Applications of a tunable CO(2) sideband laser for high-resolution spectroscopic measurements of atmospheric gases

Sub-Doppler Spectroscopy by Use of Microwave Sidebands of CO2 Laser Lines Applied to the C-O Stretching Fundamental Band of Methanol

Microwave sidebands of CO₂ laser lines were used as an infrared source in infrared microwave double resonance spectroscopy and infrared saturation spectroscopy to study the C-O stretching fundamental band of methanol. In the former application, rotational lines in the v_CO = 1 state have been observed with good signal to noise ratios and physical processes involved in this method have been discussed. In the latter method, (vt, A/E, K) = (2, A, 4) sequence transitions in the C-O stretching fundamental band have been identified and term values for the (2, A, 4) levels in the v_CO = 1 state have been determined.

Photoacoustic spectroscopy on trace gases with continuously tunable CO(2) laser

A novel photoacoustic (PA) system that uses a continuously tunable high-pressure CO(2) laser as radiation source is presented. A minimum detectable absorption coefficient of 10(-6) cm(-1) that is limited mainly by the desorption of absorbing species from the cell walls and by residual electromagnetic perturbation of the microphone electronics has currently been achieved. Although a linear dependence of the PA signal on the gas concentration has been observed over 4 orders of magnitude, the dependence on energy exhibits a nonlinear behavior owing to saturation effects in excellent agreement with a theoretical model. The calibration of the laser wavelength is performed by PA measurements on low-pressure CO(2) gas, resulting in an absolute accuracy of ± 10(-2) cm(-1). PA spectra are presented for carbon dioxide (CO(2)), ammonia (NH(3)), ozone (O(3)), ethylene (C(2)H(4)), methanol (CH(3)OH), ethanol (C(2)H(5)OH), and toluene (C(7)H(8)) in large parts of the laser emission range. The expected improvement in detection selectivity compared with that of studies with line-tunable CO(2) lasers is demonstrated with the aid of multicomponent trace-gas mixtures prepared with a gas-mixing unit. Good agreement is obtained between the known concentrations and the concentrations calculated on the basis of a fit with calibration spectra. Finally, the perspectives of the system concerning air analyses are discussed.