Influence of composition and annealing on the criteria of superparamagnetism and the interaction of particles in granular electrolytically deposited films of CuCo

Films of nonuniform Cu_100−xCo_x alloys with x = 6, 11, 20, and 35 at. %, obtained by electrolytic deposition, are investigated using quantum magnetometry in fields of up to 5.5 T and temperatures of 2–300 K. In all the compositions a characteristic feature is the deviation from pure superparamagnetic behavior, which increases as the annealing of the films and their cobalt content increase. Institute of Solid State and Semiconductor Physics. Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 3, pp. 60–62, March, 1998.     

Cavity-enhanced absorption: detection of nitrogen dioxide and iodine monoxide using a violet laser diode

We present an application of cavity-enhanced absorption spectroscopy with an off-axis alignment of the cavity formed by two spherical mirrors and with time integration of the cavity-output intensity for detection of nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) and iodine monoxide (IO) radicals using a violet laser diode at λ=404.278 nm. A noise-equivalent (1σ≡ root-mean-square variation of the signal) fractional absorption for one optical pass of 4.5×10^-8 was demonstrated with a mirror reflectivity of ∼0.99925, a cavity length of 0.22 m and a lock-in-amplifier time constant of 3 s. Noise-equivalent detection sensitivities towards nitrogen dioxide of 1.8×10¹⁰ molecule cm^-3 and towards the IO radical of 3.3×10⁹ molecule cm^-3 were achieved in flow tubes with an inner diameter of 4 cm for a lock-in-amplifier time constant of 3 s. Alkyl peroxy radicals were detected using chemical titration with excess nitric oxide (RO₂+NO→RO+NO₂). Measurement of oxygen-atom concentrations was accomplished by determining the depletion of NO₂ in the reaction NO₂+O→NO+O₂. Noise-equivalent concentrations of alkyl peroxy radicals and oxygen atoms were 3×10¹⁰ molecule cm^-3 in the discharge-flow-tube experiments. Received: 4 February 2003 / Revised version: 10 March 2003 / Published online: 12 May 2003 RID="*" ID="*"Corresponding author. Fax: +44-1865/275-410, E-mail: vlk@physchem.ox.ac.uk     

Multipass optical cell based upon two cylindrical mirrors for tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy

A compact multipass optical cell based upon a front cylindrical mirror with a central input/output hole and a rear cylindrical mirror is described for application to tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy. Rotation of the rear cylindrical mirror and small variations of the cell base length (∼110 mm) have been used to achieve different spot patterns and path lengths. CO₂ and CH₄ direct absorption measurements using the developed cell with a fibre-coupled distributed-feedback laser at 1605.5 nm have been performed. A noise-equivalent absorption sensitivity of 2.5×10^-8 cm^-1 Hz^-1/2 has been determined for 138 passes in the cell and averaging of 2000 consecutive scans within 1.93 s. PACS 42.55.Px; 39.30.+w; 42.62.Fi; 42.60.-v     

On-line monitoring of cyclotron target-gas output by means of tunable lead salt diode laser absorption spectroscopy

We demonstrate what is, to our knowledge, the first use of mid-infrared laser absorption spectroscopy for trace-gas measurements of cyclotron target outputs used for the generation of radioactive carbon-11 in positron emission tomography (PET). The spectrometer was based upon a liquid-nitrogen-cooled lead salt diode laser generating single-mode radiation in the wavenumber range of 2230–2240 cm^?1. The sample flowed to a multiple-pass optical cell with a total path length of 15.23 m and the laser radiation was detected by two liquid-nitrogen-cooled InSb photodetectors. We present the results of CO, N₂O and CO₂ measurements on PET trace cyclotron output and discuss future work on ¹¹CO and ¹¹CO₂ detection.     

Sum frequency generation at 309 nm using a violet and a near-IR DFB diode laser for detection of OH

We have used a violet diode laser at 404 nm and a distributed feedback diode laser at 1320 nm to produce 0.8 nW of radiation at 309 nm by sum frequency generation in beta-barium borate. The UV radiation was tuned mode-hop-free over 30 GHz and used to detect OH radicals produced in a microwave discharge. By chopping the UV light at 500 Hz, we observed a concentration of 2×10¹² cm^-3 with a signal to noise ratio of 30:1. Received: 16 November 2001 / Revised version: 23 January 2002 / Published online: 14 March 2002     

Measurements of the linewidth of a continuous-wave distributed feedback quantum cascade laser

Two-sample (Allan) variance with a modified algorithm was applied to the determination of the experimental linewidth of a thermoelectrically-cooled continuous-wave distributed feedback quantum cascade laser at a wavelength of 4.333 μm. From successive laser transmittance scans over the CO₂ ν₃, (01¹1 − 01¹0) P(33) absorption line at 2307.653 cm^− 1, two-sample variances were calculated for the laser frequency difference between different points on the sides of the absorption peak. From the minimum two-sample variance of the laser frequency difference between two adjacent points (5 μs between the points) on the same side of the absorption line the experimental laser linewidth was estimated to be less than 36(7) kHz at a laser power of ~ 25 mW, a laser current of 976 mA and a laser temperature of + 19.5 °C.     

