Infrared spectroscopy sensitivity

Infrared and Raman spectroscopy each probe vibrational motion, but respond to a different manifestation of it. Infrared spectroscopy is sensitive to a change in the dipole moment as a function of the vibrational motion, whereas Raman spectroscopy probes the change in polarizability as the molecule undergoes vibrations. Resonance Raman spectroscopy also couples to excited electronic states, and can yield fiirtlier infomiation regarding the identity of the vibration. Raman and IR spectroscopy are often complementary, both in the type of systems tliat can be studied, as well as the infomiation obtained. 

As described above, classical infrared spectroscopy using grating spectrometers and gas cells provided some valuable infonnation in the early days of cluster spectroscopy, but is of limited scope. However, tire advent of tunable infrared lasers in tire 1980s opened up tire field and made rotationally resolved infrared spectra accessible for a wide range of species. As for microwave spectroscopy, tunable infrared laser spectroscopy has been applied botli in gas cells and in molecular beams. In a gas cell, tire increased sensitivity of laser spectroscopy makes it possible to work at much lower pressures, so tliat strong monomer absorjDtions are less troublesome. 

Infrared spectroscopy has broad appHcations for sensitive molecular speciation. Infrared frequencies depend on the masses of the atoms iavolved ia the various vibrational motions, and on the force constants and geometry of the bonds connecting them band shapes are determined by the rotational stmcture and hence by the molecular symmetry and moments of iaertia. The rovibrational spectmm of a gas thus provides direct molecular stmctural information, resulting ia very high specificity. The vibrational spectmm of any molecule is unique, except for those of optical isomers. Every molecule, except homonuclear diatomics such as O2, N2, and the halogens, has at least one vibrational absorption ia the iafrared. Several texts treat iafrared iastmmentation and techniques (22,36—38) and thek appHcations (39—42). 

Raman and infrared spectroscopy provide sensitive methods for distinguishing Ceo from higher molecular weight fullerenes with lower symmetry (eg., C70 has >5/1 symmetry). Since most of the higher molecular weight fullerenes have lower symmetry as well as more degrees of freedom, they have many more infrared- and Raman-active modes. 

As indicated above, the penetration depth is on the order of a micrometer. That means that in ATR, absorption of infrared radiation mostly occurs within a distance 8 of the surface and ATR is not as surface sensitive as some other surface analysis techniques. However, ATR, like all forms of infrared spectroscopy, is very sensitive to functional groups and is a powerful technique for characterizing the surface regions of polymers. 

Haaland, D.M. et.al. "Improved Sensitivity of Infrared Spectroscopy by the Application of Least Squares Methods", Appl. Spec. 1980 (34) 539-548. 

To measure gas and water vapor permeability, a film sample is mounted between two chambers of a permeability cell. One chamber holds the gas or vapor to be used as the permeant. The permeant then diffuses through the film into a second chamber, where a detection method such as infrared spectroscopy, a manometric, gravimetric, or coulometric method isotopic counting or gas-liquid chromatography provides a quantitative measurement (2). Die measurement depends on the specific permeant and the sensitivity required. 

In recent years, infrared spectroscopy has been enhanced by the possibility of applying Fourier transform techniques to it. This improved spectroscopic technique, known as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), is of much greater sensitivity than conventional dispersive IR spectroscopy (Skoog West, 1980). Moreover, use of the Fourier transform technique enables spectra to be recorded extremely rapidly, with scan times of only 0-2 s. Thus it is possible to record spectra of AB cements as they set. By comparison, conventional dispersive IR spectroscopy requires long scan times for each spectrum, and hence is essentially restricted to examining fully-set cements. 

In materials investigations surface-sensitive techniques are of special interest. The major contribution of infrared spectroscopy to this field is internal reflection spectroscopy (IRS), often called the "attenuated total reflection" (ATR) technique. To describe theory and principle, electromagnetic wave theory must be apphed [33]. 

Despite the considerable amount of information that has been garnered from more traditional methods of study it is clearly desirable to be able to generate, spectroscopically characterize and follow the reaction kinetics of coordinatively unsaturated species in real time. Since desired timescales for reaction will typically be in the microsecond to sub-microsecond range, a system with a rapid time response will be required. Transient absorption systems employing a visible or UV probe which meet this criterion have been developed and have provided valuable information for metal carbonyl systems [14,15,27]. However, since metal carbonyls are extremely photolabile and their UV-visible absorption spectra are not very structure sensitive, the preferred choice for a spectroscopic probe is time resolved infrared spectroscopy. Unfortunately, infrared detectors are enormously less sensitive and significantly slower... 

The three most commonly applied external reflectance techniques can be considered in terms of the means employed to overcome the sensitivity problem. Both electrically modulated infrared spectroscopy (EMIRS) and in situ FTIR use potential modulation while polarization modulation infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (PM-IRRAS) takes advantage of the surface selection rule to enhance surface sensitivity. 

In contrast to infrared spectrometry there is no decrease in relative sensitivity in the lower energy region of the spectrum, and since no solvent is required, no part of the spectrum contains solvent absorptions. Oil samples contaminated with sand, sediment, and other solid substances have been analysed directly, after being placed between 0.5 mm 23-reflection crystals. Crude oils, which were relatively uncontaminated and needed less sensitivity, were smeared on a 2 mm 5-reflection crystal. The technique has been used to differentiate between crude oils from natural marine seepage, and accidental leaks from a drilling platform. The technique overcomes some of the faults of infrared spectroscopy, but is still affected by weathering and contamination of samples by other organic matter. The absorption bands shown in Table 9.1 are important in petroleum product identification. 

Carbon monoxide on metals forms the best-studied adsorption system in vibrational spectroscopy. The strong dipole associated with the C-O bond makes this molecule a particularly easy one to study. Moreover, the C-0 stretch frequency is very informative about the direct environment of the molecule. The metal-carbon bond, however, falling at frequencies between 300 and 500 cm1, is more difficult to measure with infrared spectroscopy. First, its detection requires special optical parts made of Csl, but even with suitable equipment the peak may be invisible because of absorption by the catalyst support. In reflection experiments on single crystal surfaces the metal-carbon peak is difficult to obtain because of the low sensitivity of RAIRS at low frequencies [12,13], EELS, on the other hand, has no difficulty in detecting the metal-carbon bond, as we shall see later on. 

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