| CPC G01J 3/443 (2013.01) [G01J 3/0297 (2013.01)] | 20 Claims |
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1. A diagnostic testing method for a detector of a spectrometer system that comprises a source of electromagnetic line spectra, a spectrometer comprising one or more optical elements configured to receive the electromagnetic line spectra from the source of electromagnetic line spectra, and the detector, wherein the detector is assembled onto the spectrometer and configured to receive the electromagnetic line spectra from the spectrometer, the diagnostic testing method comprising:
performing a plurality of detector diagnostic measurements, each detector diagnostic measurement comprising:
measuring an intensity of a first spectral line emitted by an excited species of the source of electromagnetic line spectra using the detector; and
measuring an intensity of a second spectral line emitted by the excited species of the source of electromagnetic line spectra using the detector,
wherein the first and second spectral lines emitted by the excited species of the source of electromagnetic line spectra form a branched pair of spectral lines and wherein the spectrometer is controlled in order to vary the intensity of the first and second spectral lines incident on the detector for the plurality of detector diagnostic measurements; and
diagnosing an operating condition of the detector based on a ratio of the intensity of the first spectral line to the intensity of the second spectral line for each of the plurality of detector diagnostic measurements,
wherein the operating condition of the detector diagnosed comprises a normal operating condition, or an irregular operating condition, and
wherein, where the irregular operating condition is diagnosed, the method further comprises diagnosing a non-linear operating condition or an excessive noise operating condition based on a ratio of the intensity of the first spectral line to the intensity of the second spectral line for each of the plurality of detector diagnostic measurements.
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