Bruce E. Bernacki

Part-per-trillion level SF6 detection using a quartz enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy-based sensor with single-mode fiber-coupled quantum cascade laser excitation.

A sensitive spectroscopic sensor based on a hollow-core fiber-coupled quantum cascade laser (QCL) emitting at 10.54 μm and quartz enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy (QEPAS) technique is reported. The design and realization of mid-IR fiber and coupler optics has ensured single-mode QCL beam delivery to the QEPAS sensor. The collimation optics was designed to produce a laser beam of significantly reduced beam size and waist so as to prevent illumination of the quartz tuning fork and microresonator tubes. SF(6) was selected as the target gas. A minimum detection sensitivity of 50 parts per trillion in 1 s was achieved with a QCL power of 18 mW, corresponding to a normalized noise-equivalent absorption of 2.7×10(-10) W·cm(-1)/Hz(1/2).

Alignment-insensitive method for wideband tuning of an unmodified semiconductor laser

Using simple optical components and an unmodified commercial semiconductor laser, a frequency-selective self-aligning optical-feedback technique has been devised that allows a semiconductor laser to be tuned to and scanned about any optical frequency within the laser gain curve. This technique employs a graded-index rod lens cats eye and an intracavity étalon.

Standoff hyperspectral imaging of explosives residues using broadly tunable external cavity quantum cascade laser illumination

We describe experimental results on the detection of explosives residues with active hyperspectral imaging by illumination of the target surface using an external cavity quantum cascade laser (ECQCL) and imaging using an uncooled microbolometer camera. Explosives have rich absorption features in the molecular fingerprint region that spans 1500 to 500 wavenumbers and is easily probed by the wavelength range of quantum cascade lasers (QCL), which can be fabricated to emit from 3300 to 400 wavenumbers. Our laboratory-built ECQCL consists of a Fabry-Pérot laser with anti-reflection coated front facet that is arranged in a Littman-Metcalf configuration. The ECQCL was operated quasi-CW with a 100 kHz repetition rate, 50% duty cycle drive signal and tuning range from 1102.95 to 983.8 wavenumbers. The active hyperspectral imaging technique forms an image hypercube by recording one image for each tuning step of the ECQCL. For the experiments reported here, each wavelength band was 2 wavenumbers wide and 60 bands of image data were acquired in 2 seconds. The resulting hyperspectral image contains the full absorption spectrum produced by the illumination laser at each pixel in the image which can then be used to identify the explosive type and relative quantity using the rich library of spectral identification approaches developed initially in the remote sensing community. These techniques include spectral feature fitting, matched filtering, and mixture tuned matched filtering. Mixtures of materials can be evaluated using linear spectral unmixing approaches and matched filtering or mixture tuned matched filtering. We provide examples of these methods using ENVI, a commercial spectral image processing software package.

First fringes with an integrated-optics beam combiner at 10 μm - A new step towards instrument miniaturization for mid-infrared interferometry

Context. Observations of milliarcsecond-resolution scales and high dynamic range hold a central place in the exploration of distant planetary systems in order to achieve, for instance, the spectroscopic characterization of exo-Earths or the detailed mapping of their protoplanetary disc birthplace. Multi-aperture infrared interferometry, either from the ground or from space, is a very powerful technique to tackle these goals. However, significant technical efforts still need to be undertaken to achieve a simplification of these instruments if we wish to recombine the light from a large number of telescopes. Integrated-optics concepts appear to be a suitable alternative to the current conventional designs, especially if their use can be extended to a higher number of astronomical bands. Aims. This article reports, for the first time to our knowledge, the experimental demonstration of the feasibility of an integrated-optics approach to mid-infrared beam combination for single-mode stellar interferometry. Methods. We fabricated a two-telescope beam combiner prototype integrated on a substrate of chalcogenide glass, a material transparent from ∼1 μ mt o∼14 μm. We developed laboratory tools to characterize in the mid-infrared the modal properties and the interferometric capabilities of our device. Results. We obtain interferometric fringes at 10 μm and measure a mean contrast V = 0.981 ± 0.001 with high repeatability over one week and high stability over a time-period of ∼5 h. We show experimentally – as well as on the basis of modeling considerations – that the component has a single-mode behavior at this wavelength, which is essential to achieve high-accuracy interferometry. From previous studies, the propagation losses are estimated to be 0.5 dB/cm for this type of component. We also discuss possible issues that may impact the interferometric contrast. Conclusions. The IO beam combiner performs well at the tested wavelength. We also anticipate the requirement of a closer matching between the numerical apertures of the component and the (de)coupling optics to optimize the total throughput. The next step foreseen is the achievement of wide-band interferograms.

