Infrared cavity ringdown laser absorption spectroscopy (IR-CRLAS)

Technical Solution for Monitoring Climatically Active Gases Using the Turbulent Pulsation Method

This article introduces a technical solution for investigating the movement of gases in the atmosphere through the turbulent pulsation method. A comprehensive control system was developed to measure and record the concentrations of carbon dioxide and methane, temperature, humidity, atmospheric air pressure, wind direction, and speed in the vertical plane. The selection and validation of sensor types and brands for each parameter, along with the system for data collection, registration, and device monitoring, were meticulously executed. The AHT21 + ENS160 sensor was chosen for temperature measurement, the BME680 was identified as the optimal sensor for humidity and atmospheric pressure control, Eu-M-CH4-OD was designated for methane gas analysis, and CM1107N for carbon dioxide measurements. Wind direction and speed are best measured with the SM5386V anemometer. The control system utilizes the Arduino controller, and software was developed for the multicomponent gas analyzer.

High-precision cavity spectroscopy using high-frequency squeezed light

In this article, we present a novel spectroscopy technique that improves the signal-to-shot-noise ratio without the need to increase the laser power. Detrimental effects by technical noise sources are avoided by frequency-modulation techniques (frequency up-shifting). Superimposing the signal on non-classical states of light leads to a reduced quantum noise floor. Our method reveals in a proof-of-concept experiment small signals at Hz to kHz frequencies even below the shot noise limit. Our theoretical calculations fully support our experimental findings. The proposed technique is interesting for applications such as high-precision cavity spectroscopy, e.g., for explosive trace gas detection where the specific gas might set an upper limit for the laser power employed.

Sensitive and ultra-fast species detection using pulsed cavity ringdown spectroscopy

Pulsed cavity ringdown spectroscopy (CRDS) is used to develop a novel, ultra-fast, high-sensitivity diagnostic for measuring species concentrations in shock tube experiments. The diagnostic is demonstrated by monitoring trace concentrations of ethylene in the mid-IR region near 949.47 cm⁻¹. Each ringdown measurement is completed in less than 1 µs and the time period between successive pulses is 10 µs. The high sensitivity diagnostic has a noise-equivalent detection limit of 1.08 x 10⁻⁵ cm⁻¹ which enables detection of 15 ppm ethylene at fuel pyrolysis conditions (1845 K and 2 bar) and 294 ppb ethylene under ambient conditions (297 K and 1 bar). To our knowledge, this is the first successful application of the cavity ringdown method to the measurement of species time-histories in a shock tube.

Model-Based, Closed-Loop Control of PZT Creep for Cavity Ring-Down Spectroscopy

Cavity ring-down spectrometers typically employ a PZT stack to modulate the cavity transmission spectrum. While PZTs ease instrument complexity and aid measurement sensitivity, PZT hysteresis hinders the implementation of cavity-length-stabilized, data-acquisition routines. Once the cavity length is stabilized, the cavity's free spectral range imparts extreme linearity and precision to the measured spectrum's wavelength axis. Methods such as frequency-stabilized cavity ring-down spectroscopy have successfully mitigated PZT hysteresis, but their complexity limits commercial applications. Described herein is a single-laser, model-based, closed-loop method for cavity length control.

Total internal reflection spectroscopy for studying soft matter

Total internal reflection (TIR) spectroscopy is a widely used technique to study soft matter at interfaces. This tutorial review aims to provide researchers with an overview of the principles, experimental design and applications of TIR spectroscopy to enable them to understand how this class of techniques might be used in their research. It also highlights limitations and pitfalls of TIR techniques, which will assist readers in critically analysing the literature. Techniques covered include attenuated total reflection infrared spectroscopy (ATR-IR), TIR fluorescence, TIR Raman scattering and cavity-enhanced techniques. Other related techniques are briefly described.

Continuous-wave cavity ringdown spectroscopy based on the control of cavity reflection

A new type of continuous-wave cavity ringdown spectrometer based on the control of cavity reflection for trace gas detection was designed and evaluated. The technique separated the acquisitions of the ringdown event and the trigger signal to optical switch by detecting the cavity reflection and transmission, respectively. A detailed description of the time sequence of the measurement process was presented. In order to avoid the wrong extraction of ringdown time encountered accidentally in fitting procedure, the laser frequency and cavity length were scanned synchronously. Based on the statistical analysis of measured ringdown times, the frequency normalized minimum detectable absorption in the reflection control mode was 1.7 × 10(-9)cm(-1)Hz(-1/2), which was 5.4 times smaller than that in the transmission control mode. However the signal-to-noise ratio of the absorption spectrum was only 3 times improved since the etalon effect existed. Finally, the peak absorption coefficients of the C(2)H(2) transition near 1530.9nm under different pressures showed a good agreement with the theoretical values.

