Automatically tunable continuous-wave optical parametric oscillator for high-resolution spectroscopy and sensitive trace-gas detection

Abstract

We present a high-power (2.75 W), broadly tunable (2.75–3.83 μm) continuous-wave optical parametric oscillator based on MgO-doped periodically poled lithium niobate. Automated tuning of the pump laser, etalon and crystal temperature results in a continuous wavelength coverage up to 450 cm-1 per poling period at <5×10-4 cm-1 resolution. The versatility of the optical parametric oscillator as a coherent light source in trace-gas detection is demonstrated with photoacoustic and cavity ring-down spectroscopy. A 17-cm-1-wide CO2 spectrum at 2.8 μm and multi-component gas mixtures of methane, ethane and water in human breath were measured using photoacoustics. Methane (at 3.2 μm) and ethane (at 3.3 μm) were detected using cavity ring-down spectroscopy with detection limits of 0.16 and 0.07 parts per billion by volume, respectively. A recording of 12CH4 and 13CH4 isotopes of methane shows the ability to detect both species simultaneously at similar sensitivities.