Nephelometer and turbidimeter combination

Abstract

A nephelometer and nephelometer/turbidimeter combination of the type useful in automated chemical analyzers is provided. The combination includes a laser for generating a polarized laser beam having an S-wave component and a P-wave component. The beam is split by a beam splitter specially constructed so that a known proportion of one of the two polarized portions of the beam is directed to a reaction container. In the reaction container, a first polarized component of the laser beam is used in a nephelometric chemical analysis. The remainder of the laser beam passes through the beam splitter to a laser control light detector. Before the remainder of the laser beam reaches the laser control light detector, however, the polarized component which is not used in nephelometric chemical analysis is filtered out. The laser control detector uses the non-filtered portion of the laser beam to control the output of the laser. The combination also includes an LED which emits a beam of light at a longer wave length than that of the laser. Such beam of light is projected through the reaction container to a turbidimeter light detector. A second beam splitter is provided between the reaction container and the turbidimeter light detector to deflect the residual portion of the laser beam away from the laser. This prevents the residual portion of the laser beam from being reflected back into the reaction container.