CONTINUOUS-WAVE OPTICAL PARAMETRIC OSCILLATORS: A NEW TOOL FOR MOLECULAR SPECTROSCOPY

30 years since their first demonstration, continuous-wave optical parametric oscillators (OPOs) have finally reached a stage of development where they can be used for high-resolution spectroscopy. We have demonstrated, for the first time, photoacoustic trace gas detection using a highly stable OPO. The compact OPO is pumped by a diode-pumped single-frequency Nd:YAG laser and uses a periodically poled lithium niobate multigrating crystal [1]. The emission range spans 1.45 to $2.0 \mu m$ (at about 10 mW output power) and 2.3 to $4.0 \mu m$ (at up to 230 mW). The output is single-frequency (no mode-hops), with a linewidth less than 150 kHz, a frequency stability better than 30 MHz over an hour, and low intensity fluctuations. Photoacoustic detection of ethane at $3.4 \mu m$ in an extra-cavity resonant cell has been performed [2]. In comparison to e.g. the CO overtone laser, it is possible to tune the OPO to the strongest molecular absorption line for maximum sensitivity. A detection limit of 0.5 ppb has been demonstrated. The compact dimensions and good efficiency of the OPO open the possibility of a portable system for field use.

Description

[1] K. Schneider et al. Opt. Lett. 22, 1293 (1997) [2] F. Khnemann et al. Appl. Phys. B, submitted
Author Institution: Fak. Physik, Univ. Konstanz; Fak, Physik, Univ. Bonn

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http://hdl.handle.net/1811/19053

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Abstracts of OSU International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy 1990-1999

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