Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for injecting a sample (i.e. a material to be analyzed that may be dissolved in a solvent) in a vaporization chamber or in a pre-column or a gas chromatograper, this method implying separately injecting a co-solvent, with the co-solvent being injected in advance of the sample and/or in a point in the vaporization chamber other than the sample injection point.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for washing samples that are intended to be introduced in an analysis apparatus, particularly for elemental analysis, which has a chamber sized such as to house only one sample at a time, means for feeding the samples, from a condition in contact with the ambient atmosphere, one at a time to said chamber, means for closing said sample-containing chamber relative to the environment, means for feeding and releasing a washing gas to and from said chamber, and means for opening this chamber to the analysis apparatus in sealed conditions relative to the atmosphere.

Abstract: A parallel-plate diffusion gas dehumidifier has a treatment zone having at least one water-permeable membrane. The gas dehumidifier includes an untreated gas inlet, a treatment zone bounded by water-permeable membranes, a support structure for the membranes, access to a source of vacuum, and a dehumidified gas outlet. The cross section of the treatment zone may be provided in various shapes, for example, rectangular. The gas dehumidifier inlet and outlet include flow transitions that minimize the obstruction of particles passing through the dehumidifier. The dehumidifier may be used in particle sampling systems to dehumidify the sample gas prior to introducing the sample gas to a mass measuring device and mass flow controller. Methods of operating the gas dehumidifier and the particle sampling system are also provided.

Abstract: A method of enhancing spectral data such as a frequency, wavelength or mass spectrum comprises applying an inverse Fourier Transform to the data in the frequency, wavelength or mass spectrum, zero-filling and, optionally, apodizing that inverse transform data, and then applying a Fourier Transform to convert the inverse data back into the frequency, wavelength or mass domain. The resultant processed spectrum provides a more accurate indication of peak location, shape and height.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an object storage device having shaking function having a vertically situated storage cassette, which has multiple object storage points situated one on top of another, and having a drive unit functionally connected to the storage cassette via a first drive connection, comprising at least one drive element for performing a shaking movement of the storage cassette. The present invention also relates to a climatic cabinet having such an object storage device.

Abstract: A method for obtaining reproducibility of the retention times of the components of a mixture to be analysed in an apparatus for gaschromatographic analysis provided with a capillary column, when there occurs one of the following variations: variation in the length of the column, or alternatively its replacement with a column having identical real specifications with the exception of the length, and/or variation in the pressure of the carrier gas at output from said column. The method envisages that the pneumatic resistance of the column is known and preferably measured before and after the aforesaid variations, and that a new input pressure or a new mass flow of the carrier gas will be entered into said apparatus for gaschromatographic analysis in relation to said values of pneumatic resistance.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for shaking sample containers, especially micro titer plates, and to a shaking apparatus, comprising an oscillating plate holding the sample containers and an exciter drive for generating the oscillating movement of the oscillating plate. The oscillating plate is made to oscillate in resonance oscillation, with the oscillating plate being connected in a flexurally rigid manner with an apparatus base preferably by at least four spring elements which consist of several individual springs and is held in an oscillating plane.

Abstract: Turbulent mixing condensation devices, methods, and systems adapted to condense a working fluid on particles from a sample gas to enlarge the particles for subsequent detection are provided. The device includes a vapor generator adapted to produce a working-fluid saturated carrier gas and a condensation chamber. The working-fluid saturated carrier gas is mixed with a sample gas containing particles to be detected and is then introduced to the condensation chamber. The operating conditions are controlled to enhance the condensation of the working fluid on the particles. The particles are typically forwarded to a particle detection device to detect at least one characteristic, for example, the size, of the particles. The flow of carrier gas to the vapor generator may be regulated to vary the degree of saturation of the carrier gas with working fluid.

Abstract: An analytical microscope provides both UV fluorescence imaging and spectroscopic analysis of a sample with use of the same light collection element (objective lens or other optical element). An incident UV light beam travels to the sample via a dark field illumination path about the periphery of the collection lens, with the collection lens then collecting the emitted light from the sample and forwarding it to an eyepiece and/or camera for viewing. The sample is also illuminated with a laser through the collection lens to generate Raman emissions, which are then collected through the same collection lens and provided to a spectrograph for wavelength identification. Use of the same collection lens for both imaging and spectroscopic analysis better ensures that any imaged regions of interest on the sample are the same as those being spectroscopically analyzed.

Abstract: In an analytical instrument having a radiation detector, such as an electron microscope with an X-ray detector, a thermoelectric element (such as one or more Peltier junctions) is driven by a cooling power supply to cool the detector and thereby decrease measurement noise. Oil condensates and ice can then form on the detector owing to residual water vapor and vacuum pump oil in the analysis chamber, and these contaminants can interfere with measurement accuracy. To assist in reducing this problem, the thermoelectric element can be powered in the reverse of its cooling mode, thereby heating the detector and evaporating the contaminants. After the detector is cleared of contaminants, it may again be cooled and measurements may resume. Preferably, the thermoelectric element is heated by a power supply separate from the one that provides the cooling power, though it can also be possible to utilize a single power supply to provide both heating and cooling modes.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a rotor for laboratory centrifuges, the rotor including a rotor housing that is open to the top and at least one recess for taking up centrifuge containers, with the recess being formed in the peripheral area of the rotor as a concentric, circumferential ring trough having an inner wall and an outer wall and with the ring trough being stiffened in a spoke-type manner in such a way using centrifuge containers that are distributed radially and over the circumference of the ring trough that the centrifuge containers support the inner wall and the outer wall rigidly against one another. Furthermore, an adapter for receiving a sample container and for use in such a rotor is suggested.

