Near-infrared Distributed Feedback Diode Laser Research Articles

Infrared dual-gas CH4/C2H2 sensor system based on dual-channel off-beam quartz-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy and time-division multiplexing technique

Highly sensitive and stable measurement of methane (CH4) and acetylene (C2H2) based on a novel dual-channel off-beam quartz-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy and time-division multiplexing technique was realized by a compact 3D-printed gas cell with a size of 3 × 2 × 1 cm3. Two near-infrared distributed feedback diode lasers were employed to target the CH4 absorption line at 6046.9 cm−1 and the C2H2 absorption line at 6521.2 cm−1, respectively. Second-harmonic wavelength modulation spectroscopy method was used for photoacoustic signal recovery. A minimum detection level of ∼ 7.63 parts-per-million in volume (ppmv) for CH4 and a level of ∼ 17.47 ppmv for C2H2 were achieved with a 1 s lock-in integration time, leading to a normalized noise equivalent absorption (NNEA) coefficient of 7.24 × 10-8 cm−1·W·Hz−1 and 3.73 × 10-8 cm−1·W·Hz−1 for CH4 and C2H2, respectively. Allan-Werle deviation analysis was employed to evaluate the stability and the minimum detection limit (MDL) of the developed photoacoustic CH4/C2H2 dual-gas photoacoustic sensor. Owing to the high stability of the developed sensor system, an MDL of ∼ 0.73 ppmv and an MDL of ∼ 1.60 ppmv with a 100 s averaging time were achieved for CH4 and C2H2, respectively.

Diffuse-reflection-based single-ended laser absorption sensor for H2O temperature and concentration in kerosene-fuelled combustor

The design, optimization and demonstration of a compact, single-ended laser absorption sensor based on a diffuse-wall-reflected signal is presented for temperature and H2O concentration measurements in a kerosene-fuelled aero-combustor. The challenges of laser measurements in such harsh, practical combustion environments involve strong beam-steering, low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and constrained optical access. We present here a detailed characterization and optimization procedure of a single-ended optical configuration using a holed off-axis parabolic mirror as the pitch and catch optics, and the coked wall surface of the combustor as a diffuse reflector. A near-infrared distributed-feedback diode laser near 1.4 µm scanned at 1 kHz for direct absorption detection was used to access two H2O transitions for concentration and temperature measurement. An optical system design and adaptive Savitzky–Golay signal processing algorithm were used for noise suppression and SNR amelioration. The sensor was demonstrated under practical conditions in a kerosene-fuelled swirl combustor. High signal fidelity was achieved and allowed for a single-scan H2O concentration detection limit of 122 ppm MHz−1/2, despite a low reflected laser intensity level of ~50 µW. In situ, time-resolved measurements detected temperatures ranging from ~1100 K to 1300 K, and H2O concentration ranging from ~8% to 12% as global equivalence ratio varied between 0.2 and 0.45. The results revealed an expected trend while demonstrating much faster response and less delay versus a comparative thermocouple. This successful field manifestation provides direct proof for the robustness and reliability of a diffuse-reflection-based single-ended sensor system in engine combustion chamber environments.

Photoacoustic Measurement of Ethane with Near-Infrared DFB Diode Laser

A compact resonant photoacoustic sensor based on a near-infrared distributed-feedback (DFB) diode laser was developed for detection of ethane (C2H6). A DFB laser emission at 5937.25 cm−1 with a power of ∼5 mW was used as an excitation light source for generating the photoacoustic signal. Wavelength modulation and second harmonic detection scheme were employed. Modulation frequency and modulation amplitude were optimized for getting optimum performance. Performance evaluation based on the linearity response of the PAS sensor system with respect to C2H6 concentration levels was performed, and a good linear dependence of the PAS signal on the C2H6 concentration was obtained. A minimum detectable concentration of 9 ppmv was achieved for detection of C2H6 with a lock-in time constant of 10 ms.

Ammonia concentration distribution measurements in the exhaust of a heavy duty diesel engine based on limited data absorption tomography.

A multichannel tunable diode laser absorption spectrometer is used to measure absolute ammonia concentrations and their distributions in exhaust gas applications with intense CO2 and H2O background. Designed for in situ diagnostics in SCR after treatment systems with temperatures up to 800 K, the system employs a fiber coupled near-infrared distributed feedback diode laser. With the laser split into eight coplanar beams crossing the exhaust pipe, the sensor provides eight concentration measurements simultaneously. Three ammonia ro-vibrational transitions coinciding near 2200.5 nm with rather weak temperature dependency and negligible CO2/H2O interference were probed during the measurements. The line-of-sight averaged channel concentrations are transformed into 2-D ammonia distributions using limited data IR species tomography based on Tikhonov regularization. This spectrometer was successfully applied in the exhaust system of a 340 kW heavy duty diesel engine operated without oxidation catalyst or particulate filter. In this harsh environment the multi-channel sensor achieved single path ammonia detection limits of 25 to 80 ppmV with a temporal resolution of 1 Hz whereas, while operated as a single-channel sensor, these characteristics improved to 10 ppmV and 100 Hz. Spatial averaging of the reconstructed 2-D ammonia distributions shows good agreement to cross-sectional extractive measurements. In contrast to extractive methods more information about spatial inhomogeneities and transient operating conditions can be derived from the new spectrometer.

