INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES

**Definition:** This place covers:

The scope of the subclass G01N is so broad that a detailed description of the subject matter appropriate for this place is correctly possible only at the main-group level, e.g. G01N21/00 .

Provisions that are valid at a general level (e.g. of a kind appropriate to more than one of the main groups) are provided in the sections that follow.

The user is otherwise referred to the IPC definitions for the individual main groups of G01N which follow hereinafter. The following list is intended to assist the user.

Investigating or analysing with emphasis to the properties investigated:

Investigating or analysing with emphasis to the methods or means used

Others

To further support the user in consulting the main groups of this subclass, the following table summarizes the properties of the electromagnetic spectrum together with the relevant main group of this subclass.

Electromagnetic spectrum Main group

Radiation Wavelength (m) Frequency (Hz) Energy (eV)

Gamma ray < 0.02 nm > 15 EHz > 62.1 keV G01N23/00

X-ray 0.01 nm–10 nm 30 EHz–30 PHz 124 keV–24 eV G01N23/00

Extreme Ultraviolet 10 nm–100 nm 30 PHz–3 PHz 124 eV–12.4 eV G01N23/00

Ultraviolet 100 nm–390 nm 3 PHz–770 THz 12.4 eV–3.2 eV G01N21/00

Visible light 390 nm–750 nm 770 THz–400 THz 3.2 eV–1.7 eV G01N21/00

Infrared 750 nm–1mm 400 THz–300 GHz 1.7 eV–1.24 meV G01N21/00

Sub-millimetre wave (i.e. terahertz wave; waveband within Infrared) 100 µm–1 mm 3 THz–300 GHz 12.4 meV–1.24 meV G01N21/00

Millimetre wave (waveband within Microwave) 1 mm – 10 mm 300 GHz–30 GHz 1.24 meV–124 µeV G01N22/00

Microwave 1 mm – 1 m 300 GHz–300 MHz 1.24 meV–1.24 µeV G01N22/00

Radio 1 m–100 km 300 MHz–3 kHz 1.24 µeV–12.4 peV G01N22/00

**Limiting references (this place does not cover):** - Apparatus for enzymology or microbiology -> C12M - Measuring or testing processes, other than immunoassay (which is covered by G01N33/53 ) -> C12Q

**Glossary:** - Investigating: Means testing or determining - Materials: Means either solid, or liquid, or gaseous media, e.g. the atmosphere - Sample: Means material separated from a bulk material or an assembly of items for the purpose of investigating its properties