Light photons

To understand the production of laser light, it is necessary to consider the interaction of light with matter. Quanta of light (photons) of wavelength X have energy E given by Equation 18.1, in which h is Planck s constant (6.63 x 10 J-sec) and c is the velocity of light (3 x 10 m-sec-h-... 

Scintillators are also used in the detectors of CT scanners. Here an electronic detector, the photomultiplier tube, is used to produce an electrical signal from the visible and ultraviolet light photons. These imaging systems typically need fast scintillators with a high efficiency. 

An x-ray area detector can be used to collect the intensities of many reflections at a time. The crystal must be oriented in many different settings with respect to the incident beam but the detector needs to be positioned at only a few positions to collect all of the data. A charge coupled device (CCD) is used as the area detector on the Siemens SMART single crystal diffractometer system. The SMART detector consists of a flat 6-cm circular phosphorescent screen that converts x-ray photons to visible light photons. The screen is coupled to a tapered fiber optics bundle which is then coupled to a one inch by one inch square CCD chip. The CCD chip has 1024 x 1024 pixels each of which stores an electrical charge proportional to the number of... 

X-ray fluoroscopy is used for direct on-line examination. A fluorescent screen is used to convert x-ray photons into visible light photons. A television camera receives the visible image and displays it on a television screen (see Fig. 19). This type of system is used for security screening of carry-on luggage at airports. 

Secondary Emission - Electrons striking the surface of a cathode could cause the release of some electrons and, hence, a net amplification in the number of electrons. This principle is used in the construction of photomultipliers where light photons strike a photoemitting cathode releasing photoelectrons. These electrons are subsequently amplified striking a number of electrodes (called dynodes) before they are finally collected by the anode. 

Photochemical energy is indicated by writing "light" or hv above or below the arrow. The symbol hv is equal to the energy of a light photon and will be discussed in more detail in Section 13.1. 

A photovoltaic cell is basically a semiconductor diode consisting of a junction similar to the junction of a transistor. An electrical potential is formed by n-type doping on one side and p-type on the other. Under the impact of light (photons), such as in sunlight, electrons move from the p side, across the junction to the n side, and, through electrical contacts, can be drawn as a usable current (Fig. 15.4). 

The top conductor is almost always in a grid-pattern to allow as much area as possible open to contact with light photons. Note that metals are not light-transparent. The bottom contact does not need to be patterned. 

Several other principles have been used to build X-ray detectors. For instance, ID detectors have been realized by diode arrays. 2D detectors have been realized by conversion of X-rays to visible light, photon amplification, and a television camera (VIDICON). CCD detectors have outperformed both diode arrays and the VIDI-CON. 

AgBr (crystal) + light photons —> [AgBr crystal + latent image]... 

Interaction of a light photon with a halogen ion in the AgBr crystal. The energy from the photon (hv) liberates an electron from this ion ... 

Spectroscopic techniques look at the way photons of light are absorbed quantum mechanically. X-ray photons excite inner-shell electrons, ultra-violet and visible-light photons excite outer-shell (valence) electrons. Infrared photons are less energetic, and induce bond vibrations. Microwaves are less energetic still, and induce molecular rotation. Spectroscopic selection rules are analysed from within the context of optical transitions, including charge-transfer interactions The absorbed photon may be subsequently emitted through one of several different pathways, such as fluorescence or phosphorescence. Other photon emission processes, such as incandescence, are also discussed. 

The irradiation of some monomers results in the formation of an excited state M by the absorption of light photons (quanta) ... 

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