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Fourier Transform-Infrared Spectroscopy for Biophysical Applications: Technical Aspects

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Encyclopedia of Biophysics

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Synonyms

Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy; FTIR spectroscopy; Infrared spectrometers; Infrared spectroscopy; Rapid scan FTIR; Sampling methods in infrared spectroscopy; Step scan FTIR

Definitions

The potential of IR spectroscopy in directly obtaining chemistry- and structure-related information from large biological macromolecules has found increasing appreciation in the last two decades. In the form of Fourier transform-infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, biophysical questions addressing the function of rather complex biomolecules such as lipids, enzymes, or membrane proteins have been successfully answered. The entry covers some salient technical aspects of FTIR spectroscopy and describes measuring techniques specifically adapted to biological samples, typically implying aqueous phases. The principles of static as well as time-resolved measurements are introduced.

Introduction

The analysis of biopolymers by infrared spectroscopy requires covering the mid infrared (MIR) region of...

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Abbreviations

ADC:

Analog to digital converter used to digitize the preamplified (AC-coupled) IR detector signal typically at 16 bit.

Connes advantage:

The internal wavelength calibration in Fourier spectrometry provided by a HeNe laser interferogram.

D*:

Specific detectivity characterizes the quality (i.e., low noise) of a detector. D* = (A D)½/NEP, unit: cm Hz½ W−1, with A D the detector surface.

DLATGS:

Deuterated l-alanine-doped triglycine sulfate, a ferroelectric detector material superior to DTGS.

DTGS:

Deuterated triglycine sulfate, a ferroelectric detector material.

Fellgett advantage:

Increase of the SNR by a factor of N½ in a Fourier spectrometer as compared to an equivalent measurement of N spectral lines with a grating spectrometer.

FFT:

Fast Fourier transform based on an algorithm developed by Cooley and Tukey (1965).

f N:

Nyquist frequency, the sampling frequency required to correctly digitize the highest-frequency fmax component within an interferogram, f N = 2 fmax.

Globar:

A resistively heated non-encapsulated MIR source typically from silicon carbide.

IF:

Interferogram here the IR intensity measured after recombination of two IR beams on a detector as a function of the OPD between the partial beams.

Jacquinot advantage:

Increase of the SNR in a Fourier-based spectrometer due to higher energy throughput.

MIR:

Mid infrared, the region of the electromagnetic spectrum ranging from 2.5 to 25 μm (corresponding to 0.5–0.05 eV).

NEP:

Noise equivalent power, a measure of the optical power that produces a signal equal to the noise level, unit, W∙Hz−½.

OPD:

Optical path difference.

PEM:

Photoelastic modulator, a birefringent material (typical ZnSe) exposed to periodic elastic strain used to generate circularly and linearly polarized light whose orientation is modulated by the fundamental and first harmonic of the elastic modulation, respectively.

SNR:

Signal-to-noise ratio.

Wavenumber:

Number of wave lengths of monochromatic electromagnetic radiation fitting into 1 cm, the common unit of cm−1 in IR spectroscopy.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biophysics, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Inst. Resource Ecology, Dresden, Germany

    Karim Fahmy

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  1. Karim Fahmy
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Correspondence to Karim Fahmy .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. University Leicester MRC Centre, Leicester, United Kingdom

    Gordon Roberts

  2. Dept Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom

    Anthony Watts

Section Editor information

  1. Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Arrhenius Laboratories, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden

    Andreas Barth

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© 2018 European Biophysical Societies' Association (EBSA)

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Fahmy, K. (2018). Fourier Transform-Infrared Spectroscopy for Biophysical Applications: Technical Aspects. In: Roberts, G., Watts, A. (eds) Encyclopedia of Biophysics. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-35943-9_113-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-35943-9_113-1

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  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-35943-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-35943-9

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