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Detection of formaldehyde using off-axis integrated cavity output spectroscopy with an interband cascade laser

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Abstract

A continuous-wave, mid-infrared, distributed feedback, interband cascade laser was used to detect and quantify formaldehyde (H2CO) using off-axis, integrated cavity output spectroscopy in gas mixtures containing ≈1–25 parts in 106 by volume (ppmV) of H2CO. Analysis of the spectral measurements indicates that a H2CO concentration of 150 parts in 109 by volume (ppbV) would produce a spectrum with a signal to noise ratio of 3 for a data acquisition time of 3 s. This is a relevant sensitivity level for formaldehyde monitoring of indoor air, occupational settings, and on board spacecraft in long duration missions in particular as the detection sensitivity improves with the square root of the data acquisition time.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, 20052, USA

    J.H. Miller

  2. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, 6100 South Main Street, Houston, TX, 77005-1892, USA

    Y.A. Bakhirkin, T. Ajtai & F.K. Tittel

  3. Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA, 91109, USA

    C.J. Hill & R.Q. Yang

Authors
  1. J.H. Miller
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  2. Y.A. Bakhirkin
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  3. T. Ajtai
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  4. F.K. Tittel
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Correspondence to F.K. Tittel.

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PACS

07.07.Df; 82.80.Ch

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Miller, J., Bakhirkin, Y., Ajtai, T. et al. Detection of formaldehyde using off-axis integrated cavity output spectroscopy with an interband cascade laser. Appl. Phys. B 85, 391–396 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00340-006-2310-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00340-006-2310-2

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