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NEWSLETTERTHE COBLENTZ SOCIETY

No. 101

A Society for Applied Spectroscopy AffliateEditor: T. HirscMeld MayAune 1985

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(l) ADVANCED DETECTORS. Recent successes inthe production of background-limited detectors ofexceedingly smell 41sa, coupled to high-collection-effi-ciency immersed optics, have given us photon-shot-noise-limited systems over a substantial portion of theinfrared spectrum. This natural limit to detectorperformance implies spectroscopic performances 10-20times beyond current ones. These are probably mean-ingful for only GC-IR and microprobing. However, as inmany large advances, the most significant applicationsof these capabilities will be the unexpected ones.

(2) ARRAY DETECTORS. For some years, photo-graphically produced large arrays of cryogenic detectorshave been available to the military. As the market in-creases and production costs move down the learningcurve, we are getting close to the point where civiliansales (and pricing!) become possible. Thus, new forms ofmultiplex spectroscopy, complementary or supplemen-tary to FT-IR, will become possible. Possibly the mostimportant of these will be IR imaging spectroscopy. Theimpact of the latter on IR microprobes and remote sens-ing would be hard to overstate.

(3) LOPAIR. Long path atmospheric infrared spec-troscopy has long been a standby of "military air pol-lution" detection. The relevance of this technology tocivilian air pollution (which has lately proven equallydeadly!) is obvious, and process control applicationsshouid hardly lag behind. Advances in instrumentation,data handling, and components accomplished by variousmilitary programs have largely been declassified. It willbe interesting to see what analytical ingenuity can ac-complish once the semple is no longer required to beinside the instrument.

(4) DATA PfiOC,ESSING. Advances in supercomput-ers, artificial intelligence programming methods, and thereal-time data proiessing tricks of modern radar tech-nology have not yet impacted vibrational spectroscopy.Theiather desperate scarcity of infrared interpretationexperts alone cries out for artificial intelligence proce-dures, and pattern recognition and learning a-lgorithmshave only begun to be uled in spectroscopy' The bottle'neck herl is Jne of technology tiansfer. Mavbe it is lilewe invited the EEs into vibiational spectroscopy' Theirroutine work in, for example, specttum-estimatignmathematics is both d;;Filiy needed and vi*uallyunknown to most of us.

SPECTROSCOPIC FORECASTS

T. Hirschfeld

The Military and InfreredSpectroscopy

Military support for infrared spectroscopy research isa familiar fact of life tc practicing spectroscopists, cov-ering a wide range of activities such as the support ofmany of our traditionalbasic research meetings, fundingfor much academic research, and the nurturing of thecareers of many leading scientists in the field.

The military's role in spectroscopic technology is evenmore pivotal; such dewlopments as Fourier spectrome-ters, cryogenic infrareddetectors, the PbS cell, the laser,semiconductor cathode photomultipliers, image inten-sifi-ers, and array detectors all saw tlie light of day undermllitary funding. And the book most hardware lockeysstill regard as the "Bible" of the field is calied the"Handbook of Military Infrared Technology."

A detailed description of the current goaG of infraredarld vibrational. specboscopic research by the govern-ment would be interesting but somewhat too lengthy(and.on occasion iilegall). But it exists, and is backei bvconsiderable funds, atd it continues to prod.uce spinofftechnologies which deserve watching.

Let us single some d these out foi special mention:

0003 -7028/85/3903-05?292.00/0

@ 1985 Sciety for Applied Sp€tr@py . ?r'.'lr !':i,:

After the party is over

572 Volume 39, Nrrnber 3, 1gg5 APPLIED SPECTROSCOPY

COBLENTZ BOARD MANAGERS

Members of the Board

Dr. Albert B. HarveyChemistry DivisionNaval Research LaboratoryCode 6110Washington, DC 20375

Dr. Robert J. ObremskiInfrared DepartmentBeck-an InstrumentsCampus Drive at Jamboree Blvd.P.O. Box C-19600Irvine, CA 92713

Dr. Bruce ChasecRD 328/126Erperimental StationE. I. DupontWilmington, DE 19898

Dr. John O. LephardPhilip Morris R&DP.O. Box 26583Richmond, VA 23261

Dr, Jaan Laane, ChairmanDivision of Physical & Nuclear

ChemistryTexas A&M UniversityCollege Station, TX 77943

Dr, David Co-eronNational Research Councii of

CanadaOttawa, OntarioKlA ORG, Canada

Dr. Robin McDowellLos Alenos Scientific LabMaiI Stop J567Los Alamos, NM 87545

Dr. Lawrence A. NafieDept. of ChemistrySyracuse UniversitySyracuse, NY 13210

1985 (202)767-3340-2064

1985 (714)833-0751

1986 (302)772-4434

1986 (804)274-3821

1987 (409)845-3352

1987 (613)992-4769

1988 (505)667-7071

Since I do not intend to be exhaustive in this discus-sion, I will merely mention areas such as infrared fiberoptics; micropattern components for polarizers, beam-splitters, filters, and gratings; high-performance black-body sources; wide-range pressure-tuned infrared lasers;and nonlinear infrared spectroscopy-work which shouldreceive our close attention.

