Application of two-photon laser-induced fluorescence for visualization of water vapor in combustion environments

Sensitive detection and imaging of H2O density through Rydberg resonant femtosecond laser induced photofragmentation fluorescence

A femtosecond laser induced photofragmentation fluorescence (fs-LIPF) scheme for the sensitive detection and imaging of water vapor is presented. Two photons of 244.3 nm excite water to the D̃ state and produce hydroxyl radicals in the fluorescing à state. Two more photons promote electrons from the D̃ state to a neutral Rydberg state of the (1b2)-1 ionic core through a 2 + 2 doubly resonant process. The resulting high-lying Rydberg state undergoes neutral dissociation, and the energetic hydrogen fragments are detected from their Balmer series fluorescence. These channels (in the low-pressure limit) have detection sensitivities around 1012 molecules per cubic centimeters, orders of magnitude more sensitive than laser-induced fluorescence based approaches, allowing for sensitive non-invasive detection and imaging of water density for many important processes.

Simultaneous Visualization of Hydrogen Peroxide and Water Concentrations Using Photofragmentation Laser-Induced Fluorescence

A concept based on photofragmentation laser-induced fluorescence (PFLIF) is for the first time demonstrated for simultaneous detection of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and water (H₂O) vapor in various mixtures containing the two constituents in a bath of argon gas. A photolysis laser pulse at 248 nm dissociates H₂O₂ into OH fragments, whereupon a probe pulse, delayed 100 ns and tuned to an absorption line in the A²Σ⁺ (v = 1) ← X²Π(v = 0) band of OH near 282 nm, induces fluorescence. The total OH fluorescence reflects the H₂O₂ concentration, while its spectral shape is utilized to determine the H₂O concentration via a model predicting the ratio between the fluorescence intensities of the A²Σ⁺ (v = 1) → X²Π(v = 1) and the A²Σ⁺ (v = 0) → X²Π(v = 0) bands. The H₂O detection scheme requires that the bath gas has a collisional cross-section with OH(A) that is significantly lower than that of H₂O, which is the case for argon. Spectrally dispersed OH fluorescence spectra were recorded for five different H₂O₂/H₂O/Ar mixtures; the H₂O₂ concentration in the range of 30-500 ppm and the H₂O concentration in the range of 0-3%. Fluorescence intensity ratios predicted by the model for these mixtures agree very well with corresponding experimental data, which thus validates the model. The concept was also demonstrated for two-dimensional imaging, using two intensified charge-coupled device (CCD) cameras for signal detection. Water content was here sensed through the different temporal characteristics of the two fluorescence bands by triggering the two cameras so that one captures the total OH fluorescence while the other one captures only the early part, which mainly stems from A²Σ⁺ (v = 1) → X²Π(v = 1) fluorescence. Hence, the H₂O₂ concentration is reflected by the image of the camera recording the total OH fluorescence, whereas H₂O concentration is extracted from the ratio between the two camera images. Quantification of the concentrations was carried out based on calibration measurements performed in known mixtures of H₂O₂ (30-500 ppm) and H₂O (0-3%) in bulk argon. The detection limits for single-shot imaging are estimated to be 20 ppm for H₂O₂ and 0.05% for H₂O. The authors believe that the concept provides a valuable asset in, for example, pharmaceutical or aseptic food packaging applications, where H₂O₂/H₂O vapor is routinely used for sterilization.

Simultaneous visualization of water and hydrogen peroxide vapor using two-photon laser-induced fluorescence and photofragmentation laser-induced fluorescence

A concept based on a combination of photofragmentation laser-induced fluorescence (PF-LIF) and two-photon laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) is for the first time demonstrated for simultaneous detection of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and water (H2O) vapor. Water detection is based on two-photon excitation by an injection-locked krypton fluoride (KrF) excimer laser (248.28 nm), which induces broadband fluorescence (400-500 nm) from water. The same laser simultaneously photodissociates H2O2, whereupon the generated OH fragments are probed by LIF after a time delay of typically 50 ns, by a frequency-doubled dye laser (281.91 nm). Experiments in six different H2O2/H2O mixtures of known compositions show that both signals are linearly dependent on respective species concentration. For the H2O2 detection there is a minor interfering signal contribution from OH fragments created by two-photon photodissociation of H2O. Since the PF-LIF signal yield from H2O2 is found to be at least ∼24,000 times higher than the PF-LIF signal yield from H2O at room temperature, this interference is negligible for most H2O/H2O2 mixtures of practical interest. Simultaneous single-shot imaging of both species was demonstrated in a slightly turbulent flow. For single-shot imaging the minimum detectable H2O2 and H2O concentration is 10 ppm and 0.5%, respectively. The proposed measurement concept could be a valuable asset in several areas, for example, in atmospheric and combustion science and research on vapor-phase H2O2 sterilization in the pharmaceutical and aseptic food-packaging industries.

