Development of a low-temperature cavity ring-down spectrometer for the detection of carbon-14
Abstract/Contents
- Abstract
- This thesis covers the development and performance analysis of a cavity ring-down spectrometer (CRDS) prototype for the measurement of carbon-14. The overarching goal of the project was to build a prototype spectrometer using simple hardware to elucidate the hurdles in bringing a commercial carbon-14 CRDS analyzer to market. The development of the CRDS system is described. First, the theoretical analysis of the mid-IR spectra and line selection are presented. Then the hardware design choices that would enable measurements at low temperatures are discussed. Finally, the operation of the instrument is covered. This includes the experimental condition control systems and a model-based, closed-loop, PZT-creep-compensation, data-acquisition routine. Performance analysis of the spectrometer was conducted. Initial spectroscopic measurements characterized the interfering spectra surrounding the 14CO2 P(40) line candidate. This characterization was later used to quantify carbon-14 in room temperature carbon dioxide with a spectroscopic model. Finally, low-temperature trial measurements were made to elucidate any design flaws. The alpha prototype showed promise, but design flaws prevented measurements at the ideal temperature and wavelength. However, it demonstrated low-temperature measurement capabilities and resolved room temperature samples with a 14C/C concentration approximately 50 times contemporary atmospheric levels with 6.6% 1-sigma error. These results are reviewed, and possible options for moving forward are discussed.
Description
| Type of resource | text |
|---|---|
| Form | electronic; electronic resource; remote |
| Extent | 1 online resource. |
| Publication date | 2014 |
| Issuance | monographic |
| Language | English |
Creators/Contributors
| Associated with | McCartt, Alan Daniel |
|---|---|
| Associated with | Stanford University, Department of Mechanical Engineering. |
| Primary advisor | Hanson, Ronald |
| Thesis advisor | Hanson, Ronald |
| Thesis advisor | Ognibene, Ted |
| Thesis advisor | Zare, Richard N |
| Advisor | Ognibene, Ted |
| Advisor | Zare, Richard N |
Subjects
| Genre | Theses |
|---|
Bibliographic information
| Statement of responsibility | Alan Daniel McCartt. |
|---|---|
| Note | Submitted to the Department of Mechanical Engineering. |
| Thesis | Thesis (Ph.D.)--Stanford University, 2014. |
| Location | electronic resource |
Access conditions
- Copyright
- © 2014 by Alan Daniel McCartt
- License
- This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial No Derivatives 3.0 Unported license (CC BY-NC-ND).
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