Analytical photon catalysis: Measurement of gas phase concentrations to 104/cm3

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Abstract
A new analytic technique was developed to determine quantitatively the concentration of gas-phase species at concentrations well below the measurement capabilities of atomic absorption and mass spectroscopy. The method involves injecting an excess of an energetic metastable species, N2(A3Σ+u) in this experiment, into a gas stream containing the species to be measured, Bi in this case. Energy transfer from the metastable to the sample species results in excitation and subsequent rapid emission of light. The intensity of the light emitted at the wavelengths characteristic of the sample species is a function of, and hence a measure of, the concentration. Concentrations as low as 1.5×104/cm3 were measured. Greater sensitivity is possible with more efficient optical detection.