Sensitivity electromagnetic radiation

A number of surface-sensitive spectroscopies rely only in part on photons. On the one hand, there are teclmiques where the sample is excited by electromagnetic radiation but where other particles ejected from the sample are used for the characterization of the surface (photons in electrons, ions or neutral atoms or moieties out). These include photoelectron spectroscopies (both x-ray- and UV-based) [89, 9Q and 91], photon stimulated desorption [92], and others. At the other end, a number of methods are based on a particles-in/photons-out set-up. These include inverse photoemission and ion- and electron-stimulated fluorescence [93, M]- All tirese teclmiques are discussed elsewhere in tliis encyclopaedia. 

The first detector for optical spectroscopy was the human eye, which, of course, is limited both by its accuracy and its limited sensitivity to electromagnetic radiation. Modern detectors use a sensitive transducer to convert a signal consisting of photons into an easily measured electrical signal. Ideally the detector s signal, S, should be a linear function of the electromagnetic radiation s power, P,... 

As discussed earlier in Section lOC.l, ultraviolet, visible and infrared absorption bands result from the absorption of electromagnetic radiation by specific valence electrons or bonds. The energy at which the absorption occurs, as well as the intensity of the absorption, is determined by the chemical environment of the absorbing moiety. Eor example, benzene has several ultraviolet absorption bands due to 7t —> 71 transitions. The position and intensity of two of these bands, 203.5 nm (8 = 7400) and 254 nm (8 = 204), are very sensitive to substitution. Eor benzoic acid, in which a carboxylic acid group replaces one of the aromatic hydrogens, the... 

As in chemical sensitization, spectral sensitization is usually done after precipitation but before coating, and usually is achieved by adsorbing certain organic dyes to the silver haUde surfaces (47,48,212—229). Once the dye molecule is adsorbed to the crystal surface, the effects of electromagnetic radiation absorbed by the dye can be transferred to the crystal. As a result of this transfer, mobile electrons are produced in the conduction band of the silver haUde grain. Once in the conduction band, the electrons are available to initiate latent-image formation. 

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. 

Optical fiber detectors (OFD) are devices that measure electromagnetic radiation transmitted through optical fibers to produce a quantitative signal in response to the chemical or biochemical recognition of a specific analyte. Ideally, an OFD should produce a specific and accurate measurement, continuously and reversibly, of the presence of a particular molecular species in a given sample medium. Additionally, OFD should pro vide maximum sensitivity and minimal interferences fromsuperfluous ions or molecules to obtain low detection limits. Other attractive features include the miniaturization of the fiber s tip to accommodate single-cell analysis and portable instrumentation to allow in situ analysis. 

How Can Ellipsometry Be So Sensitive Some students who approach ellipsometry for the first time find the extraordinary sensitivity of ellipsometry in measuring thickness difficult to believe. Thus, their first thought is that the minimum size of an object that disturbs a beam of electromagnetic radiation is that of the wavelength in the incident light. If the disturbing entity, a film, say, is less than X in thickness (about 500 nm), it will not be seen except by some form of... 

The single most useful and versatile physicochemical detectors in drug residue analysis are probably those based on ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectrophotometry. These detectors allow a wide selection of detection wavelengths, thus offering high sensitivity for analytes that exhibit absorbance in either the ultraviolet or the visible region of the electromagnetic radiation. 

Titanium dioxide is a light-sensitive semiconductor, and absorbs electromagnetic radiation in the near UV region. The energy difference between the valence and the conductivity bands in the solid state is 3.05 eV for rutile and 3.29 eV for anatase, corresponding to an absorption band at <415 nm for rutile and <385 nm for anatase. 

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