An approach of open-path gas sensor based on tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy

Tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy (TDLAS) is a new method to detect trace-gas qualitatively or quantificationally based on the scan characteristic of the diode laser to obtain the absorption spectroscopy in the characteristic absorption region. A time-sharing scanning open-path TDLAS system using two near infrared distributed feedback (DFB) tunable diode lasers is designed to detect CH4 and H2S in leakage of natural gas. A low-cost Fresnel lens is used in this system as receiving optics which receives the laser beam reflected by a solid corner cube reflector with a distance of up to about 60 m. High sensitivity is achieved by means of wavelength-modulation spectroscopy with second-harmonic detection. The minimum detection limits of 1.1 ppm·m for CH4 and 15 ppm·m for H2S are demonstrated with a total optical path of 120 m. The simulation monitoring experiment of nature gas leakage was carried out with this system. According to the receiving light efficiency of optical system and detectable minimum light intensity of detection, the detectable optical path of the system can achieve 1 - 2 km. The sensor is suitable for natural gas leakage monitoring application.     

Continuous wave,distributed feedback diode laser based sensor for trace-gas detection of ethane

The development of a continuous wave (CW), thermoelectrically cooled (TEC), distributed feedback (DFB) laser diode based spectroscopic trace-gas sensor for ultra-sensitive and selective ethane (C₂H₆) concentration measurements is reported. The sensor platform used tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy (TDLAS) based on a 2f wavelength modulation (WM) detection technique. TDLAS was performed with a 100 m optical path length astigmatic Herriott cell. For an interference free C₂H₆ absorption line located at 2976.8 cm⁻¹ a 1σ minimum detection limit of 240 pptv (part per trillion by volume) with a 1 second lock-in amplifier time constant was achieved. In addition, reliable and long-term sensor performance was obtained when operating the sensor in an absorption line locked mode.     

Near- and mid-infrared laser-optical sensors for gas analysis

Semiconductor diode lasers were first developed in the mid-1960s and found immediate application as much needed tunable sources for high-resolution laser spectroscopy commonly referred to as tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy (TDLAS). In this paper, currently available semiconductor lasers for spectroscopy in the near- and mid-infrared spectral region based upon gallium arsenide, indium phosphite, antimonides and lead-salt containing compounds will be reviewed together with the main features of TDLAS. Room-temperature measurements of atmospheric carbon dioxide near 2 μm will be discussed and recent results obtained with a fast chemical sensor for methane flux measurements based on lead-salt diode lasers operating near 7.8 μm will be presented.     

Diode laser measurement of line strengths and air-broadening coefficients of CO2 and CO in the 1.57 μm region for combustion diagnostics

Spectral measurements of two line pairs of CO₂ and CO in the temperature range 300–1000 K at 1.573 µm were performed using a fiber-coupled distributed feedback (DFB) diode laser. The two line pairs can be used in a tunable diode laser (TDL) absorption sensor for simultaneously detecting CO₂ and CO gas in a single scan of the diode laser. The spectral parameters (line strengths, air-broadening coefficients and the temperature exponent n) of the two pairs are presented. The measured data agree well with existing databases (HITRAN 2004 and HITRAN 2008), the discrepancies being less than 5% for most of the probed transitions. Although the HITRAN database is a useful tool for sensor design, we found that laboratory measurements of the spectroscopic data for the line pair selected for high-temperature sensors are necessary for establishing the uncertainty for accurate measurements.     

Investigation of the nonlinear optical properties of metamaterials by second harmonic generation

The development of a laser absorption spectroscopy sensor system has been described for measurement of two-dimensional (2D) integrated absorbance linear density and temperature distributions. The system incorporates a tunable distributed feedback (DFB) diode laser at 1391.67 nm and a scanning mirror mounted on a moveable carriage, whilst a photodetector and a second scanning mirror are mounted on another moveable carriage. Both carriages move independently along a circular rail with a diameter of 97 cm. The positions of the carriages and the scanning mirrors are controlled by a program via four servomotors. The laser wavelength is scanned over H₂O absorption transitions for 11 fan beam projections from five equally spaced points around the circle. 2D images of the integrated absorbance linear density due to water molecules influenced by two heaters were obtained using the algebraic reconstruction technique (the Kaczmarz method). The derived temperature distribution compared well with thermocouple measurements. The experimental results demonstrate that the system based upon a tunable laser absorption sensor can be used for monitoring the 2D distribution of chemical species and temperature in various reactive flow applications.     

