Wide-band interferometric tuning of a multiatmosphere CO2 laser

We describe the operating characteristics of a compact, frequency tunable, electron-beam-controlled, 15 atmosphere CO₂ laser. Two intracavity Fabry-Perot etalons have been used to obtain laser line narrowing and continuous tuning within the 10.4 μm and 9.4μm bands of the CO₂ gain spectrum. The laser output consists of a 100 nsec pulse (fwhm) with energy up to 100 mJ. The overall laser tuning range is 70 cm^-1 and we have measured a laser linewidth of 0.03 cm^-1.     

R branch tuning characteristics of the13CH3F Raman FIR laser

Summary We described a¹³CH₃F Raman laser pumped by a grating tuned 20 atmospheres CO₂ laser. The emission characteristics of the¹³CH₃F laser extends from 14 cm^–1–35 cm^–1 and from 49 cm^–1–72 cm^–1; about 65% of these frequency ranges can be covered with tunable radiation. The characteristics shows a strong dependence on the rotaional quantum numbers of the states involved in the Raman laser transitions and, within each tuning interval, on the frequency offset with respect to the frequencies of resonant transitions. We obtained, at 51 cm^–1, a maximum FIR laser pulse energy of about 800 J (at a pump energy of 200 mJ), corresponding to a photon conversion of about 8%. In some cases we have observed simultaneous emission at a Raman and a cascade frequency. In addition, FIR emission power dependence on¹³CH₃F gas pressure and pump pulse power were investigated for different J quantum numbers.     

Generation of tunable picosecond pulses in the medium infrared by down-conversion in AgGaS2

Picosecond pulses from a mode-locked Nd:YAG laser and a traveling-wave dye laser are mixed in an AgGaS₂ crystal to generate pulses at the difference frequency. The dye laser is tunable between 1200 nm and 1460 nm resulting in a tuning range of the parametric pulses from 3.9 μm to 9.4 μm. The spectral bandwidth is quite narrow. A value of Δ?=6.5 cm^-1 was measured which is constant over the whole tuning range. Several percent of the Nd:YAG laser photons are converted to infrared photons. Pump pulses of 21 ps give parametric pulses of 8 ps.     

Quenching kinetics and small signal gain spectrum of the ZnI photodissociation laser

By photodissociation ZnI₂ with 193 nm (ArF) laser radiation, the rate constants for quenching of the upper and lower energy levels of the ZnI (B → X) laser by ZnI₂ have been measured to be (1.7 ± 0.2) × 10^-9 and (1.4 ± 0.4) × 10^-9 cm³ s^-1, respectively. Although the former rate constant was found to be laser intensity-dependent for I ? 10⁵ W cm^-2, the ZnI(B) state radiative lifetime was determined to be 26 ± 4 ns. Also, the small signal gain coefficient, g₀, of this molecular laser has a peak value of ? 15% cm^-1 at λ ? 602 nm and exceeds 5% cm^-1 for 591 nm ≤ λ ≤ 608 nm for a potential tuning range of at least 170 Å.     

Continuous tuning of a single laser mode over 5 cm-1 in a high-pressure N2O/CO2 transfer laser

Continuous tuning of a single laser mode in an optically pumped high-pressure N₂O/CO₂ transfer laser over 5 cm^-1 near 10.5 μm has been achieved. A spectrum of ethylene gas taken with this source indicates a resolution of 0.014 cm^-1.     

Modeling of high-pressure 12-μm NH3 lasers

Experimental measurements of small-signal gain in an optically-pumped NH₃ amplifier are carried out at pressures ranging from 40 Torr to 760 Torr, and the results are used to validate a rate-equation model describing the amplifier dynamics. The gain measurements show that dilute mixtures of <0.5% NH₃ in N₂ are reqired to minimize the problems of gas heating due to pump absorption. The model is used to extrapolate the results to gas pressures of several atmospheres, and to demonstrate the potential for highpressure operation of optically-pumped NH₃ lasers. For a pump intensity of 100 MW/cm², calculations indicate that operation of an NH₃–N₂ laser is feasible up to a pressure of 10 atm, which would provide a maximum continuous tuning range of 4 cm^–1. High-resolution spectroscopy reveals that gain on a few NH₃ transitions is eliminated at high pressures due to the presence of overlapping absorptions in other NH₃ bands.     

