Laser detection of single atoms

Balykin, V. I.; Bekov, G. I.; Letokhov, V. S.; Mishin, V. I.

doi:10.3367/ufnr.0132.198010e.0293

Cited by 35 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 6 publications

(12 reference statements)

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“…This technique was used as early as 1975 to detect Na atoms at levels at 102/CM3 (Fairbank et al, 1975). If the lifetime of the excited state is short enough compared with the duration of the laser pulse, a single atom can be made to absorb and re-radiate many times in a cyclic scheme, provided that an atomic system approaching an ideal two-level one can be realised, leading to an increase in sensitivity to the level of single atoms per cm3 (Balykin et al, 1979).…”

Section: Emission Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Materials analysis using laser-based spectroscopic techniques

Goddard

1991

Transactions of the Institute of Measurement and Control

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In this paper several laser-based spectroscopic methods capable of detecting low concentrations of a particular element are described, with particular emphasis on the contrasting techniques of Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS), and Resonance Ionisation Mass Spectroscopy (RIMS). Simple mathematical treatments, based on thermodynamic considerations and rate equation models, are given for both systems, allowing semiquantitative analysis from the magnitudes of observed signals. Experimental results are presented for both methods. For LIBS these include the determination of the concentration of alloy constituents, the detection of surface contaminants and the use of measured line intensities to calculate electron temperatures in laserproduced plasmas. For RIMS, detection of the geologically important element rhenium (Re) was accomplished in the gas phase at a level of 4 x 10 8 atoms/cm 3 , and the relative proportions of the stable isotopes 185 Re and 187 Re were measured with the use of a quadrupole mass filter. In addition, an optogalvanic system is described, which was used to calibrate the wavelength of the RIMS resonance to an accuracy of 0.013 nm.

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Section: Emission Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Materials analysis using laser-based spectroscopic techniques

Goddard

1991

Transactions of the Institute of Measurement and Control

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“…The basic principles of resonant ionization were first described by Hurst and coworkers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory 88 as well as by Letokhov et al 89,90 in Russia. The basic principles of resonant ionization were first described by Hurst and coworkers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory 88 as well as by Letokhov et al 89,90 in Russia.…”

Section: Resonant Laser Ionizationmentioning

confidence: 97%

Ion Sources

2007

Inorganic Mass Spectrometry

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The ion source is an essential component of all mass spectrometers where the ionization of a gaseous, liquid or solid sample takes place. In inorganic mass spectrometry, several ion sources, based on different evaporation and ionization processes, such as spark ion source, glow discharge ion source, laser ion source (non-resonant and resonant), secondary ion source, sputtered neutral ion source and inductively coupled plasma ion source, have been employed for a multitude of quite different application fields (see Chapter 9).An important requirement for the mass spectrometric analysis of any sample material (solid, liquid or gaseous) is to produce a constant ion beam of sufficient intensity generated in an appropriate ion source from the sample components. The ions thus formed are then extracted and accelerated in the mass analyzer, separated according to their mass-to-charge ratio and subsequently detected by a sensitive ion detector. The first very simple ion source using glow discharge in a so-called channel ray tube was proposed in 1886 by Goldstein 1 (see Figure 1.3.), who discovered that anode rays consist of positively charged ions. Later, high-vacuum ion sources with electron beam ionization were designed and applied for the analysis of gases. In contrast to gases, the analysis of solid material is more complicated because the solid sample must be evaporated and atomized before ionization. Special ion sources for the analysis of solid samples, e.g., spark, laser and glow discharge ion sources, have been developed. Whereas spark and laser ion sources operate under ultrahigh vacuum conditions, the glow discharge ion source works at a low pressure of a rare gas (e.g., Ar). For the analysis of liquids, the inductively coupled argon plasma (operating at atmospheric pressure) is appropriate for ionizing of analytes in the nebulized solution due to an easy solution introduction system.The principle processes in the ion source of a mass spectrometer are the evaporation of solid samples or desolvation and vaporization of liquids, atomization of gaseous compounds and ionization of atoms and molecules in order to generate ions which are analyzed mass spectrometrically as summarized in Figure 2.1. In all types of ion sources, during the ionization process singly and multiply charged atomic ions, as well as polyatomic or cluster ions, with quite different ion intensities are formed. In general, in inorganic mass spectrometry the singly charged atomic ions Inorganic Mass Spectrometry: Principles and Applications J. S. Becker

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“…The detection and visualization of viral particles is one of the most important tasks of modern nanophotonics and has invaluable implications for medicine and biology. Understanding the processes that determine the behavior of viral particles in the human body, as well as the development of mass detection techniques, requires the approaches, known as single-molecule detection methods, [1][2][3] that can detect and image single virions, [1][2][3][4][5] following the successes in optical detection and visualization of single atoms 6,7 and molecules. 8,9 Single-molecule detection methods are useful to shed light on the so-called ensemble broadening consequencesthe loss of data 10 that occur with easily detectable large amounts of virions or molecules.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%