Patent GB-1385791-A (GB)
Title: Atomic spectroscopy
IPC: G01N21/31
Filed: 1972-01-05
Abstract: 1385791 Photo-electric analysis apparatus VARIAN TECHTRON PROPRIETARY Ltd 5 Jan 1972 [5 Jan 1971] 516/72 Heading G1A Photo-electric spectrometric apparatus for absorption or fluorescence analysis of an atomized sample in which a beam of light of a spectral range including the absorption wavelengths of a particular element to be determined is directed into the sample, a particular spectral line corresponding to one of the absorption wavelengths is selected to be detected, and the source and/or the sample is subjected to an influence e.g. an electric or magnetic field, so as to cause a wavelength shift in the spectral line as emitted by the source and/or as absorbed by the sample so that first and second measurements may be carried out which will allow results, free of errors due to non-atomic absorption by the sample, to be obtained. The  apparatus, may also compensate for lamp drift and, when provided with suitable electronics, for lamp and flame noise. The invention is described with reference to atomic absorption analysis, in particular, the preferred case in which the sample is subjected to a modulated magnetic field, Figs. 4 and 6 and Figs. 1, 3, 5, 7 and 8 (not shown). In this arrangement, light from a hollow cathode lamp 2 is  allimated by lens 4 and passed through a sample 3 supplied in atomized form by a burner/nebulizer arrangement, or alternatively by a carbon rod atomizer. The light is focused by lens 5 through a polarizer 6 and a mono-chromator 7 on to detector 8. The magnet 9 has a modulated supply so that it alternately supplies a maximum field and a zero field, Fig. 6. The important effect is that the absorption line of the sample is shifted when the field is from a position of overlap with the emission line of the source when the field is off this shifting occurring respectively. Since the magnetic field in this case is applied transverse to the light path, the normal Zeeman effect produces, three lines, two of which are equally shifted either side of a further undisplaced central line, which has to be removed by polarizer 6. The apparatus is operated under the control of device 16 which gates the detector output into channel 18 when the magnetic field is zero giving maximum intensity and into channel 19 when it is a maximum reduced intensity. By use of circuit 21 to obtain the logarithm of the ratio of the amplitudes in channels 18 or 19 i.e. log 10 I/I B , a signal dependent on the concentration of the element of interest is attained and may be indicated on a chart, dial or digital read-out. The lamp 2 is square wave modulated and the detector circuit turned to this frequency to cut out the unwanted flame emission spectrum. The burner/magnet contraction is detailed in Fig. 8 (not shown) the flame located centrally between tapered pole pieces which are protected from overheating by air currents. One coil of the magnet is located so as not to obstruct the light path. The magnet and burner are mounted so as to be adjustable about a vertical axis. Modifications In the Fig. 1 arrangement instead of modulating the supply to the magnet this may be continuously energized and the polarizer 6 be of a type that may be modulated. Also the field may be applied longitudinally instead of transversely. In another embodiment, Fig. 2 (not shown), the source instead of the sample is subjected to the field, but this may introduce difficulties into calibration. Both the sample and the lamp may be modulated. Another alternative arrangement provides two layers one with a field applied to it and the other without, the lamps being alternately selected for application to the sample. Instead of using a magnetic field (producing the Zeeman effect) for wavelength modulation, an electric field (Starle effect) may be used, or the velocity of the emitter is controlled to produce the Doppler effect and a resulting wavelength shift e.g. by the use of supersonic nozzles, atomic beam sources &c.