Robust and High-Speed Cavity-Enhanced Vernier Spectrometer

Sensitive in situ detection of multiple atmospheric species at fast acquisition rates is needed for environmental monitoring. For field applications, robust and compact design is also demanded. Continuous-filtering Vernier spectroscopy (CF-VS) [1] is a cavity-enhanced frequency-comb-based technique that provides broad spectral bandwidth and high absorption sensitivity in short acquisition times. In CF-VS, groups of comb lines (Vernier orders, VOs) are transmitted through the cavity when its free spectral range (FSR) is slightly detuned from the comb repetition rate ( f rep ) and continuously swept across the broadband laser spectrum (by scanning the FSR). In previous implementations [1] - [3] , a diffraction grating rotating on a galvo scanner was used to image one VO on the detector during the spectral scan, limiting the acquisition rates to 20 Hz. Moreover, high-bandwidth stabilization was needed to synchronize the scans of the galvo and the cavity FSR. Here we present an improved design of CF-VS based on a compact Er:fiber laser and a moving aperture that follows and selects one VO. This removes the requirement of tight active stabilization and enables faster acquisition rates.