| Abstract: | Conclusions The foregoing analysis does not exhaust the analytic methods of laser spectroscopy (see, e.g., [6–8, 142, 143]). The methods of traditional [8–10, 144, 145] resonance [8, 146], and active (or CARS) [8, 11, 147] Raman scattering spectroscopy are continuously being expanded. Newer, purely laser methods — optogalvanic spectroscopy [25, 148], optothermal spectroscopy [7, 149], the method of selective photoionization [6, 150], etc. — are also being developed.Further development of laser spectra analysis will primarily require going beyond narrow laboratory, purely research setups, and the development of commercial laser analytic devices. In this connection, in selecting a method as the basis for the device being constructed it is necessary to know not only the technical characteristics, such as sensitivity, selectivity, speed of operation, etc., but also the metrological characteristics, such as the random and systematic measurement errors; in addition, the measurement accuracy is a decisive factor. At the same time there are few works devoted to the questions of accuracy of the measurements performed with laser spectrometers; in the literature available to us there are no reviews and comparisons of analytic methods of laser spectroscopy from this viewpoint.Amongst the foregoing methods the direct absorption method has the highest accuracy. With a definite arrangement of the measurement process this method enables absolute measurements of the concentration of the analyte component, i.e., it does not require precalibration of the apparatus based on gas mixtures (for the gas analyzer). The minimum achievable error of such measurements is limited by the error of the premeasured absorption coefficient for radiation of the molecule being detected at the wavelength of the laser radiation and at the present time can equal 1–3%. Other methods studied are characterized by higher sensitivity, and they are also more accurate, difficult to calibrate, and less versatile. A comparative analysis of the methods and their errors will be performed in the future.Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 48, No. 1, pp. 7–26, January, 1988.We thank A. P. Voitovich for useful remarks and a discussion of this work. |
