石英增强光声光谱技术研究进展

石英增强光声光谱（QEPAS）技术是一种新颖的气体探测技术,具有体积小、灵敏度高等优点,是痕量气体检测技术的研究热点。本文对QEPAS技术的基本原理、发展历史及发展现状进行了综述,并对多种不同结构的QEPAS系统发展情况进行了介绍,最后对该技术的发展前景进行了展望。     

光纤倏逝波型石英增强光声光谱技术

采用块状光学准直聚焦透镜组的传统石英增强光声光谱(QEPAS)技术存在体积难以缩减,结构稳定性不佳,无法适应空间狭小、振动复杂的特殊环境等缺点.基于此,将光纤倏逝波技术与QEPAS技术相结合,提出了一种新型微纳结构光纤QEPAS痕量气体检测技术.实验中,为了提高QEPAS系统信号幅值,优化了石英音叉与激光束的空间位置、激光波长调制深度,同时对比了两种不同共振频率的石英音叉,最终采用共振频率较低的30.720 kHz石英音叉作为声波探测元件,获得的检测极限为6.25×10~(-4)(体积分数),归一化噪声等效吸收系数为4.18×10~(-7)cm~(-1).W·Hz~(-1/2).     

石英增强光声光谱技术研究进展

石英增强光声光谱(QEPAS)技术是一种新颖的气体探测技术,具有体积小、灵敏度高等优点,是痕量气体检测技术的研究热点.本文对QEPAS技术的基本原理、发展历史及发展现状进行了综述,并对多种不同结构的QEPAS系统发展情况进行了介绍,最后对该技术的发展前景进行了展望.     

基于QEPAS技术的乙炔微量气体高灵敏度检测研究

石英增强光声光谱(QEPAS)是近年来发展起来的一种痕量气体探测技术,具有系统体积小、价格低廉、探测灵敏度高等优点。乙炔(C₂H₂)是一种化学性质活泼的有毒气体,对它进行高灵敏度检测在变压器故障诊断、环境监测等领域有着重要的意义,基于此,采用QEPAS技术对C₂H₂微量气体展开高灵敏度检测研究。采用输出波长为1.53 μm的连续波分布反馈半导体激光器作为激发光源。为了提高信噪比和简化数据处理过程,QEPAS传感器系统采用波长调制和2次谐波探测技术。为了提高QEPAS系统信号幅值,相比于常见的共振频率为32.768 kHz的石英音叉,采用了共振频率较低的30.72 kHz石英音叉作为声波传导器,同时还优化了石英音叉与激光束的空间位置、激光波长调制深度,并添加了声波微共振腔,选择的微共振腔长度为4 mm、内径为0.5 mm,最终获得了2.7 ppm的优异检测极限,归一化噪声等效吸收系数为1.3×10-8 cm-1·W·Hz-1/2。     

基于石英增强光声光谱的HCl痕量气体高灵敏度探测研究

HCl是一种有毒有害气体,对其高灵敏度探测具有非常重要的意义,然而到目前为止,采用激光光谱的手段对其探测的研究报道很少。石英增强光声光谱(QEPAS)是近年来发展起来的一种痕量气体探测技术,具有系统体积小、价格低廉、探测灵敏度高等优点。以5 000 ppm HCl∶N₂混合气作为待测目标,采用输出波长为1 742.38 nm的分布反馈连续波单纵模半导体激光器,开展对基于QEPAS技术的HCl高灵敏度探测研究。为了提高信噪比和简化数据处理过程,QEPAS传感器系统采用波长调制和2次谐波探测技术。研究中,首先对声波探测系统中微共振腔强声波增强特性进行了讨论,选择了“共轴”形式的声波微共振腔,并对其尺寸进行了优化,选择的微共振管长度为4 mm、内径为0.5 mm。实验中研究了激光波长调制深度对QEPAS系统产生的信号幅度的影响,当QEPAS系统积分时间为1 s、激光波长调制深度为0.23 cm-1时,获得了815 ppb的优异检测极限,归一化噪声等效吸收系数为7.41×10-9 cm-1·W·Hz-1/2。在后续的实验中,可在待测HCl气体中加入水汽分子,提高HCl分子的热弛豫速率,进一步提高HCl-QEPAS传感器系统的信号强度。     

基于石英增强光声光谱的气体传感技术研究进展

基于石英增强光声光谱(quartz-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy, QEPAS)的气体传感技术具有系统体积小、成本低、环境适应性强等优点,是目前一种重要的光谱式痕量气体检测方法.探测灵敏度是传感器系统的重要指标,关系到能否满足实际应用,因此,本文从提高QEPAS传感系统灵敏度的角度出发,总结了常见的技术手段,包括采用高功率激发光源增大激发强度、采用与分子基频/强吸收带相匹配的激光源来增大吸收强度、采用声波共振腔增大音叉处的声波强度、采用低共振频率石英音叉提高能量积累时间、采用多光程来增大光与气体的相互作用长度等方法,并对其优缺点分别进行了阐述.针对工程应用问题,本文主要讨论了全光纤化和传感系统小型化,并以载人航天领域的应用为例进行了例证.最后,对进一步提高QEPAS传感技术灵敏度的方法进行了展望.     