Wireless laser spectroscopic sensor node for atmospheric CO2 monitoring—laboratory and field test

We developed a low-power, portable, wireless laser spectroscopic sensor for atmospheric CO₂ monitoring. The sensor is based on tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy with a 2-μm wavelength VCSEL as a source and wavelength modulation technique for spectroscopic signal detection. The sensor allows measurement of CO₂ concentration changes with a 1σ sensitivity of 0.14 ppmv?Hz^?1/2. This sensor was both laboratory and field tested under varying environmental conditions. It was used to measure a soil respiration rate of topsoil in the lab and of forest floors in the field. Measurement results are compared with those of commercial non-dispersive infrared sensors and very good agreement is found.     

Hollow-waveguide-based carbon dioxide sensor for capnography

A CO2 sensor for capnography, based on a hollow waveguide(HWG) and tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy(TDLAS), is presented; the sensor uses direct absorption spectroscopy and requires neither frequent calibration nor optical filters, giving it a significant advantage over existing techniques. Because of the HWG, the CO2 measurement achieved a concentration resolution of 60 ppm at a measurement rate of 25 Hz, as characterized by Allan variance. The length of the HWG was selected to efficiently suppress the optical fringes. This setup is perfectly suited for the detection of CO2 by capnography, and shows promise for the potential detection of other breath gases.     

基于便携式柱面镜多通池的二氧化碳高灵敏度探测研究

二氧化碳作为大气中重要的温室气体，与气候变化和人类活动密切相关，因此对其浓度的探测具有重要意义。利用近红外可调谐二极管激光器结合自主设计的便携式小型化柱面镜光学多通吸收池，实现了二氧化碳气体的高灵敏探测。通过Matlab编写光线传输矩阵，优化设计了基于柱面镜的光学多通吸收池，相比于传统Herriott型多通池，具有腔镜利用面积高、在相同体积内可实现有效光程长等特点，在物理基长为15 cm的情况下，实现了14 m的有效光程。实验中使用中心波长为1.57 μm的DFB二极管激光器，采用直接吸收光谱方法对CO₂气体进行了探测研究，并用Allan方差对系统性能进行了分析。结果表明，在平均时间为5 s时，系统的探测灵敏度为33.1 μL·L-1，平均时间为235 s时，系统的探测灵敏度可达到5.3 μL·L-1。此外，利用该系统实现了大气中CO₂的探测，得到大气中的CO₂浓度为383.4 μL·L-1。基于柱面镜多通池搭建的可调谐激光吸收光谱(TDLAS)系统，结合了柱面镜多通池可在小体积内实现长光程和可调谐激光吸收光谱技术高灵敏度、高分辨率、快速响应的优点，大大减小了系统体积，提高了系统探测灵敏度，在气体探测领域有广泛的应用。     

CO and CO2 spectroscopy using a 60 nm broadband tunable MEMS-VCSEL at approximately 1.55 microm

The spectroscopic application of a new broadband microelectromechanical-system-tunable vertical cavity surface-emitting laser with single-mode coverage of 60 nm (245 cm(-1)) in a single, continuous sweep is described. The operation of the device is illustrated with high-resolution spectra of CO and CO2 over 110 cm(-1) (27 nm) and 67 cm(-1) (17 nm), respectively, with the CO band shown for high-pressure scans between 1 and 3 bars (0.1-0.3 MPa). The achieved tuning range opens up new opportunities for tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy. The spectra were compared with HITRAN-derived model calculations. The benefits of a sensor based on this laser are greater speed, laser power, and tuning range.     

Generation of tunable far-infrared radiation with a quantum cascade laser

We demonstrate the generation of cw tunable far-infrared radiation by mixing a quantum cascade laser and a CO>(2) laser in a W-Ni metal-insulator-metal diode. The first known spectroscopic application to the recording of an H(79)Br transition near 4.47 THz is reported.     

