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Detection of atomic hydrogen in flames using picosecond two-color two-photon-resonant six-wave-mixing spectroscopy

Journal Article · · Applied Optics
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1364/AO.46.003921· OSTI ID:20929754

We report an investigation of two-color six-wave-mixing spectroscopy techniquesusing picosecond lasers for the detection of atomic hydrogen in anatmospheric-pressure hydrogen-air flame. An ultraviolet laser at243 nm was two-photon-resonant and a visible probelaser at 656 nm was resonant with H{alpha} transitions (n=3 (leftarrow) n=2). The signal dependence on the polarization of the pump laser was investigated for a two-beam polarization-spectroscopy experimental configuration and for a four-beam grating configuration. A direct comparison of the absolute signal and backgroundl evels in the two experimental geometries demonstrated a significant advantage to using the four-beam grating geometry over the simpler two-beam configuration. Picosecond laser pulses provided sufficient time resolution to investigate hydrogen collisions in the atmospheric-pressure flame. Time-resolved two-color laser-induced fluorescence was used to measure an n=2 population lifetime of 110 ps, and time-resolved two-color six-wave-mixing spectroscopy was used to measure a coherence lifetime of 76 ps. Based on the collisional time scale, we expect that the six-wave-mixing signal dependence on collisions is significantly reduced with picosecond laser pulses when compared to laser pulse durations on the nanosecond time scale.

OSTI ID:
20929754
Journal Information:
Applied Optics, Journal Name: Applied Optics Journal Issue: 19 Vol. 46; ISSN 0003-6935; ISSN APOPAI
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English