Noise considerations in millimeter-wave spectrometers

A microwave spectrometer and associated apparatus for the detection of unstable free radical species is described. The spectrometer, which operates over a frequency range from 66 to 73 GHz, consists of a tunable Fabry-Perot resonator followed by superhetrodyne detection for high sensitivity at low power levels. The resonator tuning is accomplished by means of a computer controlled stepping motor and by a piezoelectric transducer which also permits the use of source modulation and phase sensitive detection at 100 Hz. The sensitivity of the spectrometer is adequate to permit the detection of rotational transitions with absorption coefficients as small as 2 x 10" cm" .The operation of the spectrometer is demonstrated by the detection of the two free radical species OH and SO. In the case of OH, a number of A-doubling transitions, previously unobserved, are reported. K__ IntrMuctlon,Free radical products and intermediaries have been extensively studied (1-4) in gas-phase reactions induced photochemically, thermally in flames, and by direct admixture of active species such as H and 0 atoms. In such studies it is important to determine the concentrations of the free radical species as a function of time after the initiation of the reaction. In

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“…The operation of the spectrometer, which has been described in greater detail elsewhere (8) is illustrated by the block diagram in Fig. 1.…”

Section: Microwave Spectrometermentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The sensitivity of this spectrometer (8) is such that it can detect polar molecules with absorption coefficients _ g _ l as small as 2 x 10 cm with a time constant of 1 second. For a molecule such as S0 2 this sensitivity corresponds to a detection limit of 1.2 ppm without preconcentration.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%