High-speed vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) absorption spectroscopy of ammonia (NH<Subscript>3</Subscript>) near 1.54 μm

A single-frequency VCSEL has been used for the first time for high-resolution spectroscopy near 1.5 μm. The incorporated buried-tunnel-junction technology enabled the realization of a long-wavelength InGaAlAs/InP VCSEL with low threshold current (0.925 mA), high output powers (0.576 mW) and low series resistance (60 Ω). The high-speed tuning capability of the long-wavelength VCSEL was investigated and used to conduct high-speed absorption spectroscopy. The peak tuning speed was measured to be 3.4 cm^-1/μs and a 4.5-cm^-1-wide NH₃ spectrum was recorded in 2 μs. The VCSEL was used to measure highly resolved low-pressure spectra for pressures ranging from 9.6 mbar to 1 bar. The measured Doppler-broadened linewidth of 0.02 cm^-1 agrees within 3% with the theoretical calculations. The availability and various advantages of 1.3–2-μm single-frequency VCSELs as compared to edge-emitting diode lasers, such as a large current tuning range even at very high tuning frequencies, and low production costs, should significantly expand the application fields for near-infrared laser gas sensors. Received: 17 July 2002 / Revised version: 4 December 2002 / Published online: 12 May 2003 RID="*" ID="*"Corresponding author. Fax: +43-1/58801-15999, E-mail: Gerhard@Totschnig.com     

Laser-pumped molecular laser

The parameters of laser-pumped molecular lasers are investigated. It is established that the energy and tuning characteristics of an NH₃ laser (E_g = 1.5 J, efficiency 20%, P_av = 20 W, radiation frequency tuning band 753–890 cm^-1) are decisively influenced by the addition of N₂. A focusing raster optical-pumping system has made it possible to obtain a specific lasing energy 12 J/liter. A CF₄ laser with lasing energy 40 mJ operates in the 612–655 cm^-1 band. Experiments on dissociation of the molecules CCl₄ and UF₆ were carried out with the aid of NH₃ and CF₄ lasers. The systems and methods of producing Raman lasers (RL) are presented. An effective RL amplifier on rotational transitions in compressed H₂, which transforms tens of beams of Nd lasers into one coherent beam of the first Stokes component with λ ? 1.13 μm at an efficiencyup to 70%, is described.     

Continuous wave optical parametric oscillator for quartz-enhanced photoacoustic trace gas sensing

A continuous wave optical parametric oscillator, generating up to 300 mW idler output in the 3–4 μm wavelength region, and pumped by a fiber-amplified DBR diode laser is used for trace gas detection by means of quartz-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy (QEPAS). Mode-hop-free tuning of the OPO output over 5.2 cm^-1 and continuous spectral coverage exceeding 16.5 cm^-1 were achieved via electronic pump source tuning alone. Online monitoring of the idler wavelength, with feedback to the DBR diode laser, provided an automated closed-loop control allowing arbitrary idler wavelength selection within the pump tuning range and locking of the idler wavelength with a stability of 1.7×10^-3 cm^-1 over at least 30 min. Using this approach, we locked the idler wavelength at an ethane absorption peak and obtained QEPAS data to verify the linear response of the QEPAS signal at different ethane concentrations (100 ppbv-20 ppmv) and different power levels. The detection limit for ethane was determined to be 13 ppbv (20 s averaging), corresponding to a normalized noise equivalent absorption coefficient of 4.4×10^-7 cm^-1  W/Hz^1/2. PACS 42.55.Wd; 42.65.Yj; 42.62.Fi     

Absorption measurements of H2O at high temperatures using a CO laser

Absorption of CO laser radiation (v = 8→7, J = 14→15 transition at 1901.762 cm^-1) by H₂O has been studied in shock-heated H₂/O₂/Ar mixtures over the temperature range 1300–2300 K. This laser transition is nearly coincident with the v₂-band 12_3,10←11_2,9 transition of H₂O at 1901.760 cm^-1, thereby providing a convenient and sensitive absorption-based H₂O diagnostic useful for studies of combustion. The collision-broadening parameter for this H₂O line, due to broadening by Ar, was determined to be 2γ (cm^-1atm^-1) = 0.027 (T/1300)^-0.9 in the temperature range 1300–2300 K. Calculations of the H₂O absorption coefficient (at 1901.762 cm^-1) based on this expression for 2γ are presented for the temperature range 300–2500 K and pressure range 0.3–1 atm.     

