Miniature Optical Fiber Fabry-Perot Interferometer Based on a Single-Crystal Metal-Organic Framework for the Detection and Quantification of Benzene and Ethanol at Low Concentrations in Nitrogen Gas.

This study reports for the first time, to the best of our knowledge, a real-time detection of ultralow-concentration chemical gases using fiber-optic technology, combining a miniaturized Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI) with metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). The sensor consists of a short and thick-walled silica capillary segment spliced to a lead-in single-mode fiber (SMF), housing a tiny single crystal of HKUST-1 MOF, imparting chemoselectivity features. Ethanol and benzene gases were tested, resulting in a shift in the FPI interference signal. The sensor demonstrated high sensitivity, detecting ethanol gas concentrations (EGCs) with a sensitivity of 0.428 nm/ppm between 24.9 and 40.11 ppm and benzene gas concentrations (BGCs) with a sensitivity of 0.15 nm/ppm between 99 and 124 ppm. The selectivity study involved a combination of three ultralow concentrations of ethanol, benzene, and toluene gases, revealing an enhancement factor of 436% for benzene and 140% for toluene, attributed to the improved miscibility of these conjugated ring molecules with the alkane chains of the ethanol-modified HKUST-1. Experimental tests confirmed the sensor's viability, demonstrating significantly improved response time and spectral characteristics through crystal polishing, indicating its potential for quantifying and detecting chemical gases at ultralow concentrations. This technology may prevent energy resource losses, and the sensor's small size and robust construction make it applicable in confined and hazardous locations.

Development and application of acousto-optic background correction for inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry.

In two configurations, a solid-state acousto-optic (AO) deflector or modulator is mounted in a 0.5 m monochromator for background correction with inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). A fused silica acousto-optic modulator (AOM) is used in the ultraviolet (UV) spectral region applications while a glass AO deflector (AOD) is used for the visible (VIS) region. The system provides rapid sequential observation of adjacent on- and off-line wavelengths for background correction. Seventeen elements are examined using pneumatic nebulization (PN) and electrothermal vaporization (ETV) sample introduction. Calibration plots were obtained with each sample introduction technique. Potable water and vitamin tablets were analyzed. Flame atomic absorption (FAA) was used to verify the accuracy of the AO background correction system.

Potential for using a digital micromirror device as a signal multiplexer in visible spectroscopy.

A digital micromirror device (DMD) was tested to demonstrate its potential as a multiplexing device for the simultaneous detection of visible electromagnetic radiation. Using a Visual Basic program, four sections of the DMD were illuminated by a light source and each region of mirrors was modulated at different low frequencies (14.92, 20.00, 25.00, and 34.48 Hz). A time-domain, multiplexed signal was collected from the sectors and a Fourier transform was performed on these data. The resulting frequency-domain spectrum showed that signal intensities correlated well with what was expected. Three different times were used to establish the best frequency resolution. Using this calculated frequency resolution, a 16 s scan could allow simultaneous detection of up to 240 emission/absorption wavelengths. Data collected also shows the selectivity of micromirror regions and the ability to choose specific regions of the micromirror plane, which could be valuable for a number of spectroscopic techniques.