Pound-Drever-Hall-locked, frequency-stabilized cavity ring-down spectrometer

We describe a high sensitivity and high spectral resolution laser absorption spectrometer based upon the frequency-stabilized cavity ring-down spectroscopy (FS-CRDS) technique. We used the Pound-Drever-Hall (PDH) method to lock the probe laser to the high-finesse ring-down cavity. We show that the concomitant narrowing of the probe laser line width leads to dramatically increased ring-down event acquisition rates (up to 14.3 kHz), improved spectrum signal-to-noise ratios for weak O(2) absorption spectra at λ = 687 nm and substantial increase in spectrum acquisition rates compared to implementations of FS-CRDS that do not incorporate high-bandwidth locking techniques. The minimum detectable absorption coefficient and the noise-equivalent absorption coefficient for the spectrometer are about 2×10(-10) cm(-1) and 7.5×10(-11) cm(-1)Hz(-1/2), respectively.

Modification of a commercial cavity ring-down spectroscopy NO2 detector for enhanced sensitivity

Nitrogen dioxide (NO(2)) plays a central role in atmospheric chemistry, air pollution, and biogeochemical cycles. Many analytical techniques have been developed to detect NO(2), but only chemiluminescence-based instruments are commonly, commercially available. There remains a need for a fast, light, and simple method to directly measure NO(2). In this work we describe the modification and characterization of a small, commercially available cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS) NO(2) detector suitable for surface and aircraft monitoring. A metal oxide scrubber was added to remove NO(2), and provide a chemical zero, improving the detection limit (3sigma of the background noise) from several parts per billion by volume (ppbv) to 0.06 ppbv, integrated over 60 s. Known interferences by water and particles were removed using Nafion tubing and a 1 microm Teflon filter, respectively. A 95% response time of 18+/-1 s was observed for a step change in concentration. The CRDS detector was run in parallel to an ozone chemiluminescence device with photolytic conversion of NO(2) to NO. The two instruments measured ambient air in suburban Maryland. A least-squares fit to the comparison data resulted a slope of 0.960+/-0.002 and R of 0.995, showing agreement within experimental uncertainty.

Sensitive Absorption Methods for Quantitative Gas Phase Kinetic Measurements. Part 2: Cavity Ringdown Spectroscopy

Cavity ringdown spectroscopy (CRDS) and frequency modulation spectroscopy (FMS) are sensitive absorption based detection methods that have found widespread applications in gas phase reaction kinetics. In part 2 of this review, the theoretical foundations of CRDS are addressed with a special emphasis on quantitative time-resolved measurements of concentration profiles. A complementary review of FMS can be found in part 1 (Z. Phys. Chem. 222 (2008) 1–30). Practical aspects, possible pitfalls, attainable sensitivities, and modern trends are discussed. Recent kinetic studies based on CRDS measurements as a time-resolved detection tool are briefly reviewed and a bibliography with 136 entries is included to facilitate the access to the large body of original literature.

Comparison of IR and UV cavity ring-down spectroscopy detection of transient intermediates: pyrolysis of methyl azide to form methyleneimine

Mid-infrared cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS) has been employed in this study to examine the hydride stretching region of methyl azide and its pyrolysis product methyleneimine. The absorption spectrum of methyl azide over 2835-3085 cm(-1) was recorded, and the integrated absorption cross section was determined. The pyrolysis of methyl azide and subsequent production of methyleneimine was observed at various wavenumbers. Using IR CRDS, we were able to observe vibrational transitions of methyleneimine without interference from the methyl azide precursor. Our previous UV CRDS study showed that electronic transitions of methyleneimine overlapped with those of methyl azide. IR CRDS should thus be useful for the detection of polyatomic transient intermediates without interference from precursors.

Parts per trillion sensitivity for ethane in air with an optical parametric oscillator cavity leak-out spectrometer

Spectroscopic detection of ethane in the 3-microm wavelength region was performed by means of a cw optical parametric oscillator and cavity leak-out. We achieved a minimum detectable absorption coefficient of 1.6 x 10(-10) cm 1/square root of Hz, corresponding to an ethane detection limit of 6 parts per trillion/square root of Hz. For 3-min integration time the detection limit was 0.5 parts per trillion. The levels are to our knowledge the best demonstrated so far. These frequency-tuning capabilities facilitated multigas analysis with simultaneous monitoring of ethane, methane, and water vapor in human breath.

