Experimental Spectroscopy Vocab Flashcards
device that converts radiant power into an electrical signal or other physical property, e.g. heat or resistance, that can be measured
Detector
The slope of the curve (Q) that describes detector electrical response (S) with incident radiant power (F),
Detector sensitivity
The plot of Q(l) vs. l for a particular detector.
Spectral Response
The ability of a detector to convert incident radiation into an electrical signal; the ratio of the electrical output (V) to the incident radiant power (W)
Responsivity
A measure of detector sensitivity
Noise equivalent power (NEP)
A measure of detector sensitivity that normalizes the NEP by taking into account the area of the detector element
Specific detectivity (D*)
radiant energy generates current at the interface of a semiconductor and a metal
Photovoltaic cell
incident radiation causes emission of electrons from photosensitive cathode surface.
Phototube
The cathode and anode in a PMT are biased by 400 – 2500 mV and separated by a series of intermediate dynodes, each progressively more positively biased, which provides an electron multiplication cascade.
Photomultiplier tube (PMT)
Reverse-biased p-n junction forms depletion layer on a Si chip with no current; radiation striking the detector causes holes and electrons in depletion layer, producing a current that is proportional to the radiant power.
Si photodiode
Semiconductors, e.g. PbS, PbSe, InSb, HgCdTe, that act as a light-dependent resistor; resistance decreases when photons are absorbed.
Photoconductivity detector
Gas is heated in an enclosed cell (i.e. Golay cell), causing a reaction (change in capacitance) in a thin membrane.
Pneumatic Cell
Detects potential difference at junction between two dissimilar metals (e.g. Bi – Sb), which varies with DT between the two metals.
Thermocouple
Resistance thermometer made of semiconductors, e.g. Ge, Si. Detects change of resistance as a function of temperature
Bolometer
Detects temperature dependent polarization of pyroelectric crystal, e.g. triglycine sulfate (TGS)
Pyroelectric detector
Consists of a linear array of Si photodiodes placed in an integrated circuit; number of individual p-n junctions can range from 64 – 1024.
Photodiode array
Two-dimensional array of Si photodiodes containing about 105 individually resolvable pixels. Radiation strikes tube where charge is stored; target is scanned by electron gun that measures the charge needed to restore the individual Si photodiode pixel to its initial state.
Vidicon
Solid state sensor with integrated circuit technology. Photons strike MOS-on-p-type Si capacitor; electron charge stored in wells; serial readout destroys accumulated charge; high quantum efficiency (90%) possible.
Charge Coupled Device (CCD)
Solid state sensor with integrated circuit technology. Photons strike Si, which generates a + charge; charge is stored beneath negatively biased capacitor plates; random access readout does not destroy accumulated charge
Charge Injection Device (CID)
Spectral line broadening mechanism due to energy decay from excited state to ground state described by a damped oscillating dipole function
Natural line broadening
The lifetime of the exponential decay of the dampened oscillating dipole function
Classical damping constant
the lifetime of the atom or molecule in the excited state
Excited state lifetime
The line shape that results from the Fourier transform of the amplitude decay of the damped oscillating dipole function in Natural Line Broadening
Lorentzian frequency distribution
The width of a spectral band, measured as the full width of the band at one-half the maximum band intensity between the baseline and the peak; also related to the excited state lifetime
Full width at half maximum (FWHM)
The apparent shift in frequency or wavelength of an electromagnetic wave from a source that is moving either away from, or towards, a detector
Doppler effect
The line shape that results from Doppler line broadening of moving molecules in a sample
Gaussian distribution
Spectral band shape that is a mixture of both Lorentzian and Gaussian line shapes.
Voigt Profile
Random fluctuations that are observed in spectra or other measured signals when replicate measurements are made on instrumental outputs that are continuously monitored.
Noise
Random signal fluctuations that result from a variety of uncontrollable variables, e.g. temperature, pressure, humidity, vibrations, etc.
Chemical noise
Random signal fluctuations that are generated by particular components of an analytical instrument, i.e. source, detector, electronics, etc.
Instrumental noise