Measurement of the <Superscript>13</Superscript>CO<Subscript>2</Subscript>/<Superscript>12</Superscript>CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> concentration ratio in exhaled air by diode laser spectroscopy

A method for determining the relative concentration of ¹³C/₁₂C isotopes by the vibrational-rotational spectrum of CO₂ molecule absorption in the range near 2 μm was proposed. The use of the entire region of the diode laser tuning (∼7 cm⁻¹) and multivariate linear regression for spectrum approximation allow measurements at atmospheric pressure. The laser frequency is additionally stabilized by injection current variation. The ultimate sensitivity of the setup, determined by the plot of the squared Alan variance, is 0.03% for 2-min signal acquisition. The system does not contain elements cooled by liquid nitrogen and can be used in medical diagnostics.     

Absorption of CO 2 laser emission by freon-12

The infrared (IR) absorption of freon-12 (CF₂Cl₂) was studied in the emission range of a 3-W tunable CW CO₂ laser by using a brass cell with KBr windows that was located outside the laser resonator. The results show that CF₂Cl₂ absorbs all CO₂ laser emission lines in the ranges of 1073–1083 cm^-1 and 937–943 cm^-1. The most strongly absorbed laser line was 10P (28) ( 937.21 cm^-1). Absorption coefficient values were obtained for all available wavelengths of the CO₂ laser as the CF₂Cl₂ pressure was varied from 5 to 1000 mbar. By using the HITRAN database for freon-12, the absorption coefficients were calculated at the 10P (28) and 9R (28) lines as functions of the gas pressure and compared with the experimental values. The calculated results are in reasonable agreement with the experiment. PACS 33.20.Ea; 42.55.-f; 42.55.Lt     

Broadly tunable difference-frequency spectrometer for trace gas detection with noncollinear critical phase-matching in LiNbO3

3 is reported. Using an external cavity diode laser, tunable from 795 to 825 nm, and a cw diode-pumped Nd:YAG ring laser at 1064 nm, we produced narrowband mid-ir laser light between 3.16 and 3.67 μm. This broad tuning range of 440 cm^-1 can be critically phase-matched by changing the external crystal angle within a range of only 0.4°. Even for a fixed crystal angle broadband phase-matching over 230 cm^-1 was achieved. No realignment was required when tuning the laser over the whole wavelength range, which enabled the use of a compact 36-m multipass cell as gas chamber. The conversion efficiency could be improved by almost a factor of 3 by applying noncollinear instead of collinear phase-matching, resulting in 30 nW of idler power with good beam quality. Spectra of methane were recorded in laboratory air, which demonstrate the rapid and continuous broad tunability at high sensitivity, enabling sub-ppm detection. Finally, wavelength modulation spectroscopy at high resolution was applied as a promising tool for further inproving the performance of this laser spectrometer. Received: 16 March 1998/Revised version: 1 July 1998     

A tunable diode-laser spectrometer for the MIR region near 7.2 μm applying difference-frequency generation in AgGaSe2

2 and two diode lasers as pump sources are presented. A single-mode Fabry–Pérot-type tunable diode laser (TDL) and an external-cavity diode laser (ECL) were combined to generate radiation in the mid-infrared region near 7.2 μm. With a TDL at a wavelength of approximately 1290 nm and an ECL emitting between 1504 and 1589 nm it was possible to carry out spectroscopic experiments concerning SO₂ at five different phasematching points between 1350 and 1400 cm^-1 by fixing the wavelength of one pump laser and tuning the wavelength of the other. With an input power of 8 mW for the single-mode Fabry–Pérot-type diode laser and 6 mW for the external-cavity laser an output power of about 10 nW was generated. Using the tuning capabilities of the external-cavity laser a spectral region up to 5 cm^-1 could be covered within one scan. Measurements of SO₂ absorption lines at low pressure demonstrate the high-resolution features of the spectrometer. Moreover, these data provide new direct experimental phasematching data for the rarely investigated spectral region at 7.2 μm. Received: 27 October 1997/Revised version: 8 May 1998     

