Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Gas-phase photoacoustic sensor at 8.41 μm using quartz tuning forks and amplitude-modulated quantum cascade lasers

  • Published:
Applied Physics B Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We demonstrate the performance of a novel infrared photoacoustic laser absorbance sensor for gas-phase species using an amplitude-modulated quantum cascade (QC) laser and a quartz tuning fork microphone. The photoacoustic signal was generated by focusing 5.3 mW of a Fabry–Pérot QC laser operating at 8.41 μm between the tines of a quartz tuning fork which served as a transducer for the transient acoustic pressure wave. The sensitivity of this sensor was calibrated using the infrared absorber Freon 134a by performing a simultaneous absorption measurement using a 31-cm absorption cell. The power and bandwidth normalized noise equivalent absorption sensitivity (NEAS) of this sensor was determined to be D=2.0×10-8 W cm-1/Hz1/2. A corresponding theoretical analysis of the instrument sensitivity is presented and is capable of quantitatively reproducing the experimental NEAS, indicating that the fundamental sensitivity of this technique is limited by the noise floor of the tuning fork itself.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. J. Vitko Jr., Sensor Systems for Biological Agent Attacks, Protecting Buildings and Military Bases (National Academies Press, Washington, DC, 2005)

  2. C. Belloti, F. Cuccoli, L. Facheris, O. Vaselli, IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens. 41, 2629 (2003)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  3. D. Richter, M. Erdelyi, R.F. Curl, F.K. Tittel, C. Oppenheimer, H.J. Duffell, M. Burton, Opt. Laser. Eng. 37, 171 (2002)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. A. Rosenwaig, Photoacoustics and Photoacoustic Spectroscopy (Wiley-Interscience, New York, 1980)

    Google Scholar 

  5. A. Miklos, P. Hess, Z. Bozoki, Rev. Sci. Instrum. 72, 1937 (2001)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  6. C. Gmachl, F. Capasso, D.L. Sivco, A.Y. Cho, Rep. Prog. Phys. 64, 1533 (2001)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  7. M. Beck, D. Hofstetter, T. Aellen, J. Faist, U. Oesterle, M. Ilegems, E. Gini, H. Melchior, Science 295, 301 (2002)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  8. J.S. Yu, A. Evans, J. David, L. Doris, S. Slivken, M. Razeghi, IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett. 16, 747 (2004)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. D. Zeisel, H. Menzi, L. Ullrich, Sens. Actuators A 80, 233 (2000)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. A. Kosterev, Y.A. Bakhirkin, R.F. Curl, F.K. Tittel, Opt. Lett. 27, 1902 (2002)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  11. A. Kosterev, F.K. Tittel, D. Serebryakov, A. Malinovsky, I. Morozov, Rev. Sci. Instrum. 76, 043105 (2005)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  12. C. Gmachl, A. Tredicucci, F. Capasso, A.L. Hutchinson, D.L. Sivco, J.N. Baillargeon, A.Y. Cho, Appl. Phys. Lett. 72, 3130 (1998)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  13. K. Kokubun, M. Hirata, M. Ono, H. Murakami, Y. Toda, J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A 5, 2450 (1987)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  14. R.D. Grober, J. Acimovic, J. Schuck, D. Hessman, P. Kindlemann, J. Hespanha, A.S. Morse, K. Karrai, I. Tiema, Rev. Sci. Instrum. 71, 2776 (2000)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  15. S.H. Yonak, D.R. Dowling, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 114, 3167 (2003)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  16. M. Lalane, P. Berthier, J.D. Hagopian, Mechanical Vibrations for Engineers (Wiley-Interscience, New York, 1983)

    Google Scholar 

  17. R.D. Blevins, Formulas for Natural Frequency and Mode Shape (Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York, 1979)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, PO Box 999, K5-25, Richland, WA, 99352, USA

    M.D. Wojcik, M.C. Phillips, B.D. Cannon & M.S. Taubman

Authors
  1. M.D. Wojcik
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. M.C. Phillips
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. B.D. Cannon
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. M.S. Taubman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to M.D. Wojcik.

Additional information

PACS

43.60.Vx; 43.58.Wc; 43.58.Hp; 84.40.Xb

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Wojcik, M., Phillips, M., Cannon, B. et al. Gas-phase photoacoustic sensor at 8.41 μm using quartz tuning forks and amplitude-modulated quantum cascade lasers. Appl. Phys. B 85, 307–313 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00340-006-2394-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00340-006-2394-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation