Abstract: Some embodiments relate to precursor delivery systems for producing gas precursors. The precursor delivery system may include one or more precursor supply packages containing a solid precursor material. The one or more precursor supply packages may be configured to heat the solid precursor material to a temperature sufficient to result in thermal decomposition of the solid precursor material. The thermal decomposition of the solid precursor material may produce a gas precursor. The gas precursor may be supplied to a gas precursor-utilizing process. Further embodiments relate to precursor supply packages and related methods.

Abstract: A system and method of taking a sample of hydrogen gas and reducing the hydrogen concentration by a factor greater than 1×108 while increasing the partial pressure of the contaminating gases by a factor greater than 100, so that extremely low levels of contamination can be accurately detected. A sample of hydrogen gas is captured. Only the hydrogen gas is removed leaving all the contaminating gases in the collection chamber. This causes the total pressure of the gas sample within the collection chamber to decrease dramatically since most of the gas was hydrogen. All the contaminants remain in the collection chamber. None are lost through pumping. As such, the concentration of contaminants within the remaining sample increases dramatically. The residual partial pressures of the contaminating gases within the collection chamber and can now be measured by a variety of techniques.

Abstract: A system and method of taking a sample of hydrogen gas and reducing the hydrogen concentration by a factor greater than 1×108 while increasing the partial pressure of the contaminating gases by a factor greater than 100, so that extremely low levels of contamination can be accurately detected. A sample of hydrogen gas is captured. Only the hydrogen gas is removed leaving all the contaminating gases in the collection chamber. This causes the total pressure of the gas sample within the collection chamber to decrease dramatically since most of the gas was hydrogen. All the contaminants remain in the collection chamber. None are lost through pumping. As such, the concentration of contaminants within the remaining sample increases dramatically. The residual partial pressures of the contaminating gases within the collection chamber and can now be measured by a variety of techniques.

Abstract: A laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) analyser (10) comprises an optical path P (shown by dashed lines P1 and dash-dot lines P2) and an automatic focus (or tracking) system (12). The optical path P focuses a laser beam emitted from a laser (14) onto a portion of sample S which is to be analysed by the analyser (10), and focuses radiation emitted by the sample S when irradiated by the laser beam to a detector (16). The automatic focus system (12) is capable of varying a length of the optical path P to maintain a constant spatial relationship (i.e. distance) between a focal point (18) of the laser beam and the sample S; as well as maintaining a constant instantaneous field of view (IFOV) of the detector (16) on the focal point of the laser.