RAMAN SPECTROSCOPY APPARATUS AND METHOD USING EXTERNAL CAVITY LASER FOR CONTINUOUS CHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF SAMPLE STREAMS

摘要

Raman spectrometer for analyzing the chemical composition of sample streams using an external cavity laser light source is disclosed. The laser (12) provides an effective light source useful in continuously analyzing a sample stream containing petroleum products, aqueous or biological fluids, or solid slurries. The light is introduced into a bundle of optical fibers (16) connected to a Raman sample cell (20). The Raman sample cell (20) is configured to allow continuous sample flow therethrough. Scattered light from the sample cell (20) preferably exits the optical fibers (18) as a linear optical signal. A Raman spectrometer (36) passes the optical signal through an excitation wavelength filter (40), an optical slit (42), and an aberration correction device (54) before transmitting the optical signal to a charge coupled device array (44) which converts the optical signal into an electronic signal. The electronic signal is analyzed and converted by computer (46) into a representation of the chemical analysis of the sample stream.