Sensitive CH4 detection applying quantum cascade laser based optical feedback cavity-enhanced absorption spectroscopy.

We report on sensitive detection of atmospheric methane employing quantum cascade laser based optical feedback cavity-enhanced absorption spectroscopy (OF-CEAS). An instrument has been built utilizing a continuous-wave distributed feedback quantum cascade laser (cw-QCL) with a V-shaped cavity, a common arrangement that reduces feedback to the laser from non-resonant reflections. The spectrometer has a noise equivalent absorption coefficient of 3.6 × 10-9 cm-1 Hz-1/2 for a spectral scan of CH4 at 7.39 µm. From an Allan-Werle analysis a detection limit of 39 parts per trillion of CH4 at atmospheric pressure within 50 s acquisition time was found.

Plasma nitriding monitoring reactor: A model reactor for studying plasma nitriding processes using an active screen.

A laboratory scale plasma nitriding monitoring reactor (PLANIMOR) has been designed to study the basics of active screen plasma nitriding (ASPN) processes. PLANIMOR consists of a tube reactor vessel, made of borosilicate glass, enabling optical emission spectroscopy (OES) and infrared absorption spectroscopy. The linear setup of the electrode system of the reactor has the advantages to apply the diagnostic approaches on each part of the plasma process, separately. Furthermore, possible changes of the electrical field and of the heat generation, as they could appear in down-scaled cylindrical ASPN reactors, are avoided. PLANIMOR has been used for the nitriding of steel samples, achieving similar results as in an industrial scale ASPN reactor. A compact spectrometer using an external cavity quantum cascade laser combined with an optical multi-pass cell has been applied for the detection of molecular reaction products. This allowed the determination of the concentrations of four stable molecular species (CH4, C2H2, HCN, and NH3). With the help of OES, the rotational temperature of the screen plasma could be determined.

TRIPLE Q: a three channel quantum cascade laser absorption spectrometer for fast multiple species concentration measurements.

A compact and transportable three channel quantum cascade laser system (TRIPLE Q) based on mid-infrared absorption spectroscopy has been developed for time-resolved plasma diagnostics. The TRIPLE Q spectrometer encompasses three independently controlled quantum cascade lasers (QCLs), which can be used for chemical sensing, particularly for gas phase analysis of plasmas. All three QCLs are operated in the intra-pulse mode with typical pulse lengths of the order of 150 ns. Using a multiplexed detection, a time resolution shorter than 1 µs can be achieved. Hence, the spectrometer is well suited to study kinetic processes of multiple infrared active compounds in reactive plasmas. A special data processing and analysis technique has been established to account for time jitter effects of the infrared emission of the QCLs. The performance of the TRIPLE Q system has been validated in pulsed direct current plasmas containing N(2)O/air and NO(2)/air.

Influence of age and sex in exhaled breath samples investigated by means of infrared laser absorption spectroscopy.

Breath gas analysis provides insight into human metabolism of healthy and ill individuals. As an innovative and non-invasive method, it opens up options to improve diagnostics, monitoring and treatment decisions. Mid-infrared laser absorption spectroscopy is utilized to detect CH(4), H(2)O, CO(2), NH(3) and CH(3)OH in exhaled human breath. An off-line approach using breath sampling by means of Tedlar bags is applied. The breath gas samples are measured within the population-based epidemiological Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP-TREND) performed at the University of Greifswald. The study covers about 5000 adult subjects aged 20-79 years within 3 years. Besides breath gas analysis many other examinations are conducted. It is expected to find associations between distinct concentration levels of species in the exhaled breath and diseases assessed in this study. The study will establish reference values for exhaled breath components and serve as background population for case-control studies. In the long run, morbidity and mortality follow-ups will be conducted, which will answer the question whether end-expiratory breath gas components predict future diseases and death. As first results, we present data from 45 dialysis patients (23 males, 22 females) which were recruited in a preliminary study in preparation for SHIP-TREND.

Line strengths and transition dipole moment of the nu2 fundamental band of the methyl radical.

The line strengths of nine Q-branch lines in the nu(2) fundamental band of the methyl radical in its ground electronic state have been measured by diode laser absorption spectroscopy. The vibration-rotation spectrum of methyl was recorded in a microwave discharge in ditertiary butyl peroxide heavily diluted in argon. The absolute concentration of the radical was determined by measuring its kinetic decay when the discharge was extinguished. The translational, rotational, and vibrational temperatures, also required to relate the line strengths to the transition dipole moment, were determined from relative integrated line intensities and from the Doppler widths of the lines after allowing for instrumental factors. The line strengths of the nine Q-branch lines were used to derive a more accurate value of the transition dipole moment of this band, mu(2)=0.215(25) D. Improved accuracy over earlier measurements of mu(2) (derived from line strengths of single lines) was obtained by integrating over the complete line profile instead of measuring the peak absorption and assuming a Doppler linewidth to deduce the concentration. In addition, a more precise value for the rate constant for methyl radical recombination than available earlier was employed. The new value of mu(2) is in very good agreement with high-quality ab initio calculations. Furthermore, the ratio of the transition dipole moments of the nu(2) and nu(3) fundamental bands in the gas phase is now in highly satisfactory agreement with the ratio determined for the condensed phase.

Diode laser spectroscopy of the fundamental bands of 12C14N, 13C14N, 12C15N, 13C15N free radicals in the ground 2 Sigma+ electronic state.

Rotationally resolved spectra of the fundamental band of the CN free radical in four isotopic forms have been measured using tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy. The source of the radical was a microwave discharge in a mixture of isotopically selected methane and nitrogen diluted with argon. The lines were measured to an accuracy of 5 x 10(-4) cm(-1) and fitted to the formula for the vibration rotation spectrum of a diatomic molecule, including quartic distortion constants. The band origins of each of the isotopomers from the five parameter fits were found to be 12C14N: 2042.42115(38) cm(-1), 13C14N: 2000.08479(23) cm(-1), 12C15N: 2011.25594(25) cm(-1), 13C15N: 1968.22093(33) cm(-1) with one standard deviation from the fit given in parenthesis. Some of the lines showed a resolved splitting due to the spin rotation interaction. This was averaged for fitting purposes. The average equilibrium internuclear distance derived from the upsilon = 0 and 1 rotational constants of the four isotopomers is 1.171800(6) A which is in good agreement with the value determined from microwave spectroscopy.

Infrared Diode Laser Spectrum of the nu(1) Fundamental Band of ClBO.

The nu(1) band of ClBO has been recorded using infrared diode laser spectroscopy. The molecule was produced by reacting oxygen atoms, produced in a microwave discharge containing an O(2)/He mixture, with BCl(3). Thirty-three lines of the (35)Cl(11)B(16)O isotopomer and 32 lines due to the (37)Cl(11)B(16)O isotopomer have been assigned. By fixing the ground state constants to those previously obtained by microwave spectroscopy, a least-squares fit (rms = 0.0008) gave the following upper state constants; (35)Cl(11)B(16)O: nu(0) = 1972.18024(21) cm(-1), B(1) = 0.1725055(12) cm(-1); (37)Cl(11)B(16)O: nu(0) = 1971.82846(24) cm(-1), B(1) = 0.1688402(13) cm(-1). The rotational constants of all the fundamental bands of ClBO have been used to calculate an r(e) structure yielding r(e(B-Cl)) = 167.668(26) pm and r(e(B-O)) = 121.308(26) pm. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.