Ppb-level detection of nitric oxide using an external cavity quantum cascade laser based QEPAS sensor

doi:10.1364/OE.19.024037

Ppb-level detection of nitric oxide using an external cavity quantum cascade laser based QEPAS sensor

Lei Dong, Vincenzo Spagnolo, Rafał Lewicki, and Frank K. Tittel »View Author Affiliations

Optics Express, Vol. 19, Issue 24, pp. 24037-24045 (2011)
http://dx.doi.org/10.1364/OE.19.024037

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Abstract

Geometrical parameters of micro-resonator for a quartz enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy sensor are optimized to perform sensitive and background-free spectroscopic measurements using mid-IR quantum cascade laser (QCL) excitation sources. Such an optimized configuration is applied to nitric oxide (NO) detection at 1900.08 cm⁻¹ (5.26 µm) with a widely tunable, mode-hop-free external cavity QCL. For a selected NO absorption line that is free from H₂O and CO₂ interference, a NO detection sensitivity of 4.9 parts per billion by volume is achieved with a 1-s averaging time and 66 mW optical excitation power. This NO detection limit is determined at an optimal gas pressure of 210 Torr and 2.5% of water vapor concentration. Water is added to the analyzed mixture in order to improve the NO vibrational-translational relaxation process.

OCIS Codes
(140.3070) Lasers and laser optics : Infrared and far-infrared lasers
(280.3420) Remote sensing and sensors : Laser sensors
(300.6390) Spectroscopy : Spectroscopy, molecular

ToC Category:
Remote Sensing

History
Original Manuscript: September 7, 2011
Revised Manuscript: October 22, 2011
Manuscript Accepted: October 27, 2011
Published: November 10, 2011

Citation
Lei Dong, Vincenzo Spagnolo, Rafał Lewicki, and Frank K. Tittel, "Ppb-level detection of nitric oxide using an external cavity quantum cascade laser based QEPAS sensor," Opt. Express 19, 24037-24045 (2011)
http://www.opticsinfobase.org/oe/abstract.cfm?URI=oe-19-24-24037

