Using a DS-DBR laser for widely tunable near-infrared cavity ring-down spectroscopy

Studies into the suitability of a novel, widely tunable telecom L-band (1,563–1,613 nm) digital supermode distributed Bragg reflector (DS-DBR) laser for cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS) are presented. The spectrometer comprised of a 36.6?cm long linear cavity with ring-down times varying between 19–26 μs across the 50 nm DS-DBR wavelength range due to changes in the cavity mirror reflectivities with wavelength. The potential of such a broadband, high-resolution CRD spectrometer was illustrated by investigating several transitions of CO₂ in air, a 5 % calibrated mixture and breath samples. Allan variance measurements at a single wavelength indicated an optimal minimum detectable absorption coefficient (α _min) of 3 × 10^?10 cm^?1 over 20 s.     

Cavity ring-down measurements in flames using a single-mode tunable laser system

High-resolution pulsed cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS) of OH in a flame has been demonstrated using a novel single-mode tunable laser (STL). This system operates by pulse amplification of the output of a single-mode diode laser in a modeless dye laser. Ring-down curves obtained using the narrow-bandwidth STL, for both strong and weak transitions, are shown to be well fitted by single exponentials. These results are demonstrated to be in direct contrast with those obtained using a standard dye laser, for which the bandwidth is comparable to the transition linewidths and ring-down curves require multi-exponential fits.Accurate lineshape analysis is thus made possible using the STL, allowing the temperature to be derived from the measured Doppler width. The resulting measurement is in good agreement with the value derived from a Boltzmann plot of data obtained using a conventional laser in a similar flame. The advantages of using the STL system for quantitative CRDS measurements are discussed, together with a suggestion for quantitative measurements of the ASE content of narrowband lasers using CRDS. PACS 82.33.Vx; 42.60.-v; 42.62.Fi     

Low-noise, tunable diode laser for ultra-high-resolution spectroscopy

We demonstrate the excellent spectral properties of a diode laser setup that combines good tunability with superb short-term frequency stability and controllability. It is based on merging two concepts, the diode laser with resonant optical feedback and the grating stabilized diode laser. To characterize the short-term performance we beat two essentially identical diode lasers and find a short-term linewidth of ~11 kHz. Phase locking between these lasers is achieved with a servo bandwidth as small as 46 kHz, although an analog phase detector is used that requires subradian residual phase error. Despite small phase error detection range and small servo bandwidth, cycle-slip-free phase locking is accomplished for typically many 10 min, and the optical power is essentially contained in a spectral window of less than 20 mHz relative to the optical reference. Due to the excellent performance this laser concept is well suited for atomic or molecular coherence experiments, which require phase locking of different lasers to each other, and as part of a flywheel for optical clocks.     

High-sensitivity transient spectroscopy using tunable diode lasers

Experimental techniques have been developed to monitor transient infrared absorptions using lead-salt tunable diode lasers. The techniques are easily implemented, yield sensitivities which are limited by detector noise at 10^–5 level of absorbance, and have a response time on the order of one microsecond. The transient absorption detection techniques are high frequency versions of the sweep integration technique pioneered by Jennings [Appl. Opt.19, 2695 (1980)]. TDL modulation rates of 100 kHz and 500 kHz allow for absorption sampling rates of 200 kHz and 1 MHz, respectively. In order to reproducibly achieve near-detector-noise-limited sensitivities for 100 kHz TDL modulation rates, an automated analog subtraction circuit has been developed which removes the effects of minor TDL power variations. At the 500 kHz modulation rate, digital filtering techniques are used to remove the effects of this power variation.     

A picosecond widely tunable deep-ultraviolet laser for angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy

We develop a picosecond widely tunable laser in a deep-ultraviolet region from 175 nm to 210 nm,generated by two stages of frequency doubling of a 80-MHz mode-locked picosecond Ti:sapphire laser.A β-BaB2O4 walk-off compensation configuration and a KBe2BO3F2 prism-coupled device are adopted for the generation of second harmonic and fourth harmonics,respectively.The highest power is 3.72 mW at 193 nm,and the fluctuation at 2.85 mW in 130 min is less than ±2%.     

基于可调谐半导体激光器吸收光谱的温度测量方法研究

介绍了基于半导体激光器作光源的吸收光谱测温技术研究和开发集成的系统,利用H₂O在1.4μm附近的吸收线对的线强比值来反演温度.介绍了该系统在实验室管式高温上的标定和开放炉管的测量验证,结果显示各设置温度下测量温度波动平均在50 K左右.之后在CH₄/空气预混平焰炉上进行进一步验证,发现在吸收线7153.7 cm^-1长波一侧出现了HITRAN08中未给出的几条H₂O吸收和该吸收线重叠.HITEMP中在这些波长上有对应的吸收线给出,但对另一条选用的吸收7154.354 cm^-1,给出的可对应吸收线中心频率和测量不一致.根据实验测量结果和HITRAN/HIlTEMP的对比,对选择吸收线对的位置和线强等参数继续采用实验室标定结果,并引入HlTEMP中给出的这些高温下表现出来的吸收线参数,在平焰炉不同当量比状态下做了测量对比.     