Abstract: A rheometer has a measuring chamber which is delimited by a measuring chamber wall in which at least one measuring component is disposed for acceptance of a sample. The measuring chamber can have a gas flowing through it whose temperature is controlled in a desired fashion by a first temperature control device. A second temperature control device is also disposed in the measuring chamber wall by means of which the wall of the measuring chamber can be temperature controlled to a desired temperature. To temperature control the sample, the gas flow in the measuring chamber can be switched off or at least highly reduced prior to measurement of the reological characteristic quantities and further temperature control of the measuring chamber is effected by means of the temperature control of the measuring chamber wall.

Abstract: An optical probe for use in infrared, near infrared, Raman, and other spectrometers includes a probe outer surface with a cavity defined therein. The probe emits light into a sample via emission locations on the probe outer surface, at least one being in the cavity. The light emitted into the sample is then collected at collection locations which include at least two of (a) a reflectance collection location situated on the probe outer surface for collecting diffusely reflected light from any adjacent sample; (b) a transmittance collection location situated in the cavity and receiving light transmitted across the cavity from an emission location situated on an opposite side of the cavity; and (c) a transflectance collection location situated in the cavity and receiving transflected light emitted from an emission location in the cavity, with such light being reflected from a side of the cavity opposite the transflectance collection location.

Abstract: A monochromator for use in a spectrograph admits light from an aperture to a primary reflector (preferably an off-axis parabolic mirror) which collimates the input light with low aberration and directs it to a diffraction grating. The component wavelengths of the input light are then directed to first and second secondary reflectors (preferably spherical or toroidal mirrors), which are chosen to cooperatively focus the component wavelengths in ordered bands across an array detector while each at least substantially cancels the effects of any aberrations introduced by the other. By choosing optical elements which supply the grating with input light with low aberration, and then choosing optical elements which receive the component wavelengths from the grating and which offset any aberrations introduced by the other receiving optical elements, wavelength resolution at the detector can be enhanced.

Abstract: An X-ray detector using a semiconductor detector, most preferably a Silicon Drift Detector, utilizes a field effect transistor or other voltage-controlled resistance to generate an output voltage proportional to its input charge (which is generated by the X-ray photons incident on the semiconductor detector). To keep the charge (and thus the output voltage) to an acceptable range—one wherein the relationship between output voltage and input charge is substantially proportional—a feedback circuit is provided between the output and input terminals, wherein the charge on the input terminal is depleted when the output voltage begins leaving the desired range. Preferably, this is done by a comparator which monitors the output voltage, and provides a reset signal to the input terminal when it begins moving out of range. Alternatively or additionally, the reset signal may be a pulse supplied to the input terminal from a pulse generator activated by the comparator.

Abstract: A spectrometer (100) includes a light source (102) providing output light (106) to the bundled input ends (108) of multiple light pipes (110). The light pipes (110) branch into sets (118) between their input ends (108) and output ends (114), with each set (118) illuminating a sample detector (126) (via a sample chamber (122)) for measuring light scattered or emitted by a sample, or a reference detector (128) for obtaining a reference/datum measurement of the supplied light, so that comparison of measurements from the sample detector (126) and the reference detector (128) allows compensation of the sample detector measurements for drift. Efficient and accurate measurement is further assured by arraying the multiple light pipes (110) in each set (118) about the input bundle (116) so that each set receives at least substantially the same amount of light from the light source (102).

Abstract: A spectroscopic microscope allowing both molecular spectrometry and visible microscopy of a sample has a light source for its spectrometer which provides Koehler illumination of the sample, i.e., light from points on the light source is projected across an area of the sample, as opposed to directly projecting an image of the light source onto the sample (as with critical illumination). However, the device may be adjusted to alternatively provide critical illumination of the sample, which is useful where spectrometric readings are to be obtained from a smaller area of the sample.

Abstract: The invention relates to a shaking incubator with at least one specimen storage device comprising several superposed specimen storage spaces. A shaking unit comprising a specimen storage position, a shaking platform and a base unit is arranged in at least one specimen storage space. The invention makes it possible to shake different specimens, located in the same specimen storage device, individually and independently of each other under incubator conditions.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a fixing device of a cover for a centrifuge rotor, a receiving chamber of the centrifuge rotor, which is driven using a drive unit, for receiving samples to be centrifuged being closable aerosol-tight using the cover. The fixing device is provided with an opening so that the drive unit is accessible through the fixing device and the cover without removing the cover. The present invention has the advantage that the rotor may be removed from the centrifuge and the rotor remains closed aerosol-tight at the same time. In addition, simple, one-handed operation is made possible.