Widely-tunable mid-infrared ring cavity pump-enhanced OPO and application in photo-thermal interferometric trace ethane detection
Abstract
The development of a broadly and accurately tunable single-frequency mid-infrared laser source and its application to a sensitive laser absorption detection method are described. Photo-thermal interferometric spectroscopy is employed as a phase-sensitive method to detect the minute refractive index change caused by the heating of a gas under laser radiation. A separate probe beam allows for the spectrally-interesting mid-infrared region to be examined whilst utilizing low cost, high detectivity photodetectors in the visible/near-infrared region. We also describe the implementation of a Sagnac interferometer to minimize the effects of environmental perturbation and provide inherent passive stability. A continuous-wave ring-cavity pump-enhanced OPO has been developed to provide excitation light from 3–4 µm at 140 mW with the ability to mode-hop tune continuously over 90 cm−1 in 0.07 cm−1 steps. Complementary use of both detection apparatus and excitation source has allowed for presence of ethane to be detected down to 200 parts per billion.developed to provide excitation light from 3–4 µm at 140 mW with the ability to mode-hop tune continuously over 90 cm−1 in 0.07 cm−1 steps. Complementary use of both detection apparatus and excitation source has allowed for presence of ethane to be detected down to 200 parts per billion.
Citation
Thomas , J W , Polak , A , Bonner , G M , Logie , D , Dunn , M H , Matthews , J C F & Stothard , D J M 2020 , ' Widely-tunable mid-infrared ring cavity pump-enhanced OPO and application in photo-thermal interferometric trace ethane detection ' , Optics Express , vol. 28 , no. 4 , pp. 4550-4562 . https://doi.org/10.1364/OE.385603
Publication
Optics Express
Status
Peer reviewed
ISSN
1094-4087Type
Journal article
Description
Funding: Innovate UK (133076); Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP//L01596X/1, EP/M01326X/1, EP/M024385/1); European Research Council (ERC-2018-STG 803665).Collections
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