Recently, the environmental and climate change research team of Hangzhou Institute of Advanced Study published a research result titled "Laser spectroscopy applied in radiocarbon dating with the boom peak" in the top journal Optics Express in the field of optics. The innovative use of saturated absorption cavity ring down spectroscopy (SCAR) technology, in conjunction with Italian company ppqSense, has successfully developed a new laser detection system, achieving high-precision dating of C-14 isotopes using laser spectroscopy technology for the first time in the world.

This study focuses on the special scenario of "explosion peak dating" - the characteristic curve of 14C concentration formed by global nuclear tests in the mid-20th century. SCAR technology takes a new approach by directly measuring the spectral absorption intensity of 14CO2 molecules to determine 14C concentration, thereby achieving sample dating. Compared to AMS systems that cost over ten million yuan and require complex maintenance, this technology does not require a complex and time-consuming graphite sample preparation process, greatly reducing measurement costs.

To verify the reliability of the technology, multidimensional samples were selected for systematic experiments: sediments from the Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Italian white wine from 1979, old wood from historical buildings, and printed paper spanning over thirty years (1968-2000). Research has shown that the system achieves a detection accuracy of 0.5 pMC within a 60 minute detection cycle. By analyzing the slope changes of the F14C characteristic curve, it accurately locks in the radiocarbon age of the sample, and the data is highly consistent with the known reference age. This technological breakthrough provides a new solution for verifying the authenticity of food, identifying the authenticity of artworks, and studying the evolution of ecosystems, marking significant progress in China's precision isotope detection field.

This work was jointly developed by the Environmental and Climate Change Research Team and the Laser Sensing Team at the Hangzhou Institute of Advanced Studies, Zhejiang Normal University. Team members Dr. Ling Qiang (first author) and Professor Guan Zuguang (corresponding author) collaborated with the top research team of Italy's ppqSense to complete the project. The research relies on the construction of the first domestic radioactive carbon isotope laser spectroscopy detection laboratory, which will break through the technical barriers in related fields in China. The cooperation partner ppqSense team has gathered top scientists from institutions such as the Italian National Institute of Optics (INO-CNR), the European Laboratory for Nonlinear Spectroscopy (LENS), and the University of Florence, forming an integrated international innovation consortium of "basic research technology development application transformation".

This achievement has received special news coverage from the Optical Society of America and has been evaluated as a new technology that is an innovative alternative to Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS). It has shown significant application value in the fields of environmental monitoring and climate change research, especially in precise carbon emission tracing, pollutant tracking, and climate data modeling.

The C14 radiocarbon isotope analysis instrument equipment C14-SCAR developed by Italian company ppqSense has the advantages of small size, easy operation, low maintenance and operation costs, and detection accuracy comparable to accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) technology.

Comparison of Measurement Results between ppqSense C14 SCAR and Accelerator Mass Spectrometer AMS

Shenzhen Weirui Technology Co., Ltd. is officially authorized as the exclusive agent of Italy's ppqSense company in China. For many years, we have been committed to promoting the application of the QubeDL series and QubeCL series laser drive controllers, as well as the C14 radiocarbon isotope analysis instrument and equipment C14-SAR. C14-SCAR is widely used in environmental monitoring and pricing of carbon dioxide emissions, monitoring of carbon capture and storage, identification of biofuel composition, atmospheric chemistry, geochemistry, food chemistry, archaeological dating, life/biomedical, nuclear power plants, and nuclear waste monitoring. Welcome to contact us for exchange!