Determination of oxygen atom concentrations by cavity ring-down spectroscopy

Cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS) has been applied to the detection of oxygen atoms, on the highly forbidden ¹D₂ ← ³P₂ line at 630.030 nm. Results are presented for CRDS detection in a discharge flow system, in which the atoms are prepared by a microwave discharge of N₂O/Ar or O₂. Comparison of concentrations determined by CRDS and chemical titration by NO₂ is made. CRDS is found to be a non-intrusive technique for the determination of oxygen atom concentrations in the range of 10¹⁴ atoms cm⁻³ and higher, with an estimated accuracy of 20%.     

Non-linear effects by continuous wave cavity ringdown spectroscopy in jet-cooled NO2

A new method of high resolution cavity ringdown spectroscopy (CRDS) was recently developed in our laboratory, where a narrow line, continuous wave (CW) single-frequency laser is used instead of a pulsed laser. Here, we will first discuss the main differences between the `traditional' pulsed CRDS and CW-CRDS. Then, we will describe our results exploiting the high intracavity power that can be achieved with CW-CRDS. Using a single-mode Ti:Sa laser, we obtained CRDS spectra where the excitation power of a single cavity mode is close to 20 W. In the virtually collisionless regime of a supersonic slit jet, we observed saturation in some of the weak rovibronic transitions of NO₂ around 796 nm, as evidenced by loss of absorption intensity and formation of Doppler-free Lamb dips. In addition, in coincidence with absorption by these near infrared transitions, an appreciable fluorescence signal was detected in the visible range. According to our interpretation, this fluorescence is from NO₂ levels excited by two photons in a stepwise incoherent process, with a strongly allowed second step. Since the fluorescence spectrum has the same lineshapes as the CRDS absorption spectrum, it seems that the first transition step is the one limiting the overall two-step process. In addition, we also observed very narrow fluorescence features, not coincident with any absorption feature. These must be coherent (non-stepwise), Doppler-free, two-photon transitions. Interesting new questions arise from these preliminary data, and we believe that more measurements of this kind will provide new information about the rovibronic states of NO₂ in the dissociation region.     

Reducing and correcting for contamination of ecosystem water stable isotopes measured by isotope ratio infrared spectroscopy

Concern exists about the suitability of laser spectroscopic instruments for the measurement of the (18)O/(16)O and (2)H/(1)H values of liquid samples other than pure water. It is possible to derive erroneous isotope values due to optical interference by certain organic compounds, including some commonly present in ecosystem-derived samples such as leaf or soil waters. Here we investigated the reliability of wavelength-scanned cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS) (18)O/(16)O and (2)H/(1)H measurements from a range of ecosystem-derived waters, through comparison with isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS). We tested the residual of the spectral fit S(r) calculated by the CRDS instrument as a means to quantify the difference between the CRDS and IRMS δ-values. There was very good overall agreement between the CRDS and IRMS values for both isotopes, but differences of up to 2.3‰ (δ(18)O values) and 23‰ (δ(2)H values) were observed in leaf water extracts from Citrus limon and Alnus cordata. The S(r) statistic successfully detected contaminated samples. Treatment of Citrus leaf water with activated charcoal reduced, but did not eliminate, δ(2)H(CRDS) - δ(2)H(IRMS) linearly for the tested range of 0-20% charcoal. The effect of distillation temperature on the degree of contamination was large, particularly for δ(2)H values but variable, resulting in positive, negative or no correlation with distillation temperature. S(r) and δ(CRDS) - δ(IRMS) were highly correlated, in particular for δ(2)H values, across the range of samples that we tested, indicating the potential to use this relationship to correct the δ-values of contaminated plant water extracts. We also examined the sensitivity of the CRDS system to changes in the temperature of its operating environment. We found that temperature changes ≥4 °C for δ(18)O values and ≥10 °C for δ(2)H values resulted in errors larger than the CRDS precision for the respective isotopes and advise the use of such instruments only in sufficiently temperature-stabilised environments.     