Hyperspectral microscopy of explosives particles using an external cavity quantum cascade laser

Abstract. Using infrared hyperspectral imaging, microscopy of small particles of the explosives compounds RDX, tetryl, and PETN with near diffraction-limited performance is demonstrated. The custom microscope apparatus includes an external cavity quantum cascade laser illuminator scanned over its tuning range of 9.13 to 10.53 μm in 4 s, coupled with a microbolometer focal plane array to record infrared transmission images. The hyperspectral microscopy technique is used to study the infrared absorption spectra of individual explosives particles, and demonstrate subnanogram detection limits.

Measurement of the refractive index dispersion of As2Se3 bulk glass and thin films prior to and after laser irradiation and annealing using prism coupling in the near- and mid-infrared spectral range

The prism coupling technique has been utilized to measure the refractive index in the near- and mid-IR spectral region of chalcogenide glasses in bulk and thin film form. A commercial system (Metricon model 2010) has been modified with additional laser sources, detectors, and a new GaP prism to allow the measurement of refractive index dispersion over the 1.5-10.6 μm range. The instrumental error was found to be ±0.001 refractive index units across the entire wavelength region examined. Measurements on thermally evaporated AMTIR2 thin films confirmed that (i) the film deposition process provides thin films with reduced index compared to that of the bulk glass used as a target, (ii) annealing of the films increases the refractive index of the film to the level of the bulk glass used as a target to create it, and (iii) it is possible to locally increase the refractive index of the chalcogenide glass using laser exposure at 632.8 nm.

Design and performance of a sensor system for detection of multiple chemicals using an external cavity quantum cascade laser

We describe the performance of a sensor system designed for simultaneous detection of multiple chemicals with both broad and narrow absorption features. The sensor system consists of a broadly tunable external cavity quantum cascade laser (ECQCL), multi-pass Herriott cell, and custom low-noise electronics. The ECQCL features a fast wavelength tuning rate of 2265 cm-1/s (15660 nm/s) over the range of 1150-1270 cm-1 (7.87-8.70 μm), which permits detection of molecules with broad absorption features and dynamic concentrations, while the 0.2 cm-1 spectral resolution of the ECQCL system allows measurement of small molecules with atmospherically broadened absorption lines. High-speed amplitude modulation and low-noise electronics are used to improve the ECQCL performance for direct absorption measurements. We demonstrate simultaneous detection of Freon-134a (1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane), ammonia (NH3), and nitrous oxide (N2O) at low-ppb concentrations in field measurements of atmospheric chemical releases from a point source.

Intensity-Value Corrections for Integrating Sphere Measurements of Solid Samples Measured Behind Glass

Accurate and calibrated directional-hemispherical reflectance spectra of solids are important for both in situ and remote sensing. Many solids are in the form of powders or granules and to measure their diffuse reflectance spectra in the laboratory, it is often necessary to place the samples behind a transparent medium such as glass for the ultraviolet (UV), visible, or near-infrared spectral regions. Using both experimental methods and a simple optical model, we demonstrate that glass (fused quartz in our case) leads to artifacts in the reflectance values. We report our observations that the measured reflectance values, for both hemispherical and diffuse reflectance, are distorted by the additional reflections arising at the air–quartz and sample–quartz interfaces. The values are dependent on the sample reflectance and are offset in intensity in the hemispherical case, leading to measured values up to ∼6% too high for a 2% reflectance surface, ∼3.8% too high for 10% reflecting surfaces, approximately correct for 40–60% diffuse-reflecting surfaces, and ∼1.5% too low for 99% reflecting Spectralon® surfaces. For the case of diffuse-only reflectance, the measured values are uniformly too low due to the polished glass, with differences of nearly 6% for a 99% reflecting matte surface. The deviations arise from the added reflections from the quartz surfaces, as verified by both theory and experiment, and depend on sphere design. Empirical correction factors were implemented into post-processing software to redress the artifact for hemispherical and diffuse reflectance data across the 300–2300 nm range.

Hyperspectral microscopy using an external cavity quantum cascade laser and its applications for explosives detection

Using infrared hyperspectral imaging, we demonstrate microscopy of small particles of the explosives compounds RDX, tetryl, and PETN with near diffraction-limited performance. The custom microscope apparatus includes an external cavity quantum cascade laser illuminator scanned over its tuning range of 9.13-10.53 μm in four seconds, coupled with a microbolometer focal plane array to record infrared transmission images. We use the hyperspectral microscopy technique to study the infrared absorption spectra of individual explosives particles, and demonstrate sub-nanogram detection limits.

Optical response of oriented and highly anisotropic subwavelength metallic nanostructure arrays

Here we describe the optical response of highly anisotropic subwavelength coatings with Au structures based on the open-ring-resonator and fabricated via nanoimprint lithography and metal sputtering. This approach allows fabrication of dense arrays of oriented nanostructures over large areas with a resonance in the visible wavelength range. Nanostructures are wire-like, with a nanoscale L-shaped cross section approximately 70 nm in width. The coatings exhibit a resonant transmission response that is highly angle and polarization dependent. Experimental results are presented along with complementary numerical modeling results predicting the resonance shift with corresponding changes in fabrication parameters.