Explosives detection: a challenge for physical chemistry

The detection of explosives, energetic materials, and their associated compounds for security screening, demining, detection of unexploded ordnance, and pollution monitoring is an active area of research. A wide variety of detection methods and an even wider range of physical chemistry issues are involved in this very challenging area. This review focuses on techniques such as optical and mass spectrometry and chromatography for detection of trace amounts of explosives with short response times. We also review techniques for detecting the decomposition fragments of these materials. Molecular data for explosive compounds are reviewed where available.

Cavity ringdown spectroscopy of thin films in the mid-infrared

To demonstrate the potential of the cavity ringdown technique in mid-infrared spectroscopy of thin film samples, we measured absorption losses in a C60 film on a BaF2 substrate using a tunable optical parametric amplifier source. With a Brewster angle sample geometry, we achieved a fractional loss sensitivity as small as 1.3 x 10(-7) with 1.5 cm(-1) resolution, an improvement in sensitivity of 2 orders of magnitude compared to standard Fourier transform infrared methods. At an absorption sensitivity of 5 x 10(-7), spectra of several C60 overtone lines were recorded.

Tunable single-mode operation of a pulsed optical parametric oscillator pumped by a multimode laser

High-quality single-longitudinal-mode (SLM) tunable signal radiation is generated by a pulsed optical parametric oscillator (OPO) pumped by a compact, inexpensive multimode laser. The OPO is based on periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN) in a ring cavity that is injection seeded at its resonated signal wavelength by a single-mode tunable diode laser. Accurate control of the OPO cavity length and crystal temperature ensures a continuously tunable SLM signal output frequency range of >7.5 THz (>250 cm(-1)); the corresponding idler output remains multimode. High-resolution molecular spectra are recorded to verify OPO performance at wavelengths of ~1.55 mum. The observed signal optical bandwidth of </=120 MHz (</=0.0040 cm(-1)) compares favorably with that of a more elaborate PPLN OPO system pumped by a pulsed single-mode laser.

Quantitative analysis of decay transients applied to a multimode pulsed cavity ringdown experiment

The intensity and noise properties of decay transients obtained in a generic pulsed cavity ringdown experiment are analyzed experimentally and theoretically. A weighted nonlinear least-squares analysis of digitized decay transients is shown that avoids baseline offset effects that induce systematic deviations in the estimation of decay rates. As follows from simulations not only is it a method that provides correct estimates for the values of the fit parameters, but moreover it also yields a correct estimate of the precision of the fit parameters. It is shown experimentally that a properly aligned stable optical resonator can effectively yield monoexponential decays under multimode excitation. An on-line method has been developed, based on a statistical analysis of the noise properties of the decay transients, to align a stable resonator toward this monoexponential decay.

Cavity ringdown detection of losses in thin films in the telecommunication wavelength window

The method of cavity ringdown spectroscopy (when a tunable pulsed optical parametric oscillator was used) was extended for the loss evaluation in thin films (2-20-microm thickness). The technique was applied in two key telecommunication wavelength ranges of 1260-1330 and 1480-1650 nm. The measurement sensitivity was determined to be 50 ppm (5 x 10(-5)). The results for polymer films are in close correlation with conventional spectrophotometric data and propagation loss for planar waveguides. Films of greater thickness and better optical quality are expected to provide an even higher loss resolution.

Doppler-free nonlinear absorption in ethylene by use of continuous-wave cavity ringdown spectroscopy

We report what we believe to be the first systematic study of Doppler-free, nonlinear absorption by use of cavity ringdown spectroscopy. We have developed a variant of cavity ringdown spectroscopy for the mid-infrared region between 9 and 11 microm, exploiting the intracavity power buildup that is possible with continuous-wave lasers. The infrared source consists of a continuous-wave CO2 laser with 1-mW tunable infrared sidebands that couple into a high-finesse stable resonator. We tune the sideband frequencies to observe a saturated, Doppler-free Lamb dip in the nu7, 11(1,10) <-- 11(2,10) rovibrational transition of ethylene (C2H4). Power studies of the Lamb dip are presented to examine the intracavity effects of saturation on the Lamb-dip linewidth, the peak depth, and the broadband absorption.

Multiplexed continuous-wave diode-laser cavity ringdown measurements of multiple species

Rapid cavity ringdown measurements of multiple broadband absorbing species (methanol and isopropanol) in gas mixtures have been recorded with two multiplexed continuous-wave distributed-feedback diode lasers operating near 1.4 mum. A measurement sensitivity of 2.4 x 10(-9) cm(-1) for a 4.3-s averaging time was achieved in a 39.5-cm-long static cell with 99.94% reflectivity mirrors. This corresponds to a water-vapor detection limit of less than 2 ppb (parts in 10(9)) for the strong H(2)O lines near 1.4 mum. The shot-to-shot noise of the decay time constant tau was approximately 0.3-0.7%, and ringdown acquisition rates as great as 900 Hz were achieved.