Effect of broadband amplified spontaneous emission on absorption measurements in phase-shift off-axis cavity enhanced absorption spectroscopy

Phase-shift cavity enhanced absorption spectroscopy has been described for the case of an off-axis alignment of an optical cavity formed by high reflectivity mirrors. The effect of laser broadband amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) from a DFB diode laser (1605 nm) has been analysed for absorption measurements extracted from the phase-shift of the intensity modulated beam. A simple model has been proposed for extraction of actual absorption spectra and linestrengths from the phase and amplitude measurements. It has been shown that omitting the ASE contribution to the cavity output light intensity may lead to an overestimation of absorption linestrength.     

An off-axis cavity-enhanced absorption spectrometer at 1605 nm for the 12CO2/13CO2 measurement

A distributed feedback diode laser sensor based upon off-axis cavity-enhanced absorption spectroscopy at 1605.5 nm has been developed for ¹³C¹⁶O₂/¹²C¹⁶O₂ isotope ratio measurements in synthetic air and human breath. A noise-equivalent absorption sensitivity of 3.9×10^-10 cm^-1 Hz^-1/2 has been determined for a cavity base length of 28.2 cm and averaging 4000 scans within 8.688 s. For 5% CO₂ concentration measurements, δ¹³C standard deviations of 1.8 ‰ and 3.7 ‰ have been estimated for five successive measurements based on peak height and integrated area estimations at 107.9 Torr, respectively. The contributions of amplified spontaneous emission of the laser and a radiation that is spatially uncoupled into the cavity mode have been described for cavity transmittance measurements. The limitations of the developed sensor and further steps towards precision and accuracy improvements are discussed. PACS 42.55.Px; 39.30.+w; 42.62.Fi; 42.60.-v     

Wavelength-modulation spectroscopy using a frequency-doubled current-modulated diode laser

We have studied atomic absorption in an argon discharge by wavelength-modulation spectroscopy with a frequency-doubled diode laser. The tunable wavelength-modulated radiation at 430 nm was generated by frequency doubling a current-modulated 860-nm diode laser in a KNbO₃ crystal. 2f-, 4f- and 6f-harmonic spectra as a function of diode laser modulation depth were measured on a Doppler-broadened sample of excited argon atoms produced in a capacitively coupled plasma chamber. Characterisation of the harmonic signals was accomplished. Minimum detectable absorbances of 7.7×10^-5 and 1.9×10^-4 based on a 3σ criterion (σ being the standard deviation of the noise) were estimated for 2f- and 4f-harmonic detection of the frequency-doubled radiation with a time constant of 0.1 s. The concentrations of argon in the 1s₄ state were found to be in the range of 3×10⁸ to 1.2×10¹¹ cm^-3 for the experimental conditions studied. Received: 25 February 2002 / Revised version: 4 April 2002 / Published online: 14 May 2002     

Characterisation of the potential of frequency modulation and optical feedback locking for cavity-enhanced absorption spectroscopy

A combination of optical feedback self-locking of a continuous-wave distributed feedback diode laser to a V-shaped high finesse cavity, laser phase modulation at a frequency equal to the free spectral range of the V-cavity and detection of the transmitted laser beam at this high modulation frequency is described for the possible application in cavity-enhanced absorption spectroscopy. In order to estimate the noise level of an absorbance baseline, the triplet of frequency modulated light, i.e. the central laser frequency and the two sidebands, were transmitted through both the V-cavity in open air and a 1.5-cm long optical cell placed behind the cavity output mirror and filled with acetylene (C₂H₂) at low pressure. The performance of the setup was evaluated from the measured relative intensity noise on the cavity output (normalised by the bandwidth) and the frequency modulation absorption signals induced by C₂H₂ absorption in the 1.5-cm cell. From these data, we estimate that the noise-equivalent absorption sensitivity of 2.1 × 10^?11 cm^?1 Hz^?1/2—by a factor of 11.7 above the shot-noise limit—can be achieved for C₂H₂ absorption spectra extracted from the heterodyne beat signals recorded at the transmission maxima intensity peaks of the successive TEM₀₀ resonances.