基于可调谐半导体激光吸收光谱的瓦斯监测方法研究

瓦斯爆炸是煤矿安全的主要威胁,对瓦斯气体浓度进行准确、快速、实时监测和预警是治理瓦斯灾害的有效手段。实验研究了近红外半导体激光吸收光谱技术在煤矿瓦斯气体安全检测中的应用。系统光源采用的是1.65μm波长的近红外可调谐DFB激光器,使用了波长调制和二次谐波检测技术,通过光纤进行信号传输。系统检测限低于0.09%,气体浓度的检测速度最高可达到0.02s。研究表明:该技术具有实时、连续、快速、非接触检测的特点;现场无带电部件,具有多点分布式遥测的能力,能够满足煤矿瓦斯安全检测的要求。     

可调谐半导体激光吸收光谱监测农田气体通量特性研究

可调谐半导体激光吸收光谱(TDLAS)具有高选择性,高灵敏度等特性,非常适合监测农田痕量气体交换过程。采用开放式光程的可调半导体激光吸收光谱和非分散红外光谱技术,在封丘农田进行了一个月监测试验。选择CO2作为目标气体,用两种不同光谱技术选择不同的通量计算方法,分别获取农田排放通量。根据实验条件,提出了TDLAS的通量印痕模型,对比分析了两种技术的空间代表性特性,同时分析了数据误差来源和不同外界因素对通量测量的影响特性。结果发现在相同的气象条件下,仪器架设高度越高,光学路径越长,开放光路的TDLAS通量贡献区就越大。这些结果对通量监测中仪器安装有很好的指导意义。     

Self-mixing interference effects in tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy

We report the effects of self-mixing interference on gas detection using tunable diode laser spectroscopy. For very weak feedback, the laser diode output intensity gains a sinusoidal modulation analogous to that caused by low finesse etalons in the optical path. Our experiments show that self-mixing interference can arise from both specular reflections (e.g. cell windows) and diffuse reflections (e.g. Spectralon^™ and retroreflective tape), potentially in a wider range of circumstances than etalon-induced interference. The form and magnitude of the modulation is shown to agree with theory. We have quantified the effect of these spurious signals on methane detection using wavelength modulation spectroscopy and discuss the implications for real gas detectors.     

基于可调谐半导体激光吸收光谱技术的高速气流流速测量方法研究

以激光Doppler效应为原理,结合可调谐半导体激光吸收光谱技术的窄线宽、可调谐优势, 可实现高速气流流速的实时在线检测.介绍了流速测量的基本原理和方法,搭建了双光路流速测量系统, 利用DFB激光器对位于1398 nm处的水汽吸收线进行10 kHz快速扫描,获得高速气流的实时光谱信息, 并根据两路吸光度曲线之间的Doppler频移来反演气流流速.介绍了频率标定和Doppler频移测量的方法. 在风洞上进行了流速测量验证性实验,将流速测量结果与理论计算结果进行了对比,二者之间符合得较好, 初步证明了该方法的可行性.分析了系统的性能及可能引起流速测量误差的因素,以便系统进一步优化.     

Widely tunable diffraction limited 1000 mW external cavity diode laser in Littman/Metcalf configuration for cavity ring-down spectroscopy

We report on recent progress on external cavity diode lasers (ECDL) using a new concept of a Littman/Metcalf configuration. Within this concept one facet of the diode laser chip is used for coupling to a high quality Littman/Metcalf resonator whereas the other side of the diode laser chip emits the output beam. The alignment of the external resonator is independent from the alignment of the output beam and there is no need for any compromise in the alignment. This results in an improved behavior of the external resonator with the benefit of a drastic increase in power and single mode tuning.We investigated this light source for high resolution spectroscopy in the field of cw-cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS). The monitoring of environmental and medical gases from vehicles or human breath requires a suitable radiation source in the mid-infrared (MIR) between 3 and 5 μm that is frequency stable and can be widely tuned. Since this wavelength cannot be reached via direct emitting room temperature semiconductor lasers, additional techniques like difference frequency generation (DFG) are essential. Tunable difference frequency generation relies on high power, small linewidth, fast tunable, robust laser diode sources with excellent beam quality.With our new compact, alignment-insensitive and robust ECDL concept, we achieved an output power of 1000 mW and an almost Gaussian shaped beam quality (M²<1.2). The coupling efficiency for optical waveguides as well as single mode fibers exceeds 70%. The wavelength is widely tunable within the tuning range of 20 nm via remote control. This laser system operates longitudinally in single mode with a mode-hop free tuning range of more than 150 GHz without current compensation and a side-mode-suppression better than 50 dB. This concept is currently realized within the wavelength regime between 750 and 1080 nm.Our high powered Littman/Metcalf laser system was part of a MIR-light source which utilizes DFG in periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN) crystals. At the wavelength of 3.3 μm we were able to achieve a high-resolution absorption spectrum of water with four different isotoplogues of H₂O components. This application clearly demonstrates the suitability of this laser for high-precision measurements. PACS 07.57.Ty; 42.55.Px; 42.62.Fi     