Thermal decomposition rate of N2O5 measured by cavity ring‐down spectroscopy

The thermal decomposition rate of N₂O₅ in 760 Torr of air as a function of temperature between 314 and 348 K has been investigated using the technique of pulsed laser cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS) detection of NO₃ radicals at 662 nm. The Arrhenius expression of the thermal decomposition rates determined by the CRDS experiments, which is incorporated with literature values down to 263 K, is given by 1.36 × 10¹⁵ exp{(−11300 ± 200)/T} s⁻¹ over the temperature range 263–348 K. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 40: 679–684, 2008     

Quantitative Moisture Measurement with a Cavity Ring-down Spectrometer using Telecom Diode Lasers

Moisture measurement is of great needs in semiconductor industry, combustion diagnosis, meteorology, and atmospheric studies. We present an optical hygrometer based on cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS). By using different absorption lines of H₂O in the 1.56 and 1.36 μm regions, we are able to determine the relative concentration (mole fraction) of water vapor from a few percent down to the 10^-12 level. The quantitative accuracy is examined by comparing the CRDS hygrometer with a commercial chilled-mirror dew-point meter. The high sensitivity of the CRDS instrument allows a water detection limit of 8 pptv.     

Cavity ring-down spectroscopy measurements of single aerosol particle extinction. I. The effect of position of a particle within the laser beam on extinction

A continuous wave distributed feedback diode laser operating in the near infrared at wavelengths close to 1650 nm has been used to measure the extinction of light by single aerosol particles. The technique of optical feedback cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS) was used for measurement of CRDS events at a repetition rate of 1.25 kHz. This very high repetition rate enabled multiple measurements of the extinction of light by single aerosol particles for the first time and demonstrated the dependence of light scattering on the position of a particle within the laser beam. A model is proposed to explain quantitatively this phenomenon. The minimum detectable dimensionless extinction coefficient epsilonmin was determined to be 3x10(-6). Extinction values obtained for single spherical polymer beads from a monodisperse sample of particles of diameter of 4 microm are in near-quantitative agreement with the values calculated by the Mie scattering theory. The deviations from the Mie theory expected for measurement of extinction by CRDS using a continuous wave laser are discussed in the companion paper.     

Cluster-assistant generation of multiply charged atomic ions in nanosecond laser ionization of seeded methyl iodide beam

The photoionization of methyl iodide beam seeded in argon and helium is studied by time-of-flight mass spectrometry using a 25 ns, 532 nm Nd-YAG laser with intensities in the range of 2 × 10¹⁰–2 × 10¹¹ W/cm². Multiply charged ions of I^q+ (q = 2–3) and C²⁺ with tens of eV kinetic energies have been observed when laser interacts with the middle part of the pulsed molecular beam, whose peak profiles are independent on the laser polarization directions. Strong evidences show that these ions are coming from the Coulomb explosion of multiply charged CH₃I clusters, and laser induced inverse bremsstrahlung absorption of caged electrons plays a key role in the formation of multiply charged ions.     

Comparison of the effects of visible femtosecond laser pulses and continuous wave laser radiation of low average intensity on the clonogenicity of Escherichia coli.

To evaluate the contribution of local pulsed heating of light-absorbing microregions to biochemical activity, irradiation of Escherichia coli was carried out using femtosecond laser pulses (λ = 620 nm, τ_p=3 × 10⁻¹³ s, f_p = 0.5 Hz, E_p = 1.1 × 10⁻³J cm⁻², I_av = 5.5 × 10⁻⁴ W cm⁻², I_p = 10⁹ W cm⁻²) and continuous wave (CW) laser radiation (λ = 632.8 nm, I = 1.3 W cm⁻²). The irradiation dose required to produce a similar biological effect (a 160%–190% increase in the clonogenic activity of the irradiated cells compared with the non-irradiated controls) is a factor of about 10³ lower for pulsed radiation than for CW radiation (3.3 × 10⁻¹ and 7.8 × 10² J cm⁻² respectively). The minimum size of the microregions transiently heated on irradiation with femtosecond laser pulses is estimated to be about 10 Å, which corresponds to the size of the chromophores of hypothetical primary photoacceptors—respiratory chain components.     

