Tunable diode laser based monitoring of atmospheric gases - Modern techniques

The paper describes the development of spectroscopic methods for monitoring atmospheric gases, which are based on tunable diode lasers (TDLs). The problem of complexity of TDL-based systems was solved using several approaches. These include the development of a pulse-periodical mode of laser operation with high-frequency scanning rate; simplification of optical and cryogenic parts using mid-IR optical fibers; and the development of specialized electronics and automatic measurements methods. A block diagram of the system is presented together with tables listing information on the sensitivity limitations of the TDL-based spectrometer and detectivity levels for various atmospheric gases.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.