Ppb-level mid-infrared ethane detection based on three measurement schemes using a 3.34-μm continuous-wave interband cascade laser

Journal Article · 19 June 2016 · Applied Physics. B, Lasers and Optics

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00340-016-6460-6 · OSTI ID:1436078

Li, Chunguang ^[1]; Zheng, Chuantao ^[2]; Dong, Lei ^[3]; Ye, Weilin ^[4]; Tittel, Frank K. ^[5]; Wang, Yiding ^[6]

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1. Rice Univ., Houston, TX (United States). Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering; Jilin Univ., Changchun (China). State Key Lab. on Integrated Optoelectronics; Maxion Technologies
2. Rice Univ., Houston, TX (United States). Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering; Jilin Univ., Changchun (China). State Key Lab. on Integrated Optoelectronics
3. Rice Univ., Houston, TX (United States). Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering; Shanxi Univ., Taiyuan (China). State Key Lab. of Quantum Optics and Quantum Optics Devices
4. Rice Univ., Houston, TX (United States). Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering; Shantou Univ., Shantou (China). College of Engineering
5. Rice Univ., Houston, TX (United States). Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering
6. Jilin Univ., Changchun (China). State Key Lab. on Integrated Optoelectronics

A ppb-level mid-infrared ethane (C₂H₆) sensor was developed using a continuous-wave, thermoelectrically cooled, distributed feedback interband cascade laser emitting at 3.34 μm and a miniature dense patterned multipass gas cell with a 54.6-m optical path length. The performance of the sensor was investigated using two different techniques based on the tunable interband cascade laser: direct absorption spectroscopy (DAS) and second-harmonic wavelength modulation spectroscopy (2f-WMS). Three measurement schemes, DAS, WMS and quasi-simultaneous DAS and WMS, were realized based on the same optical sensor core. A detection limit of ~7.92 ppbv with a precision of ±30 ppbv for the separate DAS scheme with an averaging time of 1 s and a detection limit of ~1.19 ppbv with a precision of about ±4 ppbv for the separate WMS scheme with a 4-s averaging time were achieved. An Allan–Werle variance analysis indicated that the precisions can be further improved to 777 pptv @ 166 s for the separate DAS scheme and 269 pptv @ 108 s for the WMS scheme, respectively. For the quasi-simultaneous DAS and WMS scheme, both the 2f signal and the direct absorption signal were simultaneously extracted using a LabVIEW platform, and four C₂H₆ samples (0, 30, 60 and 90 ppbv with nitrogen as the balance gas) were used as the target gases to assess the sensor performance. A detailed comparison of the three measurement schemes is reported. Here, atmospheric C₂H₆ measurements on the Rice University campus and a field test at a compressed natural gas station in Houston, TX, were conducted to evaluate the performance of the sensor system as a robust and reliable field-deployable sensor system.

• Research Organization: Rice Univ., Houston, TX (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: National Natural Science Foundation of China (NNSFC); National Science Foundation (NSF); Robert Welch Foundation Grant; USDOE Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA-E)
• Grant/Contract Number: AR0000538
• OSTI ID: 1436078
• Report Number(s): DOE-MAXION-00538-17; PII: 6460
• Journal Information: Applied Physics. B, Lasers and Optics, Journal Name: Applied Physics. B, Lasers and Optics Journal Issue: 7 Vol. 122; ISSN 0946-2171
• Publisher: SpringerCopyright Statement
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English