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References

J. H. Seinfeld and S. N. Pandis, Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics: from Air Pollution to Climate Change (Wiley, New York, 1998).
M. R. McCurdy, A. Sharafkhaneh, H. Abdel-Monem, J. Rojo, and F. K. Tittel, “Exhaled nitric oxide parameters and functional capacity in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease,” J Breath Res5(1), 016003 (2011). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
T. H. Risby, “Current status of mid-infrared quantum and interband cascade lasers for clinical breath analysis,” Opt. Eng.49(11), 111123 (2010). [CrossRef]
A. A. Kosterev, Y. A. Bakhirkin, R. F. Curl, and F. K. Tittel, “Quartz-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy,” Opt. Lett.27(21), 1902–1904 (2002). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
R. Lewicki, G. Wysocki, A. A. Kosterev, and F. K. Tittel, “Carbon dioxide and ammonia detection using 2μm diode laser based quartz-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy,” Appl. Phys. B87(1), 157–162 (2007). [CrossRef]
L. Dong, A. A. Kosterev, D. Thomazy, and F. K. Tittel, “QEPAS spectrophones: design, optimization, and performance,” Appl. Phys. B100(3), 627–635 (2010). [CrossRef]
L. Dong, A. A. Kosterev, D. Thomazy, and F. K. Tittel, “Compact portable QEPAS multi-gas sensor,” Proc. SPIE7945, 50Q–1 (2011).
A. A. Kosterev, L. Dong, D. Thomazy, F. K. Tittel, and S. Overby, “QEPAS for chemical analysis of multi-component gas mixtures,” Appl. Phys. B101(3), 649–659 (2010). [CrossRef]
V. Spagnolo, A. A. Kosterev, L. Dong, R. Lewicki, and F. K. Tittel, “NO trace gas sensor based on quartz enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy and external cavity quantum cascade laser,” Appl. Phys. B100(1), 125–130 (2010). [CrossRef]
C. Bauer, U. Willer, and W. Schade, “Use of quantum cascade laser for detection of explosives: progress and challenges,” Opt. Eng.49(11), 111126 (2010). [CrossRef]
L. S. Rothman, A. Barbe, C. D. Brenner, L. R. Brown, C. Camy-Peyret, M. R. Carleer, K. Chance, C. Clerbaux, V. Dana, V. M. Devi, A. Fayt, J. M. Flaudi, R. R. Gamache, A. Goldman, D. Jacquemart, K. W. Jucks, W. J. Lafferty, J. Y. Mandin, S. T. Massie, V. Nemtchinov, D. A. Newnham, A. Perrin, C. P. Rinsland, J. Schroeder, K. M. Smith, M. A. H. Smith, K. Tang, R. A. Toth, J. Vander Auwera, P. Varanasi, and K. Yoshino, “The HITRAN Molecular Spectroscopic Database: Edition of 2000 including updates through 2001,” J. Quant. Spectrosc. Radiat. Transf.82(1-4), 5–44 (2003). [CrossRef]
T. L. Cottrell and J. C. McCoubrey, Molecular Energy Transfer In Gases (Butterworths, London, 1961).
R. D. Grober, J. Acimovic, J. Schuck, D. Hessman, P. J. Kindlemann, J. Hespanha, and A. S. Morse, “Fundamental limits to force detection using quartz tuning forks,” Rev. Sci. Instrum.71(7), 2776–2780 (2000). [CrossRef]
A. A. Kosterev, F. K. Tittel, D. V. Serebryakov, A. L. Malinovsky, and I. V. Morozov, “Applications of quartz tuning forks in spectroscopic gas sensing,” Rev. Sci. Instrum.76(4), 043105 (2005). [CrossRef]
S. Gray, A. Liu, F. Xie, and C. E. Zah, “Detection of nitric oxide in air with a 5.2 μm distributed-feedback quantum cascade laser using quartz-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy,” Opt. Express18(22), 23353–23357 (2010). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
R. Sarmiento, I. E. Santosa, S. T. Persijn, L. J. J. Laarhoven, and F. J. M. Harren, “Trace nitric oxide detection using CO-laser photoacoustic spectroscopy,” in Proceedings Forum Acusticum 2005, p.L139, Budapest (2005).
A. A. Kosterev, Y. A. Bakhirkin, F. K. Tittel, S. Mcwhorter, and B. Ashcraft, “QEPAS methane sensor performance for humidified gases,” Appl. Phys. B92(1), 103–109 (2008). [CrossRef]

Abdel-Monem, H.
Acimovic, J.
Ashcraft, B.
Bakhirkin, Y. A.
Barbe, A.
Bauer, C.
Brenner, C. D.
Brown, L. R.
Camy-Peyret, C.
Carleer, M. R.
Chance, K.
Clerbaux, C.
Curl, R. F.
Dana, V.
Devi, V. M.
Dong, L.
Fayt, A.
Flaudi, J. M.
Gamache, R. R.
Goldman, A.
Gray, S.
Grober, R. D.
Hespanha, J.
Hessman, D.
Jacquemart, D.
Jucks, K. W.
Kindlemann, P. J.
Kosterev, A. A.
Lafferty, W. J.
Lewicki, R.
Liu, A.
Malinovsky, A. L.
Mandin, J. Y.
Massie, S. T.
McCurdy, M. R.
Mcwhorter, S.
Morozov, I. V.
Morse, A. S.
Nemtchinov, V.
Newnham, D. A.
Overby, S.
Perrin, A.
Rinsland, C. P.
Risby, T. H.
Rojo, J.
Rothman, L. S.
Schade, W.
Schroeder, J.
Schuck, J.
Serebryakov, D. V.
Sharafkhaneh, A.
Smith, K. M.
Smith, M. A. H.
Spagnolo, V.
Tang, K.
Thomazy, D.
Tittel, F. K.
Toth, R. A.
Vander Auwera, J.
Varanasi, P.
Willer, U.
Wysocki, G.
Xie, F.
Yoshino, K.
Zah, C. E.

