Techniques in Rotational Spectroscopy

Rotational spectroscopy is a fundamental technique within basic research but implementing it in other fields such as analytical chemistry or education has been somewhat prohibitive. Thus an ambient temperature waveguide spectrometer simple and fast enough for educational use was created and tested. To extend the technique to analytical fields, a novel mm-wave chirped pulse rotational spectrometer was tested for sensitivity limits and its ability to qualitatively and quantitatively identify various molecular samples. Finally, problems with spectral purity that plague the ultimate dynamic range of broadband measurements along with potential solutions were explored. Each of these aspects represents hurdles that can be overcome to spread a remarkably powerful technique towards other disciplines.

Note: Abstract extracted from PDF text