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Modern spectroscopy
Acta. Vol. MA. No. 4. pp.449450.1988 Printedin GreatBritain.F’crgnmon Pressplc
Spectrochimico
BOOK REVIEWS
MODERN SPECTROSCOPY, J. MICHAEL HOLLAS (University of Reading). John Wiley and Sons, 388 pp. + xvii, #.O5 (paper). This is a detailed, comprehensive and clear book. In its nine chapters, one finds a remarkable breadth of coverage, the only major omission being in nuclear (NMR, NQR Mossbauer) electron spin and some surface spectroscopies. Topics such as photoelectron, Auger, EXAFS and a variety of the more exotic laser-based spectroscopies find a place alongside rotational, vibrational and electronic spectroscopy ranging from atoms through to octahedral moIecuIes. A good aspect of the book is the brief, but generally quite adequate, experimental details given. We learn of synchroton sources, hollow cathode lamps, toroidal mirrors and Pockels cells, to name but a few. The author has clearly chosen to concentrate on verbal description, rather than mathematical development, although the latter is adequately included. Only at a few points do difficulties emerge. Discussion of Fourier methods is avoided; “by the familiar ~thernati~l procedure of Fourier transfo~ations, giving . . “, the reader also being expected to f&id topics such as Fourier filtering understandable with scant explanation. Indeed, the contents of the book seem chosen to avoid need for Fourier transforms-part of a sentence is all
INDUCTIVELY COUPLED PLASMA EMISSION PART I: METHODOLOGY, SPECTROSCOPY, INSTRUMENTATION AND PERFORMANCE, edited by P. W. J. M. BGUMANS. John Wiley, New York, 1987, xi+%; pp. E68.80. This is the first volume of a two-volume treatise written with the declared aims of filling a gap in the AES literature, to provide a critical and tutorial survey of the ICP field over the last 20 years, to act as a handbook and text for the novice and expert and finally, as an aide-mtmoire for a broad range of users of the technique. As befits the aim of a’critical and tutorial survey” there is much material outside the defined context of the text of a pedagogic, background, nature. This includes the selfconsistent chapters on the “introduction to atomic emission spectroscopy”-(Boumans, 44 pp., 123 refs), “plasma sources other than ICPs” (Boumans, 24 pp.. 120 refs), “spectrometers” (Olesik, 70 pp.. 145 refs), aAd that on “detection and measurement” (Bubert and Hagenah, 30 pp., 35 refs). All this material, presented in a very scholarly and detailed manner, is relevant to the main theme and it is clearly useful, but not essential, to have it readily to hand. After a brief overview, “inductively coupled plasmas” (Boumans, 51 pp., 158 refs), the “basic concepts and characteristics of ICP-AES” (Boumans, 158 pp., 309 refs) are dealt with in depth. The approach is stated to be critical; however, all of that given is not always justified, including, for example, the comments on the concept of “intrinsic merit”, for despite
that is devoted to infrared interferometric methods. However, only the discussion of EXAFS clearly suffers as a result (it is here that reference is made to “Fourier filtering”). The reader will need some familiarity with Quantum Mechanics (the first chapter “Some Important Results in Quantum Mechanics” is very readable but equally ex cathe&a). In contrast, the chapter on Molecular Symmetry should prove easy and adequate for readers unfamiliar with this subject. Tbe problems of spectroscopic conventions (and exceptions) are carefully handled, firstly in an introduction and then again at relevant points in the text. Where a historic perspective helps to understand an apparently unattractive convention, such a review is included. The type is clear, easy to read and almost free from trivial error. The diagrams are good, although it would be helpful to have had an enlargement of the relevant sections of Fig. 6.7 (where the reader has to compare the origin and termination of well-separated arrows, the ends of which lie in clusters of closely-spaced parallel lines). Overall, a strongly recommended text at a very reasonable price. S. F. A. KEITLE
School of Chemicaf Sciences, University of East Anglia Norwich, U.K.
