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Determination of the Boltzmann constant by means of precision measurements of H2(18)O line shapes at 1.39  μm.

Authors :
Moretti L
Castrillo A
Fasci E
De Vizia MD
Casa G
Galzerano G
Merlone A
Laporta P
Gianfrani L
Source :
Physical review letters [Phys Rev Lett] 2013 Aug 09; Vol. 111 (6), pp. 060803. Date of Electronic Publication: 2013 Aug 08.
Publication Year :
2013

Abstract

We report on a new implementation of Doppler broadening thermometry based on precision absorption spectroscopy by means of a pair of offset-frequency locked extended-cavity diode lasers at 1.39  μm. The method consists in the highly accurate observation of the shape of the 4(4,1)→4(4,0) line of the H2(18)O ν1+ν3 band, in a water vapor sample at thermodynamic equilibrium. A sophisticated and extremely refined spectral analysis procedure is adopted for the retrieval of the Doppler width as a function of the gas pressure, taking into account the Dicke narrowing effect, the speed dependence of relaxation rates, and the physical correlation between velocity-changing and dephasing collisions. A spectroscopic determination of the Boltzmann constant with a combined (type A and type B) uncertainty of 24 parts over 10(6) is reported. This is the best result obtained so far by means of an optical method. Our determination is in agreement with the recommended CODATA value.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
1079-7114
Volume :
111
Issue :
6
Database :
MEDLINE
Journal :
Physical review letters
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
23971548
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.111.060803