QCL-based TDLAS sensor for detection of NO toward emission measurements from ovarian cancer cells

The development of a sensitive sensor for detecting nitric oxide (NO) emissions from biological samples is reported. The sensor is based on tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy (TDLAS) using a continuous wave, thermoelectrically cooled quantum cascade laser (QCL) and a 100-m astigmatic Herriot cell. A 2f-wavelength modulation spectroscopy technique was used to obtain QCL-based TDLAS NO emission measurements with an optimum signal-to-noise ratio. An absorption line at 1,900.076 cm^?1 was targeted to measure NO with a minimum detection limit of 124 ppt. Positive control measurements with the NO donor DETA NONOate were performed to determine and optimize the sensor performance for measurements of biological samples. Our measurements with NO donor show the potential suitability of the sensor for monitoring NO emission from cancer cells for biological investigations.     

Diode-laser-based ultraviolet-absorption sensor for high-speed detection of the hydroxyl radical

A new diode-laser-based UV-absorption sensor for high-speed detection of the hydroxyl radical (OH) is described. The sensor is based on sum-frequency generation of UV radiation at 313.5 nm by mixing the output of a 763-nm distributed-feedback diode laser with that of a 532-nm high-power, diode-pumped, frequency-doubled Nd:YVO4 laser in a beta-barium borate crystal. Approximately 25 microW of UV radiation is generated and used to probe rotational transitions in the A2 Sigma+ -X2II (v' = 0, v" = 0) electronic transition of OH. Single-sweep, single-pass measurements of temperature and OH concentration in a stoichiometric C2H4-air flame are demonstrated at rates up to 20 kHz.     

CO2 sensor for mainstream capnography based on TDLAS

The setup and signal processing for a mainstream capnography sensor is presented in this paper. The probe exhibits an optical path length of 2.5 cm and is equipped with a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser at 2 μm. The sensor does not need any calibration, since the CO₂ absorption line as well as the laser background is measured using direct tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy. Unavoidable optical fringes are reduced with a self-developed fringe rejection method. The sensor achieves a concentration resolution <300 ppmv at 4 vol% and a measurement rate >30 Hz.     

Diode laser spectroscopy of H2O and CO2 in the 1.877-μm region for the in situ monitoring of the Martian atmosphere

A diode laser spectrometer was used in the laboratory to study H₂O and CO₂ line intensities and self-broadening coefficients around 1.877 μm. The spectral region ranging from 5327 cm^-1 to 5329 cm^-1, which is suitable for the in situ sensing of water vapor and carbon dioxide in the Martian atmosphere, was studied using a distributed feedback GaInSb diode laser from Nanoplus GmbH. We have studied one line from the (011)←(000)band of H₂O and two lines from the (01¹2)_I←(000) band of CO₂. The results of intensity and self-broadening measurements are compared to available databases, ab initio calculations and previous experimental determinations. Finally, we discuss the current development of the tunable diode laser absorption spectrometer instrument, a laser diode sensor devoted to the in situ measurement of H₂O and CO₂ in the Martian atmosphere. PACS 07.57.Ty; 07.87.+v     

Optimum signal-to-noise ratio in off-axis integrated cavity output spectroscopy

The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in off-axis integrated cavity output spectroscopy (OA-ICOS) is investigated and compared to direct absorption spectroscopy using multipass absorption cells [tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy (TDLAS)]. Applying measured noise characteristics of a near-IR tunable diode laser and detector, it is shown that the optimum SNR is not generally reached at the highest effective absorption path length. Simulations are used to determine the parameters for maximized SNR of OA-ICOS.     

SG-DBR半导体激光器的光谱技术研究

可调谐半导体激光吸收光谱作为一种高灵敏度、高选择性、非侵入的痕量气体实时检测技术,已在大气监测、工业控制等方面得到广泛应用。采用一种新型宽带可调谐的SG-DBR半导体激光器(可调谐范围1 520~1 570 nm)作光源,并通过自编程序对该激光器设定了18个通道,输出波长分别对应CO,CO₂以及H₂O的吸收谱线中心位置,设计和构建了一个基于近红外可调谐半导体激光吸收光谱的多组分气体光谱测量系统,描述了相关的光学系统设置,结合波长调制(wm)的二次谐波技术测量其中14个通道(分别对应CO和CO₂的吸收谱线)的吸收光谱,系统获得的CO和CO₂峰值吸收探测极限能够达到10-5。实验结果验证了SG-DBR激光器在波长调制吸收光谱多组分气体检测领域的可行性。在实际应用过程中使用单个SG-DBR激光器可以实现多组分气体的同时测量,有效降低设备成本和系统复杂性。     