基于二茂铁的两个查尔酮衍生物的合成及超快三阶非线性光学响应

二茂铁是合成新颖有机功能材料的基本单元之一。 本文设计并合成了两个基于二茂铁的同分异构查尔酮衍生物:1-二茂铁基-3-(噻吩-2-基)丙烯酮(a)和1-二茂铁基-3-(噻吩-3-基)丙烯酮(b)。 采用超快激光Z-扫描技术(脉宽180 fs,波长532 nm)测定了化合物a和b的三阶非线性光学性质。 结果表明,化合物a吸收系数β=-2.1×10^-12 m/W,折射率n₂=1.9×10^-19 m²/W,分子超极化率γ=5.37×10^-32 esu;化合物b:β=-1.2×10^-13 m/W,n₂=2.0×10^-19 m²/W,γ=4.48×10^-32 esu。 说明在飞秒激光激发下,电荷转移能够在化合物a和b分子内部快速进行,二者均具有优异的超快三阶非线性光学响应。 在B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p)理论水平下,计算了化合物a和b分子轨道能量、极化率和各基团在前线分子轨道中的占有率。 理论计算结果显示,二茂铁基团在化合物a和b前线分子轨道中占有率分别为97%和98%,对两化合物的非线性光学性能起主导作用。     

Adaptation of continuous‐flow cavity ring‐down spectroscopy for batch analysis of δ13C of CO2 and comparison with isotope ratio mass spectrometry

Measurements of δ¹³C in CO₂ have traditionally relied on samples stored in sealed vessels and subsequently analyzed using magnetic sector isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS), an accurate but expensive and high‐maintenance analytical method. Recent developments in optical spectroscopy have yielded instruments that can measure δ¹³CO₂ in continuous streams of air with precision and accuracy approaching those of IRMS, but at a fraction of the cost. However, continuous sampling is unsuited for certain applications, creating a need for conversion of these instruments for batch operation. Here, we present a flask (syringe) adaptor that allows the collection and storage of small aliquots (20–30 mL air) for injection into the cavity ring‐down spectroscopy (CRDS) instrument. We demonstrate that the adaptor's precision is similar to that of traditional IRMS (standard deviation of 0.3‰ for 385 ppm CO₂ standard gas). In addition, the concentration precision (±0.3% of sample concentration) was higher for CRDS than for IRMS (±7% of sample concentration). Using the adaptor in conjunction with CRDS, we sampled soil chambers and found that soil‐respired δ¹³C varied between two different locations in a piñon‐juniper woodland. In a second experiment, we found no significant discrimination between the respiration of a small beetle (~5 mm) and its diet. Our work shows that the CRDS system is flexible enough to be used for the analysis of batch samples as well as for continuous sampling. This flexibility broadens the range of applications for which CRDS has the potential to replace magnetic sector IRMS. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

芘四硫酸四钠盐/甲基紫精复合物光物理性质的研究

本文通过吸收光谱滴定和时间分辨瞬态吸收光谱对芘四硫酸四钠盐(pyrenetetrasulfonic acid tetrasodium salt,PyTS)/甲基紫精(methylviologen,MV²⁺)复合物在水溶液中的光物理性质进行研究。用甲基紫精滴定芘四硫酸四钠盐时,得到该复合物的组成成份是1:1,反之,用芘四硫酸四钠盐滴定甲基紫精时,同样得到1:1组成成份的复合物。该复合物的形成常数是2.4×10⁶mol^-1·L,当用光激发该复合物时,发现其中存在芘四硫酸四钠盐到甲基紫精的电子转移过程,并得到该过程的动力学模型。     

Determination of OH number densities outside of a platinum catalyst using cavity ringdown spectroscopy

It is demonstrated that cavity ringdown spectroscopy (CRDS) can be used to probe reaction intermediates desorbing from the surface during a heterogeneous catalytic reaction and provide information valuable in understanding the reaction kinetics. During water formation from H2 and O2, desorbed OH molecules outside of a polycrystalline platinum catalyst were quantified as a function of the relative hydrogen concentration, alphaH2 using CRDS. The temperature of the catalyst was 1500 K, the total pressure was 26 Pa, and the flow was set to 100 sccm. At a distance of 6.5 mm from the Pt catalyst, the maximum OH concentration was found to be 1.5+/-0.2x10(12) cm(-3) at an alphaH2 value of 10%, and the rotational temperature was determined to be 775+/-24 K. The desorbed OH molecules were also probed using laser-induced fluorescence (LIF), and the alphaH2-dependent OH abundance was compared with the CRDS results. The relative concentration of OH probed with LIF appeared to be lower at alphaH2=30-50% compared to what was determined by CRDS. The observed discrepancy is suggested to be due to electronic quenching, as was indicated by a shorter fluorescence lifetime at alphaH2=30% compared to at alphaH2=10%.     

