Introductions.

The term Fourier spectroscopy describes the analysis of any varying signal into its constituent frequency components. The mathematical methods named after J.B.J. Fourier are extremely powerful in spectroscopy. Fourier transforms can be applied to a variety of spectroscopies including infrared spectroscopy known as Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy. FTIR spectroscopy includes the absorption, reflection, emission, or photoacoustic spectrum obtained by Fourier transform of an optical interferogram. FTIR can be employed for a long range of frequencies varying over ultraviolet, visible, near infrared, mid infrared and even far infrared regions by selecting different beam splitters and detectors for the required ranges. A variety of spectroscopic techniques have been used to study various samples, but FTIR are growing in popularity since they offer speed, accuracy and sensitivity much better than any other technologies. Furthermore, the FTIR is a useful tool for detecting functional groups, but the device itself cannot necessarily be used to determine the complete structure of an unknown molecule. Sometimes the infrared spectrum does not contain enough information, or contains misleading or contradictory information, making the complete determination of an unknowns structure impossible. The best approach to this problems is to use FTIR in conjuction with other molecular spectroscopy techniques such as NMR, mass spectroscopy, UV Visible spectroscopy and Raman scattering. All these techniques provide different pieces of information about a molecules structure, and together provide a powerful and effective means of identifying unknowns. Different FTIR use different interferometers, such as the Michelson interferometer, lamellar grating interferometer, and Fabry-Perot interferometer.

Figure 1: The schematic diagram of Michelson Interferometer

Figure 2: The lamellar grating modulator Both of the two beam interferometers have advantages and disadvantages one over the other with the basic difference being that in the Michelson interferometer divisionof wave amplitude takes place, whereas in the lamellar grating spectrometer division of wavefront takes place. The Michelson interferometer is often favored over the lamellar grating interferometer because of its easy construction and operation. Most of the commercially available FTIR use the Michelson interferometer. Today FTIR aided by computers, which perform Fourier transformation in a fraction of a second in the visible, infrared, and microwave regions and it is common laboratory instruments. These are used for spectroscopic analysis in many diverse disciplines with reduced prices and increased performance.

Theory Infrared radiation is a type of heat. In the universe, all objects at the temperature above absolute zero will give off infrared radiation. When infrared radiation interacts with matter it can be absorbed, causing the chemical bonds in the material to vibrate. The presence of chemical bonds in a material is a necessary condition for infrared absorbance to occur. The chemical functional group that is located within the molecules, known as functional groups, tends to absorb infrared radiation in the same wavenumber range regardless of the structure of the rest of the molecule that the functional group is in. As an example, the a carbonyl group occurs at 1700 stretch of

in ketones, aldehydes and carboxylic acids. This

shows that there is a correlation between wavenumbers at which it absorbs infrared radiation and its structure. This correlations allows the structure of unknown molecules to be identified from the molecules infrared spectrum. A plot of measured infrared radiation intensity versus wavenumber is known as infrared spectrum. As an example, the infrared spectrum of polystyrene is shown in Figure 3.

Figure 3: Infrared spectrum of polystyrene Traditionally, infrared spectra are plotted with high wavenumber on the left and low wavenumber on the right. It means that as a spectrum is read from left to right, one is looking from high energy to low energy. Based on Figure 3, the y-axis is in absorbance, and the x-axis is in wavenumber. The upwards pointing peaks represent wavenumbers at which the sample absorbed infrared radiation. The y-axis can also be plotted in transmittance, in which case the peaks would point down and represent wavenumbers where the sample transmitted less infrared radiation. Regardless of the y-axis units, it is the wavenumber (x-

axis) positions of these peaks that correlates with molecular structure. For instance, it is well known that the peaks around 3000 CH bond stretching. In addition to chemical structures, infrared spectra can provide quantitative information as well, such as the concentration of a molecule in a sample. The basis of quantitative analysis in FTIR is Beers Law, which relates concentration to absorbance: A= where: A = Absorbance = Absorptivity l = Pathlength c = Concentration The absorbance is measured as a peak height, peak height ratio, peak area or peak area ratio from the FTIR spectrum. The absorptivity is the proportionality constant between concentration and absorbance. It changes from molecule to molecule and from wavenumber to wavenumber for a given molecule. As an example, the absorptivity of acetone at 1700 is different than the absorptivity of acetone at 1690 . However for a given (Equation 1) in the infrared spectrum of polystyrene are due to

molecule and wavenumber, the absorptivity

is a fundamental physical property of the is as unchanging as its

molecule. For example, the absorptivity of acetone at 1700 boiling point or molecular weight. The units of pathlength

are usually given in (concentration

, so the absorptivity cancels the units of the other two variables in Beers Law,

making absorbance a unitless quantity. The width of an infrared band gives information about the strength and nature of molecular interactions. Thus, an infrared spectrum provides a great deal of information about a sample.