200 W级高亮度半导体激光器光纤耦合模块

光纤激光器系统需要高可靠性、高亮度、高功率光纤耦合输出二极管激光器模块作为泵浦源。基于mini-bar二极管激光器芯片,采用光束精密准直技术、自由空间合束技术来获得高亮度、高功率光纤耦合输出,针对光纤芯径为200 m、数值孔径为 0.22的多模光纤,开展了线偏振二极管激光光纤耦合实验,实验结果表明：光纤稳定输出功率达280 W,对应亮度为5.87 MW/（cm2sr）,电-光效率为45.0%。采用偏振合束技术,光纤预期输出功率可达500 W,对应亮度超过10 MW/（cm2sr）。该方法可应用于研制数百瓦级高亮度二极管激光光纤耦合输出激光器模块。     

Application of a difference-frequency-mixing based diode-laser sensor for carbon monoxide detection in the 4.4–4.8 μm spectral region

An all-solid-state continuous-wave (cw) laser system for mid-infrared absorption measurements of the carbon monoxide (CO) molecule has been developed and demonstrated. The single-mode, tunable output of an external-cavity diode laser (ECDL) is difference-frequency mixed with the output of a 550-mW diode-pumped cw Nd:YAG laser in a periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN) crystal to generate tunable cw radiation in the mid-infrared region. The wavelength of the 860-nm ECDL can be coarse tuned from 860.782 to 872.826 nm, allowing the sensor to be operated in the spectral region 4.4–4.8 μm. CO-concentration measurements were performed in CO/CO₂/N₂ mixtures in a room-temperature gas cell, in the exhaust stream of a well-stirred reactor (WSR) at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and in a near-adiabatic hydrogen/air CO₂-doped flame. The noise equivalent detection limits were estimated to be 1.1 and 2.5 ppm per meter for the gas cell and flame experiments, respectively. These limits were computed for combustion gas at 1000 K and atmospheric pressure assuming a signal-to-noise ratio of 1. The sensor uncertainty was estimated to be 2% for the gas-cell measurements and 10% for the flame measurements based on the repeatability of the peak absorption. PACS 07.07.Df; 42.62.Fi; 42.65.Ky; 42.72.Ai     

可调谐掺铥光纤激光器线宽压缩及其超光谱吸收应用

可调谐二极管激光吸收光谱技术是一种应用非常广泛的吸收光谱测量技术.利用宽带可调谐窄线宽光源进行吸收光谱测量的超光谱吸收技术可以在单次扫描中获取一段连续光谱的所有吸收数据,可大大提高可调谐二极管激光吸收光谱技术的数据信息容量和光谱诊断能力.分析了在2μm波段对水进行超光谱吸收测量时对激光器输出线宽的具体要求.利用掺铥光纤在2μm波段较宽的发射谱,采用可调谐法布里-珀罗滤波器和光纤可饱和吸收体相结合的技术方案搭建了一台宽带调谐窄线宽的2μm光纤激光器.获得了1840—1900 nm约60 nm范围的调谐光谱输出,激光器静态线宽仅为0.05 nm.利用该光源对空气中水在2μm波段的吸收光谱数据进行了超光谱吸收测量,在1856—1886 nm约30 nm的光谱范围内分辨了35条水的吸收谱线.通过对不同线宽条件下1870—1880 nm范围内的理论吸收光谱数据进行对比发现,测量数据无法有效分辨分别位于1873 nm和1877 nm处与强吸收线相邻的两条吸收谱线,且测量结果与激光线宽在0.08 nm条件下的HITRAN2012光谱数据库最为接近.这表明,在动态扫描过程中激光器的线宽得到了展宽.     

Continuous-wave Raman laser in H(2)

Recent developments in high-finesse cavities now make broadly tunable, continuous-wave Raman lasers possible. The design and preliminary characterization of what is to the authors' knowledge the first continuous-wave Raman laser in H(2) are presented. The threshold is currently at 2 mW of pump, making diode laser pumping possible. The maximum photon conversion efficiency observed was 35% at 7.6 mW of pump power.