Laser-based systems for trace gas detection in life sciences

Infrared gas phase spectroscopy is becoming very common in many life science applications. Here we present three types of trace gas detection systems based on CO₂ laser and continuous wave (cw) optical parametric oscillator (OPO) in combination with photoacoustic spectroscopy and cw quantum cascade laser (QCL) in combination with wavelength modulation spectroscopy. Examples are included to illustrate the suitability of CO₂ laser system to monitor in real time ethylene emission from various dynamic processes in plants and microorganisms as well as from car exhausts. The versatility of an OPO-based detector is demonstrated by simultaneous detection of ¹³C-methane and ¹²C-methane (at 3240 nm) at similar detection limits of 0.1 parts per billion by volume. Recent progress on a QCL-based spectrometer using a continuous wave QCL (output power 25 mW, tuning range of 1891–1908 cm^-1) is presented and a comparison is made to a standard chemiluminescence instrument for analysis of NO in exhaled breath. PACS  42.62 Be; 42.62 Fi     

Narrow-band tunable infrared pulses with sub-picosecond time resolution

Single-path parametric amplification in two properly aligned LiNbO₃ crystals allows the generation of nearly bandwidth width limited infrared pulses of 3.5 ps duration and 6.5 cm^-1 frequency width around 3000 cm^-1. Intensities of the order of 10⁹ W/cm² and a tuning range of 2500 cm^-1 to 7000 cm^-1 are readily possible. The sharp wings of the parametric pulses permit a time resolution of 0.4 ps in two-pulse probing experiments.     

Sweep-laser on dynamic modes

A new method of laser frequency tuning consisting in tuning of the selective cavity with a simultaneous change of its length is reported. The operating conditions are briefly analyzed and experimental results are discussed. The continuous tuning range obtained for Nd:glass sweep-laser is ～ 100 cm^-1.     

Widely tunable mode-hop free external cavity quantum cascade laser for high resolution spectroscopic applications

An external cavity (EC) quantum cascade laser (QCL) configuration with the thermoelectrically cooled gain medium fabricated using a bound-to-continuum design and operating in continuous wave at ∼5.2 μm is reported. The EC architecture employs a piezo-activated cavity mode tracking system for mode-hop free operation suitable for high resolution spectroscopic applications and multiple species trace-gas detection. The performance of the EC-QCL exhibits coarse single mode tuning over 35 cm^-1 and a continuous mode-hop free fine tuning range of ∼1.2 cm^-1. PACS 07.07.Df; 42.55.Px; 42.62.Fi; 42.60.Fc     

External short-cavity diode-laser for MIR difference-frequency generation

A compact mid-infrared (MIR) laser system is described applying two single mode diode-lasers as pump and signal sources to generate difference-frequency radiation in AgGaS₂. A spectral tuning range of 71.5 cm^-1 between 4.9–5.1 m with an output power of 100 nW and linewidth of 1.2×10^-2 cm^-1 (3.6 GHz) for the DFG laser system is obtained by mode behavior improvement of the pump source using an external short-cavity. The performance of such an external short-cavity MIR-DFG laser spectrometer is demonstrated by recording the fundamental absorption spectra of carbon monoxide (¹²C¹⁶O) and nitric oxide (¹⁴N¹⁶O) in a 10 cm long cell in order to estimate line-broadening coefficients of CO and NO molecules, which are of general interest in combustion diagnostics . PACS 32.20.-t; 33.20.Ea; 42.60-v; 42.60.Fc; 42.62.-b; 42.62.Fi; 42.68.-w; 42.68.Ca; 42.72.-g; 42.72.Ai     

Absorption of CO laser radiation by NO

Absorption of CO i.r. laser radiation by NO has been studied over the temperature range 300°–4000°K using a grating-tunable CO laser in conjunction with a room-temperature absorption cell and a shock tube. The CO laser line with strongest absorption at elevated temperatures was determined to be the V = 7 → 6, J = 12 → 13 line at 1935.4817 cm^-1, which is nearly coincident with the ²Π_{$\text{3}\text{2}$}V = 0 → 1, J = 37/2 → 39/2 transition in NO. The absorption cell measurements (300°K) were used to infer the position of the NO absorption line (a Λ-doublet at 1935.492 and 1935.497 cm^-1) as well as collision-broadening parameters in pure NO and NO dilute in foreign gases: 2γ° (collision-broadened full width at half maximum in cm^-1 atm^-1 at 300°K) = 0.110, NO-NO; 0.072, NO in Ar; 0.069, NO in Kr; 0.109, NO in N₂. Calculations of the NO absorption coefficient at 1935.4817 cm^-1 are presented for a range of conditions applicable to current studies in combustion and NO_x kinetics. Shock tube measurements (630°–4000°K) supporting these calculations are also reported.