It is true that many of these advances are purely tech-nologicai. But anytime our ability to make measure-ments increases by 1 to 2 orders of magnitude, largeadvances in fundnmental research ure sure to follow. Bystaying abreast of the military contribution to the stateof the art, we will enhance our opportunities to be a partof this advance.

THE COBLENTZ SOCIETY

What Is The Coblentz Society?

The Coblentz Society is an association of persons in-terested in fostering the understanding and applicationof vibrational spectroscopy and related fields. The So-ciety was founded in 1954 to promote communicationamong spectroscopists and to provide a means for im-proving the practice of vibrational spectroscopy, includ-ing both infrared and Raman.

The Society is an Affiliate Society of the Society ofApplied Spectroscopy and has worked closely with manyother organizations, especially those involved with stan-dard spectroscopic reference data.

Who Is Eligible for Membership?

Membership is open to persons, including students,who are interested in vibrational spectroscopy and re-lated fields. The present membership is drawn from ac-ademic, industrial, government, and private consultinglaboratories. It includes scientists interested in both dis-persive and Fourier transform FT-IR techniques andinstruments.

Why Should You Join?

Your participation is needed to help the Society fulfillits goals. As a member, you will have a voice in deciding

J. Lephardt thinking

APPLIED SPECTROSCOPY

G. Heyden at the FACSS meeting

1988 (315)423-4109

573

what projects the Society undertakes, and you will con-tribute to the advancement of the field of vibrationalspectroscopy.

How Do I Become a Member?

Fill in the accompanying application form that ap-pears at the back of this newsletter and send with $3 fora one-year membership or $6 for a three-year member-ship. (Annual dues are $2, or g5 for three years; theadditional $1 service fee for new members pays for theaddress plate.)

To become a member of the Coblentz Society, com-plete the form and mail along with the required amountin cash or check (payable to the Coblentz Society, Inc.).

1986 COBLENTZ AWARD

Nominations for the 1986 Coblentz Award should besent to the Chairman of next yeal's committee, LaurenceA. Nafie, Dept. of Chemistry, Syracuse University, Syr-acuse, NY 13210. Nominees should not have reachedtheir 36th birthday before Jan. 1 of the year the awardis presented; i.e., candidates for the 1986 award musthave been born after Dec. 31, 1949.

R. S. McDowplr,

Now it's us going to Japan with cameras

COBLENTZ INFRARED SPECTRA

Regulated and Major Industrial Chemicals

A new collection of infrared reference spectra of com-pounds and materials of significance in industrial andenvironmental analysis has been edited by C. D. Craverand published by The Coblentz Society, Inc.

The collection includes compounds designated asPriority Pollutants by the EPA and fifty major indus-trial chemicais. Other important large volume chemicalproducts and materials common in the environment such

as gasoline, diesel fuel, fuel oil, coal tar, and asphalt arecovered, with a range of spectra which serve to charac-terize them.

The needs of the analytical spectroscopist have beenan important concern of the Coblentz Society since itsfounding. In recent years, the analyst has steadily be-come more involved in the analysis of waste streamsfrom manufacturing plants, in the analysis of the con-tents of waste dumps, and in analyses for adventitiouscontaminants in consumer products of all kinds. Thisbook of over 600 reference spectra is directed towardsupplying answers to these environmental concerns.

The Coblentz Society reference spectra are evaluatedand verified by independent sources. In order to achievethis verification for many of these compounds, it wasnecesstuy to obtain new spectra run in several states onthe same snmple to resolve discrepancies in spectralmatches of spectra from different sources. This care inproviding data, which will permit absolute proof of iden-tity, will enhance the value of this collection for forensicwork as well as environmental analyses and other moreroutine applications.

Comprehensive indexes include chemical n4rnes as wellas common and trade names and molecular formulae. Anumerical index permits access to these spectra fromcomputer search systems.

The books are available in two forms. Most popularare the hardbound books, which many chemists and es-pecially librarians find desirable. The loose-leaf formatis chosen by many spectroscopists who wish to add data,literature refetences, or spectral supplements as they arereleased for a versatile laboratory reference.

Both formats are priced the ssrne: $150 plus shippingand handling, or $L52 if prepaid. They are available di-rectly from The Coblentz Society, Inc., P.O. Box 9952,Kirkwood, MO 63122, phone: 3L4/962-5752.

A brochure describing other reference data books inthis series is available directly from the Society at thesa-e address. This includes Plasticizers and Other Ad-ditiues, Gases and Vapors, Halogenated Hydrocarbons,and a well-known general reference and teaching guide,The Desk Book of Infrared Spectra.

1985 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OFFOURIER AND COMPUTERIZED INFRAREDSPECTROSCOPY

The 1985 FT-IR Conference will take place at theCarleton University in Ottawa, Canada, on 24-28 June1985. Sponsored by the National Research Council ofCanada, The Coblentz Society, the Opticals Society ofAmerica, the Society for Applied Spectroscopy, theSpectroscopy Society of Canada, and the Society ofPho-to-Optical Instrumentation Engineers, the meeting willbring together speakers from many countries in a pro-gram of plenary presentations, as well as some innovativediscussion sessions. There will be a comprehensive in-strumentation exhibit and proceedings of the meetingwill be published.

574 Volume 39, Number 3, 1985