Non-contact detection of explosives by means of a tunable diode laser spectroscopy

As explosives are unstable, their decay products may be targeted for detection by means of tunable diode laser spectroscopy (TDLS). A model in which an explosive is placed inside an envelope with a hole in it has been studied. It has been shown that outside the envelope the concentration of the decay products may exceed that of the vapors of an explosive, by several orders. Decay products of explosives have been investigated using Fourier-transform spectrometry and TDLS. The following decay products have been identified: NO, N₂O, CO, NH₃. Analysis of the temperature dependencies of their occurrence rates has allowed estimation of the activation energies, which appear to be close to 1 eV. An experimental model of the diode laser spectrometer designed for noncontact detection of explosives has been developed. The possibility of such detection has been demonstrated experimentally. PACS 42.62.Fi; 07.07.Df; 42.55.Px     

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     

Injection-seeded, gain-switched tunable Cr:ZnSe laser

We report a narrow-linewidth, tunable, gain-switched Cr:ZnSe laser operating between 2255 and 2455 nm. The spectral width of the laser was reduced from 125 nm to 0.3 nm by using injection seeding. Seeding was achieved with a second tunable CW Cr:ZnSe laser. The output wavelength was varied by tuning the wavelength of the seed laser. The seeded oscillator produced as high as 157 μJ pulses with 598 μJ incident pump pulse energy at a repetition rate of 1 kHz. The slope efficiency was determined to be 26%.     

基于可调谐半导体激光吸收光谱的酒精蒸汽检测方法

采用窄带半导体激光器开展了酒精蒸汽浓度检测方法研究.使用酒精分子在7180 cm-1附近的一个相对较窄的吸收峰作为酒精分子的鉴别信息.为消除水汽对酒精分子检测的干扰,提出了建立多元线性回归方程拟合求解多分子吸收共存的问题.实验表明,系统的检测限达到25 ppm·m.     

Effect of optical feedback noise on tunable diode laser spectroscopy

The effect of optical feedback noise of a laser diode on the stability of gas-absorption spectra was investigated by monitoring the optical absorption of CO₂ gas. Lasing longitudinal mode instability greatly degraded the shape of the absorption spectra, and coherence collapse in the laser diode greatly broadened the spectra. The correlation between the optical feedback noise of the laser diode and the shape of the gas-absorption spectra was clarified on the basis of these spectral behaviors. PACS 42.62.Fi; 42.55.Px; 42.68.Ca     

Determination of exhaled nitric oxide distributions in a diverse sample population using tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy

A liquid-nitrogen free mid-infrared tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy (TDLAS) system equipped with a folded-optical-path astigmatic Herriott cell was used to measure levels of exhaled nitric oxide (eNO) and exhaled carbon dioxide (eCO₂) in breath. Quantification of absolute eNO concentrations was performed using NO/CO₂ absorption ratios measured by the TDLAS system coupled with absolute eCO₂ concentrations measured with a non-dispersive infrared sensor. This technique eliminated the need for routine calibrations using standard cylinder gases. The TDLAS system was used to measure eNO in children and adults (n=799, ages 5 to 64) over a period of more than one year as part of a field study. Volunteers for the study self-reported data including age, height, weight, and health status. The resulting data were used to assess system performance and to generate eNO and eCO₂ distributions, which were found to be log-normal and Gaussian, respectively. There were statistically significant differences in mean eNO levels for males and females as well as for healthy and steroid naïve asthmatic volunteers not taking corticosteroid therapies. Ambient NO levels affected measured eNO concentrations only slightly, but this effect was not statistically significant.     

可调谐激光吸收光谱应用于气体二维浓度分布重建研究

基于可调谐半导体激光吸收光谱技术(TDLAS),设计了气体浓度二维分布重建系统。将单路可调谐激光分为24路,交叉穿过目标区域,得到24组直接吸收信号(DA),并采用代数迭代法(ART)计算得到目标区域气体浓度二维分布。搭建了二维气体浓度分布测量试验台,利用中心波长在1.653μm的DFB激光器作为光源,选取HITRAN数据库CH4的2v3带R(3)线作为计算谱线进行数值模拟和试验验证,并对重建结果进行了误差分析。结果表明重建系统能很好的实现气体二维浓度分布重建测量。