Analysis of Nitrogen in Low Alloy Steel

Introduction

The spectral wavelength for nitrogen is 149.262 nm, where the wavelength for iron, at 149.25 nm, and the wavelength for chromium, at 149.298, are located nearby. The figure below shows a plot of the nitrogen spectrum, along with nearby iron and chromium spectra. The first-order spectrum is affected by iron and chromium, because the iron and chromium spectra overlap with the nitrogen spectrum in the middle due to inadequate resolution. In contrast, using the second-order spectrum provides twice the resolution and eliminates the effects of iron and chromium on nitrogen. In addition, continuous spectra of silicon are also known to exist near the nitrogen spectrum. Their effect can approximately be cut in half as well, by using the second-order line.

June 28, 2010 GMT