PHASE SENSITIVE DETECTION

PURPOSE
1. To become familiar with phase sensitive detection and the use of a lock-in amplifier. 2. To examine the spectral radiation power pattern from a radiating sources (electrically heated filament).

1. Introduction
Introduction Any detector of electromagnetic waves suffers from electrical noise (one or more of 1/f, Johnson or shot noise). Noise levels depend on the detection bandwidth and can be reduced by a bandwidth limiting technique using a lock-in-amplifier (LIA). If, for example the radiation beam incident on a detector is interrupted by a rotating chopper wheel and the chopper wheel, produces a voltage pulse on every revolution, then the Lock-In-Amplifier can be used to multiply the output signal of the detector and the reference signal from the chopper wheel. If now the multiplied signals are averaged the noise which accompanies the desired detector signal is averaged to zero since it does not bear a constant phase relation for the averaging process. The LIA can therefore be used to reduce the detector noise. As detector we will use a thermopile. This has a flat response (over wavelength) in the range 1-40 microns. The specifications of the thermopile are as follows: No. of junctions D* Responsivity Time constant Resistance Window 72 2.5 x 108 cm(Hz/W) 15 V/W 50 ms 18K ohms KBr, Argon filled

The device generates a small EMF output when radiation falls on the hot junctions which occupy a 3x3 mm area at the centre of the device. A low noise pre-amplifier (Model 1010) is provided to take the output signal from the thermopile to the input of the Lock-In-Amplifier (using coaxial cable lead). (The pre-amp is powered internally with 2 NEDA 1604D 9V batteries and the offset adjustment has been set to give a zero output when the input connection shorting BNC cap is in place over the input BNC connection). A miniature VIS/IR monochromator of spectral range 0.75 to 1.7mm is used to select the wavelength band of the radiation to fall on the thermopile detector. The micrometer screw adjustment on the monochromator is part of a SINE DRIVE which rotates the internal grating. A large lens is available to image the radiation from the energy source (a heated filament bulb) into the entrance slit of the monochromator. To obtain the wavelength of the radiation coming from the EXIT SLIT of the monochromator multiply the monochromator reading in millimeters by 0.2. The wavelength is then directly in m (e.g. a 6 mm micrometer reading gives a wavelength output of 1.2 micrometers or 1.2 microns).

PART I

USE OF LOCK-IN-AMPLIFIER

Power the chopper motor and set the chopping frequency to say 12 Hz. Connect the reference signal output of the chopper to the reference input of the Lock-In-Amplifier. Using the lens provided focus the image of the heated filament onto the entrance slit of the monochromator. Set the monochromator to a wavelength of Omm i.e. to pass radiation of all wavelengths in "zero order". Adjust the sensitivity setting to the lock-in- amplifier to bring the output of the LIA on scale. Adjust the phase of the LIA to maximise the output signal of the LIA. Observe what happens the output signal when the time constant setting is increased. What is the effect of introducing a 'postfilter"? Using the specifications of the thermopile (listed earlier) determine the range of frequencies over which the chopper can usefully be used with the detector. Observe how the output signal from the lock-in changes when the chopping frequency is increased (from 5 Hz upwards) keeping the radiation beam, LIA time constant and LIA phase settings constant.

PART 2 TOTAL POWER RADIATED BY BLACKBODY SOURCES

The resistivity of Tungsten rises approximately linearly with temperature. Accordingly the resistance of the Tungsten filament of the lamp provided obeys the equation: R R 0 (1 + T ) where T is the temperature in Kelvin. The value of a may be taken as 3.92 x 10-3 K-1. A measurement then of the filament resistance R (= V/I) and its cold resistance value R300 can be used to estimate the filament temperature. R0 = and
T= R 1 R ( ) 1 255 . 102 = 1 R R 0 0

1 + (300) 3.92 x103

R 300

R 300 2.176

Set the monochromator to zero order to pass all wavelengths of radiation to the thermopile detector. Adjust the voltage of the filament power supply so that it appears "dullred" in colour. Estimate the filament resistance and its temperature. Record the output of the LIA (and the sensitivity scale setting). Increase the filament voltage marginally and get a new filament temperature and LIA output voltage. Repeat for a range of filament temperatures. If the filament is a blackbody source the power radiated should scale as T4 (T in Kelvin). Investigate the validity of this Stefans Law to the filament source.

PART 3 SPECTRAL RADIANCE OF A FILAMENT SOURCE

Adjust the power supply to the filament source so that the filament is glowing a dull red colour. Record the electrical power (VI) drawn by the filament. Use the thermopile, monochromator and lock-in amplifier to measure the radiated power over a range of wavelengths (0.8 to 1.7mm). The lower limit is chosen to prevent day

light creating a spurious signal,. Use the GRATING EFFICIENCY CURVE provided (or the table of grating efficiency versus wavelength extracted from it) to determine the actual power at each wavelength. [Divide the LIA output signal by the efficiency factor expressed as a fraction). Plot a graph of the LIA output versus wavelength. Is the general shape of the curve obtained consistent with the Planck Radiation Law? Increase the power to the filament (Vmax = 12V) and get a series of spectral radiance curves. As the power of the filament is increased what conclusions can you draw about the spectral radiance?

Grating efficiency curve for model 05 spectrometer, 830 g/mm ruled grating, blazed at 1200 nm.

Grating Efficiency
Wavelength (nm) 900 950 980 1000 1020 1040 1060 1080 1100 1140 1160 1180 1200 1220 1240 1260 1280 1300 1320 1340 1360 1380 1400 1440 1460 1480 1500 1540 1560 1580 1600 1640 1660 1700 Eficiency (%) 34 42.3 48.6 51.9 53.3 53 50 38.7 52.2 61.5 62.6 64.3 65.2 65 64.8 64.2 63.7 62.2 61.1 58.5 57.8 55.9 55 54.1 53.7 53.6 53.1 51.5 50.5 47.3 43.5 43 41.6 38.9