1-二茂铁基-3-[(9-乙基)咔唑-3-基]丙烯酮的合成及三阶非线性光学性质

合成了一个新的非线性光学(NLO)有机材料1-二茂铁基-3-[(9-乙基)咔唑-3-基]丙烯酮(FCAK),并通过NMR、IR、MS和元素分析等技术手段进行了表征。 采用粉末Nd∶YAG激光技术测定了标题化合物的三阶非线性光学性质并确定了相关参数。 激光脉冲为4 ns时,非线性折射率n₂=-3.5×10^-18 m²/W,非线性吸收系数β=-2.7×10^-11 m/W,三阶非线性极化率χ⁽³⁾=2.04×10^-12 esu,三阶非线性分子超极化率γ=1.1×10^-30 esu。 激光脉冲为21 ps时,n₂=0.55×10^-18 m²/W,β=-0.6×10^-11 m/W,χ⁽³⁾=3.4×10^-13 esu,γ=0.13×10^-30 esu。     

Biodegradability screening of soil amendments through coupling of wavelength‐scanned cavity ring‐down spectroscopy to multiple dynamic chambers

A system was developed for the automatic measurements of ¹³CO₂ efflux to determine biodegradation of extra carbon amendments to soils. The system combines wavelength‐scanned cavity ring down laser spectroscopy (WS‐CRDS) with the open‐dynamic chamber (ODC) method. The WS‐CRDS instrument and a batch of 24 ODC are coupled via microprocessor‐controlled valves. Determination of the biodegradation requires a known δ¹³C value and the applied mass of the carbon compounds, and the biodegradation is calculated based on the ¹³CO₂ mixing ratio (ppm) sampled from the headspace of the chambers. The WS‐CRDS system provided accurate detection based on parallel samples of three standard gases (¹³CO₂ of 2, 11 and 22 ppm) that were measured simultaneously by isotope ratio mass spectrometry (linear regression R² = 0.99). Repeated checking with the same standards showed that the WS‐CRDS system showed no drift over seven months. The applicability of the ODC was checked against the closed static chamber (CSC) method using the rapid biodegradation of cane sugar – δ¹³C‐labeled through C4 photosynthesis. There was no significant difference between the results from 7‐min ODC and 120‐min CSC measurements. Further, a test using samples of either cane sugar (C4) or beetroot sugar (C3) mixed into standard soil proved the target functionality of the system, which is to identify the biodegradation of carbon sources with significantly different isotopic signatures. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Biological effects of helium-neon (HeNe) laser irradiation on acrosome reaction in bull sperm cells

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of He---Ne laser irradiation (632.8 nm, 10 mW) on the induction of acrosome reaction and mortality in bull sperm cells in comparison with two important capacitation agents; calcium and heparin. Frozen-thawed bull sperm cells were washed in percoll gradient and suspended at a concentration of 1 × 10⁶ ml⁻¹ in sp-TALP medium, capacitated in the presence of 2 mM CaCl₂, 10 μg ml⁻¹ heparin, or irradiated at fluences from 2 to 16 J cm⁻², and incubated for 0, 30, 60 and 90 minutes. At the end of the incubation period, the percentage of sperm that were acrosome-reacted and dead was determined. The results obtained indicated that laser irradiation at all fluences produced a significant increase (p < 0.001) in the percentage of sperm cells that were acrosome reacted, and a significant decrease (p < 0.001) in the percentage of dead sperm at 90 minutes of incubation in comparison to other capacitation agents and the control group. The percentage of sperm cells with acrosome reaction was increased with increasing fluences of laser irradiation and time of incubation. It is conclude that the application of He---Ne laser irradiation at fluences from 2 to 16 J cm⁻² induced the acrosome reaction and decreased the sperm mortality percentage in vitro of bull sperm cells.     