Method for wavelength locking of tunable diode lasers based on photoacoustic spectroscopy

A new wavelength locking method for tunable diode lasers based on a photoacoustic (PA) detection unit is presented. A wavelength modulated laser is repeatedly tuned over an absorption line of a small molecule in the gaseous phase and the generated PA signal is recorded. In the phase variation curve of the recorded PA signal, there is a 180-deg phase reversal around the peak of the absorption line, and the corresponding inflection point is a characteristic wavelength feature to be used for wavelength locking. An automated algorithm has been developed, which has <2 s execution time if the optical absorption coefficient at the peak of the absorption line is at least 2×10 −5 cm −1 . With this algorithm, the wavelength of a near-infrared distributed feedback diode laser can be locked with an absolute accuracy of 60 fm (i.e., relative accuracy of 4×10 −8 ) or better even at atmospheric sample gas pressure. As there is no need to stabilize the gas pressure or temperature or the concentration of the light absorbing component and the PA detection unit can be easily integrated into various experimental setups, the proposed method has the potential to be applicable even under demanding industrial or field conditions.

Simultaneous measurement of liquid water film thickness and vapor temperature using near-infrared tunable diode laser spectroscopy

A fiber-based multiplexed tunable diode-laser absorption sensor with three near-infrared distributed-feedback diode lasers at ∼1.4 μm is used for simultaneous nonintrusive measurements of liquid water film thickness and vapor-phase temperature. Water film thicknesses are derived from broad-band absorption determined at two fixed wavelengths while gas-phase temperature above the film is obtained via two-line thermometry using the fast wavelength tuning with line-integrating absorption. Probing the liquid film at two wavelengths with significantly different liquid-phase absorption cross sections allows discriminating against additional signal losses due to surface fowling, reflection, and beam steering. The technique is demonstrated for liquid layers of defined thicknesses and in time-resolved measurements of evaporating films.

Precisely tunable continuous-wave terahertz source with interferometric frequency control

We realized a tunable continuous-wave terahertz source with megahertz frequency resolution. The system is based on optical heterodyning of two near-infrared distributed feedback diode lasers, each laser being stabilized by electronic feedback from a low-finesse quadrature interferometer. The control loop permits precisely linear laser frequency scans over >1200 GHz, and a beat signal linewidth of 1 MHz at 80 ms time scale. Using GaAs photomixers and log-periodic antennae, we achieve a signal-to-noise ratio of the terahertz power of >70 dB at 100 GHz and 100 ms integration time, and still approximately 30 dB at 1 THz. As an example for high-resolution terahertz spectroscopy, we characterize the transmission properties of a subwavelength metal grating.

Development of injection-seeded, pulsed optical parametric generator/oscillator systems for high-resolution spectroscopy

We report the development and application of pulsed optical parametric generator (OPG) and optical parametric oscillator (OPO) systems that are injection seeded with near-infrared distributed feedback diode lasers. The OPG is injection seeded at the idler wavelength without the use of a resonant cavity. Two counter-rotating, beta-barium-borate (β-BBO) crystals are used in the OPG. These crystals are pumped by the third harmonic, 355-nm output of an injection-seeded Nd:YAG laser. An OPO version of the system has also been developed by placing two flat mirrors around the two β-BBO crystals to form a feedback cavity at the signal wavelength. The OPO cavity length is not actively controlled. The output signal beam from the OPG or OPO is amplified using an optical parametric amplifier (OPA) stage with four β-BBO crystals. The frequency bandwidths of the signal and idler laser radiation from OPG/OPA and OPO/OPA systems have been determined to be slightly greater than 200 MHz. The temporal pulses from each system are smooth and near-Gaussian. High-resolution optical absorption measurements of acetylene (C2H2) were performed as another check of the frequency spectrum of the idler beam. The frequency-doubled signal output of the OPO/OPA system was used to perform high-resolution, single-photon, laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) spectroscopic studies of the (0,0) vibrational band of the A2Σ+−X2Π electronic transition of nitric oxide (NO) at low pressure. Excellent agreement was obtained between the theory and the experiment. The signal output of the OPG/OPA system was also used for sub-Doppler, two-photon LIF spectroscopic studies of the same vibration–rotation manifold of NO.

Time-resolved wavelength modulation spectroscopy measurements of HO_2 kinetics

High-frequency wavelength modulation spectroscopy (WMS) has been applied to the detection of the hydroperoxyl radical (HO2 ) in a laser photolysis and long-path absorption pump-probe kinetics reactor with a near-infrared distributed feedback diode laser. The HO2 is formed by the 355-nm photolysis of Cl2 in the presence of CH3 OH and O2 and monitored by a phase-sensitive detection of the second-harmonic (2f ) signal in the 2?1 band with a 1.5- ?m diode laser directly modulated at 5 MHz. The measured 2f WMS signal is calibrated by direct absorption and converted to an absolute number density with the known absorption line strength of the HO2 line at 6625.80cm-1 . The utility of time-resolved WMS as a second-order kinetics probe is demonstrated through the measurement of the HO2 self-reaction rate constant at 295 K.