Radiocarbon dioxide detection using cantilever-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy
Mehr Fatima, Thomas Hausmaninger, Teemu Tomberg, Juho Karhu, Markku Vainio, Tuomas Hieta, Guillaume Genoud
Abstract
In this Letter, we report on the sub-parts-per-billion-level radiocarbon dioxide detection using cantilever-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy. The <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"> <mml:msup> <mml:mi/> <mml:mrow class="MJX-TeXAtom-ORD"> <mml:mn>14</mml:mn> </mml:mrow> </mml:msup> <mml:mrow class="MJX-TeXAtom-ORD"> <mml:mi mathvariant="normal">C</mml:mi> <mml:mrow class="MJX-TeXAtom-ORD"> <mml:mo>/</mml:mo> </mml:mrow> <mml:mi mathvariant="normal">C</mml:mi> </mml:mrow> </mml:math> ratio of samples is measured by targeting a <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"> <mml:msup> <mml:mi/> <mml:mrow class="MJX-TeXAtom-ORD"> <mml:mn>14</mml:mn> </mml:mrow> </mml:msup> <mml:mrow class="MJX-TeXAtom-ORD"> <mml:msub> <mml:mrow class="MJX-TeXAtom-ORD"> <mml:mi mathvariant="normal">C</mml:mi> <mml:mi mathvariant="normal">O</mml:mi> </mml:mrow> <mml:mn>2</mml:mn> </mml:msub> </mml:mrow> </mml:math> absorption line with minimal interference from other <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"> <mml:mrow class="MJX-TeXAtom-ORD"> <mml:msub> <mml:mrow class="MJX-TeXAtom-ORD"> <mml:mi mathvariant="normal">C</mml:mi> <mml:mi mathvariant="normal">O</mml:mi> </mml:mrow> <mml:mn>2</mml:mn> </mml:msub> </mml:mrow> </mml:math> isotopes. Using a quantum cascade laser as a light source allows for a compact experimental setup. In addition, measurements of sample gases with <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"> <mml:msup> <mml:mi/> <mml:mrow class="MJX-TeXAtom-ORD"> <mml:mn>14</mml:mn> </mml:mrow> </mml:msup> <mml:mrow class="MJX-TeXAtom-ORD"> <mml:msub> <mml:mrow class="MJX-TeXAtom-ORD"> <mml:mi mathvariant="normal">C</mml:mi> <mml:mi mathvariant="normal">O</mml:mi> </mml:mrow> <mml:mn>2</mml:mn> </mml:msub> </mml:mrow> </mml:math> concentrations as low as 100 parts-per-trillion (ppt) are presented. The Allan deviation demonstrates a noise equivalent concentration of 30 ppt at an averaging time of 9 min. The achieved sensitivity validates this method as a suitable alternative to more complex optical detection methods for radiocarbon dioxide detection used so far, and it can be envisioned for future in situ radiocarbon detection.