基于电学调制相消法和高功率蓝光LD的离轴石英增强光声光谱NO2传感器设计和优化

使用中心波长为450 nm的高功率多模蓝光激光管(LD)作为激励光源, 结合电学调制相消法和离轴石英增强光声光谱(QEPAS)配置, 设计了一款高灵敏二氧化氮传感器. 电学调制相消法使离轴QEPAS传感器的背景噪声降低至1/269, 在标准大气压和1 s积分时间下, 获得的探测灵敏度为4.5 ppb, 对应的归一化噪声等效吸收系数(1σ )为2.2×10^-8 cm^-1·W/Hz^1/2. 延长积分时间到46 s, 灵敏度能够进一步下降到0.34 ppb. 气体流速对该传感器的影响也被研究.     

基于中红外量子级联激光器和石英增强光声光谱的CO超高灵敏度检测研究

采用石英增强光声光谱(QEPAS)技术对CO痕量气体展开检测研究. 为了实现超高灵敏度探测, 采用输出波长为4.6 μm的新颖中红外高功率分布反馈量子级联激光器为光源, 实现了对CO气体基频吸收带的激发与测量. 在优化了调制深度、气体压强和提高了CO分子的振动-转动弛豫速率后, 获得了1.95 ppbv的优异探测极限. 在分析检测结果的过程中, 讨论了能级寿命对信号强度的影响, 并对QEPAS信号强度的表达式进行了修正.     

珐珀解调的石英增强光声光谱气体探测系统

提出一种珐珀解调,适用于开放环境的全光式石英增强光声光谱气体探测系统。基于石英增强光声光谱系统,采用法珀干涉解调代替传统的电解调方式,通过拾取石英音叉的叉指侧面与光纤端面之间形成的法珀腔的腔长变化解调得到被测气体的光声光谱信号。构建了实验系统,在开放环境中完成了对空气中水蒸气的探测实验,得到其归一化噪声等效吸收系数为2.80×10-7 cm-1.W.Hz-1/2。结果表明,该探测系统的探测灵敏度是传统石英增强光声光谱探测系统的2.6倍。该系统具有极强的抗电磁干扰能力、能够用于易燃易爆气体检测、适用于高温、高湿度等恶劣环境并实现远距离多点、组网探测。     

光纤耦合的全固态中红外QEPAS光声探测模块

石英增强光声光谱(QEPAS)技术是近年来发展迅速的一种气体检测技术,具有灵敏度高、设备体积小、对环境噪声免疫等优点.本课题组设计了一种光纤耦合的全固态中红外QEPAS光声探测模块,并基于气体热动力学和一维声学谐振腔理论,利用COMSOL软件对探测模块的声压分布及声压级进行了研究;然后设计并加工了光机电一体化探测模块,将声学谐振腔、光声池、光纤模块和前置放大模块集成一体,使该模块具有易于准直、稳定性高、抗干扰能力强等特点.采用中心波长为2 μm的高功率中红外分布反馈式激光器,结合波长调制技术,对CO2进行了探测,结果表明,在1 s的积分时间下获得了3.7×10-3的探测极限.通过Allan方差分析发现,积分时间为1123 s时,系统的探测极限可以达到1.34×10-6.采用基于该模块的QEPAS系统可以实现对室内CO2浓度的实时监测.     

石英晶振用于石英增强光声光谱系统的优化实验研究

研究了音叉式石英晶振的个体尺寸、安放角度、探测部位以及外部污染对整个石英增强光声光谱系统(QEPAS)的探测灵敏度影响。测试了国内外十种不同音,结果表明顶端为楔形构造的音叉式石英晶振比规则的长方体构造的音叉拥有更高的品质因数(Q值)。在相同的测试条件下探测水的吸收线(7 306 cm-1)时获得更高的灵敏度,探测信号的强度相差高达50%。在研究音叉安放角度对探测信号影响的实验中,发现音叉的旋转角度与俯仰角度对探测信号的强度几乎没有影响,但是当光束以角度φ斜入射时,更多的噪声被带入到测量中。在正入射的情况下音叉的最佳响应位置在距离音叉底部约3.1 mm。定性研究了外部杂物污染对音叉频率的影响,发现随着污染物的附着,石英音叉的频率会呈现降低的趋势,提供了一种改变音叉式石英晶振的共振频率的方法,为石英音叉用于较低调制频率的探测提供了一种理论可能,这对于石英增强光声光谱技术用于V-T弛豫率较慢的痕量气体检测有重要的意义。     

