Sensitive and selective detection of OH radicals using Faraday rotation spectroscopy at 2.8 μm

  • Weixiong Zhao
  • , Gerard Wysocki
  • , Weidong Chen
  • , Eric Fertein
  • , David Le Coq
  • , Denis Petitprez
  • , Weijun Zhang

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

51 Scopus citations

Abstract

We report on the development of a Faraday rotation spectroscopy (FRS) instrument using a DFB diode laser operating at 2.8 μm for the hydroxyl (OH) free radical detection. The highest absorption line intensity and the largest gJ value make the Q (1.5) double lines of the 2π 3/2 state (ν = 1→0) at 2.8 μm clearly the best choice for sensitive detection in the infrared region by FRS. The prototype instrument shows shot-noise dominated performance and, with an active optical pathlength of only 25 cm and a lock-in time constant of 100 ms, achieves a 1σ detection limit of 8.2 × 108 OH radicals/cm3.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)2493-2501
Number of pages9
JournalOptics Express
Volume19
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 31 2011

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics

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