the improvements in measurement capability since its introduction it remains mathematically correct. One might have expected some resolution of, as it is put, “the eternal controversy”-high power vs low power, nitrogen vs argon ICP; however, the main conclusion appears to be that it is cheaper to buy a Mini than a Jaguar. The chapters on the design considerations and trends in “torches for inductively coupled plasmas” (Boumans and Hieftje, 38 pp., 83 refs) and the important area of “sample introduction t~hniques: ICP-AES” (Broekaert and Boumans, 62 pp., 210 refs) both pay careful attention to historical sequences of events as well as to details of performance and appropriate application areas. As one would expect, the discussion of “line selection and spectral interference” (Boumans, 108 pp., 109 refs) is -a masterly summary of the problems and their minimization. The text is systematic and consistent in approach yet pleasant to read, due in part to the two styles, review and tutorial, used as appropriate to the material. It provides a detailed and wide-ranging literature cover, excellent illustrations and much data in convenient summaries. Overall, this is an important contribution to the literature, and succeeds in its stated aims and is thus excellent value for money. The level is that appropriate for “current serious spectroscopists” as opposed to routine analysts; new postdoctoral assistants entering the field will find this text an essential guide and mentor. Part 2, which will deal with applications, is eagerly awaited. D. 449
THORBURN BURNS
Spectrochimico
BOOK REVIEWS
MODERN SPECTROSCOPY, J. MICHAEL HOLLAS (University of Reading). John Wiley and Sons, 388 pp. + xvii, #.O5 (paper). This is a detailed, comprehensive and clear book. In its nine chapters, one finds a remarkable breadth of coverage, the only major omission being in nuclear (NMR, NQR Mossbauer) electron spin and some surface spectroscopies. Topics such as photoelectron, Auger, EXAFS and a variety of the more exotic laser-based spectroscopies find a place alongside rotational, vibrational and electronic spectroscopy ranging from atoms through to octahedral moIecuIes. A good aspect of the book is the brief, but generally quite adequate, experimental details given. We learn of synchroton sources, hollow cathode lamps, toroidal mirrors and Pockels cells, to name but a few. The author has clearly chosen to concentrate on verbal description, rather than mathematical development, although the latter is adequately included. Only at a few points do difficulties emerge. Discussion of Fourier methods is avoided; “by the familiar ~thernati~l procedure of Fourier transfo~ations, giving . . “, the reader also being expected to f&id topics such as Fourier filtering understandable with scant explanation. Indeed, the contents of the book seem chosen to avoid need for Fourier transforms-part of a sentence is all
INDUCTIVELY COUPLED PLASMA EMISSION PART I: METHODOLOGY, SPECTROSCOPY, INSTRUMENTATION AND PERFORMANCE, edited by P. W. J. M. BGUMANS. John Wiley, New York, 1987, xi+%; pp. E68.80. This is the first volume of a two-volume treatise written with the declared aims of filling a gap in the AES literature, to provide a critical and tutorial survey of the ICP field over the last 20 years, to act as a handbook and text for the novice and expert and finally, as an aide-mtmoire for a broad range of users of the technique. As befits the aim of a’critical and tutorial survey” there is much material outside the defined context of the text of a pedagogic, background, nature. This includes the selfconsistent chapters on the “introduction to atomic emission spectroscopy”-(Boumans, 44 pp., 123 refs), “plasma sources other than ICPs” (Boumans, 24 pp.. 120 refs), “spectrometers” (Olesik, 70 pp.. 145 refs), aAd that on “detection and measurement” (Bubert and Hagenah, 30 pp., 35 refs). All this material, presented in a very scholarly and detailed manner, is relevant to the main theme and it is clearly useful, but not essential, to have it readily to hand. After a brief overview, “inductively coupled plasmas” (Boumans, 51 pp., 158 refs), the “basic concepts and characteristics of ICP-AES” (Boumans, 158 pp., 309 refs) are dealt with in depth. The approach is stated to be critical; however, all of that given is not always justified, including, for example, the comments on the concept of “intrinsic merit”, for despite
that is devoted to infrared interferometric methods. However, only the discussion of EXAFS clearly suffers as a result (it is here that reference is made to “Fourier filtering”). The reader will need some familiarity with Quantum Mechanics (the first chapter “Some Important Results in Quantum Mechanics” is very readable but equally ex cathe&a). In contrast, the chapter on Molecular Symmetry should prove easy and adequate for readers unfamiliar with this subject. Tbe problems of spectroscopic conventions (and exceptions) are carefully handled, firstly in an introduction and then again at relevant points in the text. Where a historic perspective helps to understand an apparently unattractive convention, such a review is included. The type is clear, easy to read and almost free from trivial error. The diagrams are good, although it would be helpful to have had an enlargement of the relevant sections of Fig. 6.7 (where the reader has to compare the origin and termination of well-separated arrows, the ends of which lie in clusters of closely-spaced parallel lines). Overall, a strongly recommended text at a very reasonable price. S. F. A. KEITLE
School of Chemicaf Sciences, University of East Anglia Norwich, U.K.
the improvements in measurement capability since its introduction it remains mathematically correct. One might have expected some resolution of, as it is put, “the eternal controversy”-high power vs low power, nitrogen vs argon ICP; however, the main conclusion appears to be that it is cheaper to buy a Mini than a Jaguar. The chapters on the design considerations and trends in “torches for inductively coupled plasmas” (Boumans and Hieftje, 38 pp., 83 refs) and the important area of “sample introduction t~hniques: ICP-AES” (Broekaert and Boumans, 62 pp., 210 refs) both pay careful attention to historical sequences of events as well as to details of performance and appropriate application areas. As one would expect, the discussion of “line selection and spectral interference” (Boumans, 108 pp., 109 refs) is -a masterly summary of the problems and their minimization. The text is systematic and consistent in approach yet pleasant to read, due in part to the two styles, review and tutorial, used as appropriate to the material. It provides a detailed and wide-ranging literature cover, excellent illustrations and much data in convenient summaries. Overall, this is an important contribution to the literature, and succeeds in its stated aims and is thus excellent value for money. The level is that appropriate for “current serious spectroscopists” as opposed to routine analysts; new postdoctoral assistants entering the field will find this text an essential guide and mentor. Part 2, which will deal with applications, is eagerly awaited. D. 449
THORBURN BURNS