A quartz-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy sensor for measurement of water vapor concentration in the air

A compact and highly linear quartz-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy(QEPAS)sensor for the measurement of water vapor concentration in the air is demonstrated.A cost-effective quartz tuning fork(QTF)is used as the sharp transducer to convert light energy into an electrical signal based on the piezoelectric effect,thereby removing the need for a photodetector.The short optical path featured by the proposed sensing system leads to a decreased size.Furthermore,a pair of microresonators is applied in the absorbance detection module(ADM)for QTF signal enhancement.Compared with the system without microresonators,the detected QTF signal is increased to approximately 7-fold.Using this optimized QEPAS sensor with the proper modulation frequency and depth,we measure the water vapor concentration in the air at atmospheric pressure and room temperature.The experimental result shows that the sensor has a high sensitivity of 1.058parts-per-million.     

QEPAS spectrophones: design, optimization, and performance

The impact of design parameters of a spectrophone for quartz-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy on its performance was investigated. The microresonator of spectrophone is optimized based on an experimental study. The results show that a 4.4 mm-long tube with 0.6 mm inner diameter yields the highest signal-to-noise ratio, which is ∼30 times higher than that of a bare QTF at gas pressures between 400 and 800 Torr. The optimized configuration demonstrates a normalized noise-equivalent absorption coefficient (1σ) of 3.3×10⁻⁹ cm⁻¹W/Hz^1/2 for C₂H₂ detection at atmospheric pressure. The effect of the changing carrier gas composition is studied. A side-by-side sensitivity comparison between QEPAS and conventional photoacoustic spectroscopy technique is reported.     

Theoretical analysis of off beam quartz-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy sensor

Off beam quartz-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy (OB-QEPAS) sensors are based on a recently developed approach to off-beam photoacoustic (PA) detection which employs a quartz tuning fork (QTF) as an acoustic transducer. A microresonator (mR) with a side slit in the middle is used to enhance PA signal. This paper describes a theoretical model of an OB-QEPAS-based sensor. By deriving the acoustic impedances of the mR at two ends and the side slit in the middle in the model, we obtain a formula for numerically calculating the optimal mRs' parameters of OB-QEPAS-based sensor. We use the model to calculate the optimal mRs' lengths with respect to the resonant frequency of the QTF, acoustic velocities inside mRs, inner diameters of mRs, and acoustic conductivities of the mRs' side slits, and found out that the calculated results closely match experimental data. We also investigated the relationship between the mR selected in “on beam” QEPAS, OB-QEPAS, and an acoustic resonator (AR) excited in its first longitudinal mode used in conventional photoacoustic spectroscopy (PAS).     

Theoretical analysis of a quartz-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy sensor

Quartz-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy (QEPAS) sensors are based on a recent approach to photoacoustic detection which employs a quartz tuning fork as an acoustic transducer. These sensors enable detection of trace gases for air quality monitoring, industrial process control, and medical diagnostics. To detect a trace gas, modulated laser radiation is directed between the tines of a tuning fork. The optical energy absorbed by the gas results in a periodic thermal expansion which gives rise to a weak acoustic pressure wave. This pressure wave excites a resonant vibration of the tuning fork thereby generating an electrical signal via the piezoelectric effect. This paper describes a theoretical model of a QEPAS sensor. By deriving analytical solutions for the partial differential equations in the model, we obtain a formula for the piezoelectric current in terms of the optical, mechanical, and electrical parameters of the system. We use the model to calculate the optimal position of the laser beam with respect to the tuning fork and the phase of the piezoelectric current. We also show that a QEPAS transducer with a particular 32.8 kHz tuning fork is 2–3 times as sensitive as one with a 4.25 kHz tuning fork. These simulation results closely match experimental data.     

The SNR improvement for quartz-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy using wavelength calibration and fiber reflector

Wavelength calibration technique combined with a fiber reflector was used to improve the signal to noise ratio (SNR) of quartz-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy (QEPAS). A distributed feedback laser diode (DFB-LD), driven by sawtooth wave and high frequency sinusoidal wave, was used to excite the second harmonic signal of a quartz tuning fork (QTF) through laser-gas molecular interaction. Two collimators conducted the laser alignment through the spacing gap of QTF forks. Central wavelength of the DFB-LD was locked to the target gas absorption center by identifying the second harmonic signal maximum and applying calibration feedback on the driving current. The gas absorption center calibration and gas concentration measurements are conducted at a specific interval. The SNR of the photoacoustic signal was further acoustically enhanced by using a pair of on-beam acoustic resonators through increasing the photo-acoustic conversion efficient, and optically enhanced by using a fiber reflector to improve the laser power for photoacoustic signal excitation. The experimental results show that the SNR in wavelength calibration mode is 15 times higher than the conventional wavelength scanning mode and QEPAS signal with fiber reflector is 1.37 times stronger compared with that without a fiber reflector.