Electromagnetic radiation photometry

Optical principles are based on the fact that technical gases have distinct absorption spectra in different wavelength ranges of electromagnetic radiation. The widespread infrared spectral photometries uses the fact, that certain gases absorb infrared radiation in a characteristic manner. 02 and N2 are IR-inactive and therefore other compounds in air or flue gas can be easily detected. This technique has a very high selectivity for single compounds and shows only a few cross-sensitivities. 

The various terms that are used for the description of the emission of electromagnetic radiation from a radiant source or for the receipt of electromagnetic radiation by a specified surface element are summarized in Tab. 3-9. The terminology of electromagnetic radiation measurement is divided into radiometry and the subset of photometry (Fig. 3-18). The former is the science that involves the energy measurement of electromagnetic radiation in general. The latter is applied for the same purpose when visible radiation is to be described or measured in relation to the human eye s response. Important photometric quantities are for example luminous flux, luminous intensity, illuminance and luminance (McCluney, 1994). Every photometric quantity has its counterpart in radiometry, and vice versa. 

Analytical applications have been found for all parts of the electromagnetic spectrum ranging from microwaves through visible radiation to gamma (y) rays (Table 1). The emission and absorption of electromagnetic radiation are specific to atomic and molecular processes and provide the basis for sensitive and rapid methods of analysis. There are two general analytical approaches. In one, the sample is the source of the radiation in the other, there is an external source and the absorption or scattering of radiation by the sample is measured. Emission from the sample may be spontaneous, as in radioactive decay, or stimulated by thermal or other means, as in flame photometry and fluorimetry. Both approaches can be used to provide qualitative and quantitative information about the atoms present in, or the molecular structure of, the sample. 

The human eye responds to electromagnetic radiation in the wavelength range from about 360 nm (violet) to 820 nm (red), with a peak sensitivity near 555 nm (green). While the detailed shape of this response curve depends on the individual person, studies on representative samples of human subjects have led to adoption of a standard function relating the perceived brightness (luminous flux) to the actual power of the spectral radiation. This function is referred to as V(X), the photopic spectral luminous efficiency function, and it plays an important role in photometry. 

However, electron spectroscopy supplies very poor information about structures of molecules and effects by substitution in comparison to infhued (IR), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), or mass spectroscopy. On the other hand, UV/Vis spectroscopy is a perfect tool in quantitative photometry and very suitable as a detection principle in chromatography [1]. In Fig. I the total spectrum of electromagnetic radiation is given. The UV/Vis section is enlarged and related to other types of spectroscopy used in analytics. 

This chapter deals with basic considerations about absorption and emission of electromagnetic waves interacting with matter. Especially emphasized are those aspects that are important for the spectroscopy of gaseous media. The discussion starts with thermal radiation fields and the concept of cavity modes in order to elucidate differences and connections between spontaneous and induced emission and absorption. This leads to the definition of the Einstein coefficients and their mutual relations. The next section explains some definitions used in photometry such as radiation power, intensity, and spectral power density. 

The word radiometry describes the detection and measurement of radiated electromagnetic energy, and is also used to describe the prediction and calculation of the power transferred by radiation from one object or surface to another. The concepts of radiometry are so similar to those of photometry (related to vision and detection by the human eye) and to the transfer of photons that it is convenient to discuss all three together. In fact, we rarely need to distinguish between the three disciplines, and we will use the word radiometry to cover all three. The radiometric calculations described in this chapter are a necessary part of the characterization of detectors and the prediction of signal and noise levels. 

---