Far-UV laser flash photolysis in solution. A study of the chemistry of 1,1-dimethylsilene in hydrocarbon solvents

The far-UV (193 nm) laser flash photolysis of nitrogen-saturated isooctane solutions of 1,1-dimethylsiletane allows the direct detection of 1,1-dimethylsilene as a transient species, which (at low laser intensities) decays with pseudo-first-order kinetics (τ 10 μs) and exhibits a UV absorption spectrum with λ_max 255 nm. Characteristic rapid quenching is observed for the silene with methanol (k_McOH = (4.9 ± 0.2) × 10⁹ M⁻¹ s⁻¹), tert-butanol (k_BuOH = (1.8 ± 0.1) × 10⁹ M⁻¹ s⁻¹) and oxygen (k_O2 = (2.0 ± 0.5) × 10⁸ M⁻¹ s⁻¹). The Arrhenius activation parameters for the reaction with methanol have been determined to be E_a = −2.6 ± 0.6 kcal mol⁻¹ and log A = 7.7 ± 0.3.     

Cavity ringdown spectroscopy of collinear dual-pulse laser plasmas in vacuum

The plasma plume induced by dual-pulse laser ablation of a titanium target in vacuum was analyzed by the technique of cavity ringdown spectroscopy (CRDS). Large Doppler-splitting of the absorption spectral lines was observed which is due to increase of the velocity components parallel to the optical axis and specific features of the CRDS measurements. Vertical velocity component, the particle number density and plasma volume also show increase compared to the single-pulse laser ablation. The forward convolution best fit of absorption lineshapes was used to extract parameters describing dual-pulse laser ablation plasma plume.     

Quenching of the translationally hot and thermalized NH(c Π) radicals by HN3

The cross section for the quenching of NH(c ¹Π, ν = 0) by HN₃ was measured by using a pulsed laser technique. A single rotational level of NH(c ¹Π, ν = 0) was formed by exciting NH(a ¹Δ, ν = 0) with a frequency doubled dye laser. NH(a¹Δ) was produced by photolyzing HN₃ with a XeCl excimer laser. The time profiles of the NH(c-a) fluorescence were measured at various pressures of HN₃. Experiments were performed both in the presence and in the absence of He buffer gas. In the absence of He, the NH radicals were found to be translationally hot; the average velocity was 3800±600 m s⁻¹. The quenching cross sections for the translationally hot and thermalized NH(c) radicals by HN₃ were determined to be (28±5) × 10⁻¹⁶ and (85±3) × 10⁻¹⁶ cm², respectively. No rotational level dependence could be observed in the quenching of the hot NH(c) radicals.     

Cooperative two-photon-induced chemical bond formation during a Kr+F2 collision to form KrF

The reactive Kr⁺F₂⁻ potential energy surface is probed by two-photon, laser-induced chemical bond formation during a Kr+F₂ collision. This is compared with the pulsed laser excitation (two-photon) of Kr(2p₉) followed by collision with F₂ leading to the formation of KrF(B, C). In addition to reporting the excitation spectrum for the two-phonon-induced collision process, these techniques were used to determine quenching rate constants of Kr₂F^*. Quenching by Xe gives XeF(B, C) with rate constant (1.5±0.2)×10⁻¹⁰ cm³ s⁻¹; the quenching rate constant for F₂ is (1.5±0.2)×10⁻¹⁰ cm³ s⁻¹, and the radiative lifetime of Kr₂F^* is 240±35 ns. The quenching rate constant for the coupled Kr(2p₈) and Kr(2p₉) levels by F₂ is (13±2)×10⁻¹⁰ cm³ s⁻¹.     

EFFECTS OF INTENSITY AND FLUENCE UPON DNA SINGLE-STRAND BREAKS INDUCED BY EXCIMER LASER RADIATION

Abstract— A Xenon-chloride excimer laser emitting energy at 308 nm was used to induce single-strand breaks (SSBs, frank breaks plus alkali-labile lesions as assayed by alkaline sucrose sedimentation techniques) in purified DNA from Bacillus subtilis . A fluence response study and a peak pulse intensity study were performed. At a pulse energy of 0.1 mJ/pulse, the radiation induced SSBs in a linear fashion (91 SSB/10⁸ Da per MJ/m²) to a maximum exprimental fluence of 1.28 MJ/m². The pulse intensity study showed that there were no significant changes in DNA breakage (105 SSB/10⁸ Da) between 2.93 times 10⁹ and 5.86 times 10¹¹ W/m² (0.11 and 22.0 mJ/pulse) at a constant total fluence of 1.1 MJ/m² (27000 mJ dose). This study has verified and extended previous work by quantifying the yield of SSBs induced in DNA by this laser radiation.