Sensitive multiplex spectroscopy in the molecular fingerprint 2.4 m region with a Cr^{2+}:ZnSe femtosecond laser
arXiv:0710.2873 · doi:10.1364/OE.15.016540
Abstract
An ultrashort-pulse Cr^{2+}:ZnSe laser is a novel broadband source for sensitive high resolution molecular spectroscopy. A 130-fs pulse allows covering of up to 380 cm^-1 spectral domain around 2.4 m which is analyzed simultaneously with a 0.12 cm^-1 (3.6 GHz) resolution by a Fourier-transform spectrometer. Recorded in 13 s, from 70-cm length absorption around 4150 cm^-1, acetylene and ammonia spectra exhibit a 3800 signal-to-noise ratio and a 2.4*10^-7 cm^-1*Hz^-1/2 noise equivalent absorption coefficient at one second averaging per spectral element, suggesting a 0.2 ppbv detection level for HF molecule. With the widely practiced classical tungsten lamp source instead of the laser, identical spectra would have taken more than one hour.
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