Appl. Phys. B

R. Lewicki, G. Wysocki, A. A. Kosterev, and F. K. Tittel, “Carbon dioxide and ammonia detection using 2μm diode laser based quartz-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy,” Appl. Phys. B87(1), 157–162 (2007). [CrossRef]
L. Dong, A. A. Kosterev, D. Thomazy, and F. K. Tittel, “QEPAS spectrophones: design, optimization, and performance,” Appl. Phys. B100(3), 627–635 (2010). [CrossRef]
A. A. Kosterev, L. Dong, D. Thomazy, F. K. Tittel, and S. Overby, “QEPAS for chemical analysis of multi-component gas mixtures,” Appl. Phys. B101(3), 649–659 (2010). [CrossRef]
V. Spagnolo, A. A. Kosterev, L. Dong, R. Lewicki, and F. K. Tittel, “NO trace gas sensor based on quartz enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy and external cavity quantum cascade laser,” Appl. Phys. B100(1), 125–130 (2010). [CrossRef]
A. A. Kosterev, Y. A. Bakhirkin, F. K. Tittel, S. Mcwhorter, and B. Ashcraft, “QEPAS methane sensor performance for humidified gases,” Appl. Phys. B92(1), 103–109 (2008). [CrossRef]

J Breath Res

M. R. McCurdy, A. Sharafkhaneh, H. Abdel-Monem, J. Rojo, and F. K. Tittel, “Exhaled nitric oxide parameters and functional capacity in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease,” J Breath Res5(1), 016003 (2011). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

J. Quant. Spectrosc. Radiat. Transf.

L. S. Rothman, A. Barbe, C. D. Brenner, L. R. Brown, C. Camy-Peyret, M. R. Carleer, K. Chance, C. Clerbaux, V. Dana, V. M. Devi, A. Fayt, J. M. Flaudi, R. R. Gamache, A. Goldman, D. Jacquemart, K. W. Jucks, W. J. Lafferty, J. Y. Mandin, S. T. Massie, V. Nemtchinov, D. A. Newnham, A. Perrin, C. P. Rinsland, J. Schroeder, K. M. Smith, M. A. H. Smith, K. Tang, R. A. Toth, J. Vander Auwera, P. Varanasi, and K. Yoshino, “The HITRAN Molecular Spectroscopic Database: Edition of 2000 including updates through 2001,” J. Quant. Spectrosc. Radiat. Transf.82(1-4), 5–44 (2003). [CrossRef]

Opt. Eng.

C. Bauer, U. Willer, and W. Schade, “Use of quantum cascade laser for detection of explosives: progress and challenges,” Opt. Eng.49(11), 111126 (2010). [CrossRef]
T. H. Risby, “Current status of mid-infrared quantum and interband cascade lasers for clinical breath analysis,” Opt. Eng.49(11), 111123 (2010). [CrossRef]

Opt. Express

S. Gray, A. Liu, F. Xie, and C. E. Zah, “Detection of nitric oxide in air with a 5.2 μm distributed-feedback quantum cascade laser using quartz-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy,” Opt. Express18(22), 23353–23357 (2010). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Opt. Lett.

A. A. Kosterev, Y. A. Bakhirkin, R. F. Curl, and F. K. Tittel, “Quartz-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy,” Opt. Lett.27(21), 1902–1904 (2002). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Proc. SPIE

L. Dong, A. A. Kosterev, D. Thomazy, and F. K. Tittel, “Compact portable QEPAS multi-gas sensor,” Proc. SPIE7945, 50Q–1 (2011).

Rev. Sci. Instrum.

R. D. Grober, J. Acimovic, J. Schuck, D. Hessman, P. J. Kindlemann, J. Hespanha, and A. S. Morse, “Fundamental limits to force detection using quartz tuning forks,” Rev. Sci. Instrum.71(7), 2776–2780 (2000). [CrossRef]
A. A. Kosterev, F. K. Tittel, D. V. Serebryakov, A. L. Malinovsky, and I. V. Morozov, “Applications of quartz tuning forks in spectroscopic gas sensing,” Rev. Sci. Instrum.76(4), 043105 (2005). [CrossRef]

Other

R. Sarmiento, I. E. Santosa, S. T. Persijn, L. J. J. Laarhoven, and F. J. M. Harren, “Trace nitric oxide detection using CO-laser photoacoustic spectroscopy,” in Proceedings Forum Acusticum 2005, p.L139, Budapest (2005).
J. H. Seinfeld and S. N. Pandis, Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics: from Air Pollution to Climate Change (Wiley, New York, 1998).
T. L. Cottrell and J. C. McCoubrey, Molecular Energy Transfer In Gases (Butterworths, London, 1961).

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