Laser-induced fluorescence detection of hot molecular oxygen in flames using an alexandrite laser

The use of an alexandrite laser for laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) spectroscopy and imaging of molecular oxygen in thermally excited vibrational states is demonstrated. The laser radiation after the third harmonic generation was used to excite the B-X (0-7) band at 257 nm in the Schumann-Runge system of oxygen. LIF emission was detected between 270 and 380 nm, revealing distinct bands of the transitions from B(0) to highly excited vibrational states in the electronic ground state, X (v > 7). At higher spectral resolution, these bands reveal the common P- and R-branch line splitting. Eventually, the proposed LIF approach was used for single-shot imaging of the two-dimensional distribution of hot oxygen molecules in flames.

Application of tunable excimer lasers to combustion diagnostics: a review

Tunable excimer lasers are being used to produce species-, space-, and time-resolved images of complex gaseous media. These media may be analyzed for composition, density, temperature, or flow velocities. The techniques are, in general, highly selective, sensitive, and nonintrusive and are being made possible by recent technological developments in these UV lasers and in intensified cameras, imaging spectrographs, and fast digital image processing. We describe the needs for laser diagnostics in combustion, the physical mechanisms, the relevant spectroscopy, typical experimental setups, and equipment considerations. Precision and accuracy are discussed on the basis of some simple, but realistic, calculations intended to guide the experimentalist in design considerations and to reveal potential sources of errors in the often difficult conversion of raw data to values for such quantitative parameters as densities or temperatures. Finally we present an overview of previous results, select some examples that show the power of tunable excimer laser diagnostics in combustion, and present some suggestions for future directions.

Multiphoton excitation ionization of N(2) following collisional energy transfer with H(2)O: a potential measure of molecular mixing

A multiphoton ionization excitation of N(2) following collisional energy exchange with optically excited H(2) O was demonstrated, and its potential for measuring H(2) O-N(2) mixing at the molecular level was evaluated. In this process, N(2) is sensitized by a collisional energy exchange with H(2)O molecules excited by a tunable KrF laser. The sensitized N(2) molecules are further excited and ionized by two additional photons of the same laser pulse. Independent images of sensitized N2(+) emission at 391.4 nm and by OH at 308 nm formed by the dissociation of excited H(2)O were obtained along a laser beam traversing slow dry-air and N(2) jets entering room air. Although effects of O(2) and N(2) collisional quenching were noted, such images can potentially be used to measure H(2)O-N(2) molecular mixing and the concentration of H(2)O independently. The detection of H(2)O nucleation by this technique suggests that imaging of H(2)O droplet evaporation or visualizing and monitoring H(2)O condensation may also be possible.

KrF laser-induced photobleaching effects in O(2) planar laser-induced fluorescence signals: experiment and model

KrF excimer lasers are often employed as high-power excitation sources in planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) imaging experiments to measure the distributions of O(2), OH, and H(2)O-all important species in combustion phenomena. However, due to the predissociative nature of these molecules, the high laser pumping rates typically required in such PLIF experiments may significantly deplete the ground-state population. The proper interpretation of the ground-state number density and/or the temperature from the fluorescence signals then requires the inclusion of photobleaching effects. We compare the results of a five-level rate-equation model incorporating photobleaching effects to the time-resolved PLIF signals from O(2) as obtained in the products of a fuel-lean CH(4) air flame. The results indicate that the fluorescence signals in a typical predissociated PLIF imaging experiment are subject to significant amounts of photobleaching. In an effort to provide a convenient way to account for photobleaching, a simple three-level model is developed. This model provides an analytic solution that describes satisfactorily the time-integrated fluorescence signal when compared with both the five-level model and the measurements. The results also indicate that at the low laser irradiances required to minimize the effects of photobleaching, the correspondingly low fluorescence signal levels make the acquisition of single-shot PLIF images a challenge to currently available camera systems.

Laser-induced predissociative fluorescence: dynamics and polarization and the effect of lower-state rotational energy transfer on quantitative diagnostics

Laser-induced predissociative fluorescence is often used for diagnostics because its short-lived upper states are minimally disturbed by collisions. We discuss the effects of lower-state collisions with parameters relevant to our atmospheric H(2)-O(2) flame. A pulse of tunable KrF excimer-laser light induces the A ? X, Q(1)(11), 3 ? 0 transition in OH. We measure the intensity and the polarization of the resulting A ? X, Q(1)(11), 3 ? 2 fluorescence as a function of laser brightness. A simple model that uses no adjustable parameters produces a reasonable fit to the data. It predicts that, even at very modest laser energies, the fluorescence intensity is almost directly proportional to the rate constant for rotational energy transfer (RET) within the lower vibrational state. That rate constant can be a strong function of local conditions. Furthermore, under typical operating conditions the excimer will pump an amount of OH out of the lower state that is many times as large as that originally present. This occurs because RET within the X-state continuously replenishes the lower state during the laser pulse. Even when this occurs, the signal may still vary linearly with laser intensity, and the polarization may be nearly that expected for weak pumping. At the higher laser intensities, a significant fraction of the measured OH arises from two-photon photodissociation of the water from the flame reaction.