Sensitivity and response time improvements in millimeter-wave spectrometers

Technical Report · Mon Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1980

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6603463· OSTI ID:6603463

Kolbe, W F; Leskovar, B

A new version of a microwave spectrometer for the detection of gaseous pollutants and other atmospheric constituents is described. The spectrometer, which operates in the vicinity of 70 GHz, employs a Fabry-Perot resonator as a sample cell and uses superhetrodyne detection for high sensitivity. The spectrometer has been modified to incorporate a frequency doubler modulated at 30 MHz to permit operation with a single Gunn oscillator source. As a result, faster response time and somewhat greater sensitivity are obtained. The spectrometer is capable of detecting a minimum concentration of 1 ppM of SO/sub 2/ diluted in air with a 1 second time constant. For OCS diluted in air, the minimum detectable concentration is 800 ppB and with a 10 second time constant 300 ppB.

• Research Organization: California Univ., Berkeley (USA). Lawrence Berkeley Lab.
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 6603463
• Report Number(s): LBL-8789
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

440300* -- Miscellaneous Instruments-- (-1989)
47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION
AIR POLLUTION
CHALCOGENIDES
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
EQUIPMENT
FABRY-PEROT INTERFEROMETER
INTERFEROMETERS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
MICROWAVE EQUIPMENT
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
RESOLUTION
SENSITIVITY
SPECTROMETERS
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SULFUR OXIDES
TIME RESOLUTION
TIMING PROPERTIES