Mode by Mode CW-CRDS at 80 K: Application to the 1.58 μm transparency window of CH4

The high resolution absorption spectrum of methane in the 10 800-14 000 cm-1 region: literature review, new results and perspectives

The recent development of high resolution spectrographs for exoplanetary research in the visible range makes suitable an improvement of our knowledge of the high resolution spectrum of methane. In this contribution, the weak and highly congested absorption spectrum of methane in the 10 800-14 000 cm-1 region (0.71-0.93 μm) is considered on the basis of (i) an exhaustive review of the literature over the lasts decades, (ii) the analysis of a spectrum recorded at Kitt Peak by Fourier transform spectroscopy at room temperature, (iii) a very high sensitivity spectrum recorded by cavity ring down spectroscopy near 760 nm. The line list retrieved from the Kitt Peak spectrum includes 12 800 lines between 10 802 and 13 922 cm-1. Together with the CRDS line list in the 13 060-13 300 cm-1 interval (about 2650 lines), the reported FTS dataset represents the first high resolution extensive intensity measurements of methane for wavenumbers above 11 502 cm-1. A very good agreement between our Kitt Peak line list and HITRAN list is found in the 10 800-11 502 cm-1 interval. The "quasi-continuum" absorption background underlying the congested spectrum around 11 200 cm-1 is quantitatively evaluated to about 42% of the absorption by CH4 lines. Previous laser-based investigations are critically reviewed by comparison to the FTS and CRDS experimental data retrieved in the present work. The review of the studies of the minor isotopologues (13CH4, CH3D, CH2D2, and CHD3) is also presented. Intensity comparison with band models used for planetary applications is discussed and confirms the importance of the "quasi-continuum" absorption in the methane spectrum at room temperature. The comparison to the TheoReTs line list obtained by ab initio calculations gives valuable hints for future assignments but the TheoReTS line positions are not sufficiently accurate for application to high resolution exoplanetary spectra in the region. From the various comparisons and results obtained in this work, we conclude that the high frequency absorption spectrum of methane deserves to be revisited by modern cavity-enhanced absorption techniques to fulfil needs both for future analysis of high resolution exoplanetary spectra and for theoretical analysis.

Cryogenic mirror position actuator for spectroscopic applications

We demonstrate a mirror position actuator that operates in a wide temperature range from room temperature to a deep cryogenic regime (10 K). We use a Michelson interferometer to measure the actuator tuning range (and piezoelectric efficiency) in the full temperature range. We demonstrate an unprecedented range of tunability of the mirror position in the cryogenic regime (over 22 μm at 10 K). The capability of controlling the mirror position in the range from few to few tens of microns is crucial for cavity-enhanced molecular spectroscopy techniques, especially in the important mid-infrared spectral regime where the length of an optical cavity has to be tunable in a range larger than the laser wavelength. The piezoelectric actuator offering this range of tunability in the cryogenic conditions, on the one hand, will enable development of optical cavities operating at low temperatures that are crucial for spectroscopy of large molecules whose dense spectra are difficult to resolve at room temperature. On the other hand, this will enable us to increase the accuracy of the measurement of simple molecules aimed at fundamental studies.

The (2-0) R(0) and R(1) transition frequencies of HD determined to a 10-10 relative accuracy by Doppler spectroscopy at 80 K

The Doppler broadened R(0) and R(1) lines of the (2-0) vibrational band of HD have been measured at liquid nitrogen temperature and at pressures of 2 Pa, with a comb referenced continuous-wave cavity ring-down spectrometer set-up. Transition frequencies of 214905335185 kHz and 217105181898 kHz were derived from 33 and 83 recordings, with corresponding root mean squared deviation of 53 and 33 kHz for the R(0) and R(1) transition, respectively. This is the first sub-MHz frequency determination of the R(0) transition frequency and represents a three order of magnitude accuracy improvement compared to literature. The R(1) transition frequency is in very good agreement with previous determinations in saturation regime reported with similar accuracy. To achieve such accuracy, the transition frequency of the (101)-(000) 2₁₁-3₁₂ line of H₂¹⁶O interfering with the R(0) line had to be precisely determined and is reported with a standard error of 100 Hz at 214904329826.49(10) kHz (relative uncertainty of 5 × 10^-13). These measurement sets provide stringent reference values for validating future advances in the theoretical description of the hydrogen (and water) molecule.

Comb coherence-transfer and cavity ring-down saturation spectroscopy around 1.65 μm: kHz-accurate frequencies of transitions in the 2ν3 band of 12CH4

Comb Coherence Transfer (CCT) uses a feed-forward frequency correction to transfer the optical phase of a frequency comb to the beam of a free-running diode laser. This allows the amplification of a selected comb tooth by 50 dB while adding agile and accurate frequency tuning. In the present work, SI-traceable frequency calibration and comb tooth narrowing down to 20 kHz is additionally provided by comb frequency locking to an ultrastable optical frequency reference distributed from Paris to Grenoble through the RENATER optical fiber network [Lisdat et al., Nat. Commun., 2016, 7, 12443]. We apply this CCT broadly tunable source for saturated cavity ring-down spectroscopy of ro-vibrational R0 to R10 multiplets in the 2ν₃ band of ¹²CH₄ (from 6015 to 6115 cm^-1). Indeed, efficient cavity injection with large intra-cavity power build-up induces saturation of the ro-vibrational transitions at low pressure and Doppler-free Lamb dips are observed with high signal/noise. kHz-accurate transition frequencies are derived improving by three orders of magnitude previous values from spectra in the Doppler regime, which are strongly affected by line blending. While previous saturation spectroscopy investigations addressed specific 2ν₃ multiplets (R6 or R9), the CCT approach allowed for a rapid coverage of the entire R0-R10 series. Measured transition frequencies are compared with experimental and theoretical line lists available in the literature.

Accurate determination of low state rotational quantum numbers (J < 4) from planar-jet and liquid nitrogen cell absorption spectra of methane near 1.4 micron

An improved procedure for accurate determination of empirical lower state rotational quantum numbers from molecular absorption spectra is demonstrated for methane. We combine the high resolution absorption spectra in the 7070-7300 cm(-1) frequency range obtained in liquid nitrogen cooled cryogenic cell (T = 81 K) and in supersonic planar jet expansion (T(R) = 25 K). Empirical lower state energies of 59 transitions are determined from the ratio of the absolute absorption line strengths at 25 and 81 K. The procedure relies on the realistic description of rotational state populations in the supersonic jet expansion where non-equilibrium nuclear spin isomer distributions are generated due to the rapid cooling. The accuracy of the experimental determination of the lower state energies with J < or = 3 is found to considerably improve the results of the same approach applied to spectra at 296 and 81 K. The 59 transitions with determined lower J values provide a good starting point for the theoretical interpretation of the highly congested icosad region of methane. In particular, the centres of nine vibrational bands are estimated from the transitions with J = 0 lower state rotational quantum number.