a temporal dimension to the traditional wavelength-domain spectral analysis. By incorporating time as an additional dimension, the system analyzes emission intensity variations over time at each wavelength, creating a time-wavelength matrix that provides more discriminative information for substance identification.
2Measurement precision
If the plasma is maintained for a predetermined period using electromagnetic wave irradiation, then the emission intensity variation information is enhanced, but the energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies electromagnetic wave irradiation for a predetermined period that is sufficient to maintain plasma and capture the necessary emission intensity variation patterns, but not excessively long. This optimized duration provides the minimum required energy input to achieve enhanced measurement precision without unnecessary energy waste.
3Loss of information
If conventional methods only analyze peak wavelength components, then the measurement process is fast, but the loss of information about emission intensity variation over time occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The invention continuously records emission intensity variations over time throughout the plasma formation and maintenance process, rather than taking a single snapshot at the peak. This continuous monitoring captures the complete temporal evolution of emission, preserving all useful information about intensity variations without requiring extended analysis time.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables accurate identification and quantification of target substances by analyzing the unique variation in emission intensity patterns during and after plasma formation, improving the analysis precision and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
laser pulses are emitted from a laser oscillator and condensed on a sample surface, thereby turning a part of the sample surface into plasma
Implementation Method 2
maintains the target substance in the plasma state by irradiating the initial plasma with an electromagnetic wave for a predetermined period of time
Implementation Method 3
Constituent elements of the sample surface are turned into excited state atoms. The excited state atoms emit fluorescence when transiting to a lower level
Implementation Method 4
spectroscopic analysis of light emitted from plasma (hereinafter, referred to as 'plasma light') has been employed to find wavelength components with high intensity so as to analyze a target substance
Data Source
AI summary
An analysis apparatus includes a plasma generation unit and an optical analysis unit. The plasma generation unit generates initial plasma by momentarily energizing a target substance to be turned into a plasma state, and maintains the target substance in the plasma state by irradiating the initial plasma with an electromagnetic wave for a predetermined period of time. The optical analysis unit identifies the target substance based on information with respect to emission intensity during a period from when the emission intensity reaches a peak due to the initial plasma until when the emission intensity increases and reaches approximately a constant value due to electromagnetic wave plasma maintained by the electromagnetic wave, or information with respect to emission intensity after the electromagnetic wave irradiation is terminated.