Florian M. Schmidt

Fiber-laser-based noise-immune cavity-enhanced optical heterodyne molecular spectrometry for Doppler-broadened detection of C2H2 in the parts per trillion range

Noise-immune cavity-enhanced optical heterodyne molecular spectro-metry (NICE-OHMS) is one of the most sensitive laser-based absorption techniques. The high sensitivity of NICE-OHMS is obtained by ...

Doppler-broadened fiber-laser-based NICE-OHMS — Improved detectability

The performance of fiber-laser-based noise-immune cavity-enhanced optical heterodyne molecular spectrometry (NICE-OHMS) has been improved by elimination of the technical constraints that limited its first demonstration. Doppler-broadened detection of C(2)H(2) and CO(2) at ~1531 nm is demonstrated using a cavity with a finesse of 4800. Frequency and wavelength modulated detection at absorption and dispersion phase are compared and the optimum mode of detection is discussed. A minimum detectable absorption of 8 x 10-(11) cm(-1), which corresponds to a detection limit of 4.5 ppt (2 ppt.m) for C(2)H(2), was obtained for an acquisition time of 0.7 s by lineshape fitting. The linearity of the pressure dependence of the signal strengths is investigated for both C(2)H(2) and CO(2).

Doppler-broadened noise-immune cavity-enhanced optical heterodyne molecular spectrometry signals from optically saturated transitions under low pressure conditions

The influence of optical saturation on noise-immune cavity-enhanced optical heterodyne molecular spectrometry (NICE-OHMS) signals from purely Doppler-broadened transitions is investigated experimen ...

Background levels and diurnal variations of hydrogen cyanide in breath and emitted from skin

The hydrogen cyanide (HCN) concentration in exhaled human breath and skin gas samples collected with different sampling techniques was measured using near-infrared cavity ring-down spectroscopy. The median baseline HCN concentrations in samples provided by 19 healthy volunteers 2-4 h after the last meal depended on the employed sampling technique: 6.5 parts per billion by volume (ppbv) in mixed (dead space and end-tidal) mouth-exhaled breath collected to a gas sampling bag, 3.9 ppbv in end-tidal mouth-exhaled breath, 1.3 ppbv in end-tidal nose-exhaled breath, 1.0 ppbv in unwashed skin and 0.6 ppbv in washed skin samples. Diurnal measurements showed that elevated HCN levels are to be expected in mouth-exhaled breath samples after food and drink intake, which suggests HCN generation in the oral cavity. The HCN concentrations in end-tidal nose-exhaled breath and skin gas samples were correlated, and it is concluded that these concentrations best reflect systemic HCN levels.

Calibration-free scanned wavelength modulation spectroscopy – application to H 2 O and temperature sensing in flames

A calibration-free scanned wavelength modulation spectroscopy scheme requiring minimal laser characterization is presented. Species concentration and temperature are retrieved simultaneously from a single fit to a group of 2f/1f-WMS lineshapes acquired in one laser scan. The fitting algorithm includes a novel method to obtain the phase shift between laser intensity and wavelength modulation, and allows for a wavelength-dependent modulation amplitude. The scheme is demonstrated by detection of H(2)O concentration and temperature in atmospheric, premixed CH(4)/air flat flames using a sensor operating near 1.4 µm. The detection sensitivity for H(2)O at 2000 K was 4 × 10(-5) cm(-1) Hz(-1/2), and temperature was determined with a precision of 10 K and absolute accuracy of ~50 K. A parametric study of the dependence of H(2)O and temperature on distance to the burner and total fuel mass flow rate shows good agreement with 1D simulations.

Acetylene in breath: background levels and real-time elimination kinetics after smoking

We have measured the acetylene concentration in the exhaled breath of 40 volunteers (31 non-smokers, nine smokers) using near-infrared cavity ring-down spectroscopy. The acetylene levels were found to be the same as in ambient air for non-smokers, whereas elevated levels were observed for smokers. Real-time measurements with sub-second time resolution have been applied to measure the elimination kinetics of acetylene in breath after exposure to tobacco smoke. Three exponential time constants can be distinguished from the data and these can be used to define the residence times for different compartments, according to the multi-compartment model of the human body.

Cavity-enhanced optical frequency comb spectroscopy of high-temperature H2O in a flame

We demonstrate detection of broadband high-temperature water spectra in a laminar, premixed methane/air flat flame using high-resolution near-infrared cavity-enhanced optical frequency comb spectroscopy incorporating a fast-scanning Fourier transform spectrometer.

Wavelength-modulated noise-immune cavity-enhanced optical heterodyne molecular spectroscopy signal line shapes in the Doppler limit

A thorough analysis of the shape and strength of Doppler-broadened wavelength modulated noise-immune cavity-enhanced optical heterodyne molecular spectroscopy signals is presented and their depende ...

Tunable Diode Laser Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy for Detection of Potassium under Optically Thick Conditions

Potassium (K) is an important element related to ash and fine-particle formation in biomass combustion processes. In situ measurements of gaseous atomic potassium, K(g), using robust optical absorption techniques can provide valuable insight into the K chemistry. However, for typical parts per billion K(g) concentrations in biomass flames and reactor gases, the product of atomic line strength and absorption path length can give rise to such high absorbance that the sample becomes opaque around the transition line center. We present a tunable diode laser atomic absorption spectroscopy (TDLAAS) methodology that enables accurate, calibration-free species quantification even under optically thick conditions, given that Beer-Lamberts law is valid. Analyte concentration and collisional line shape broadening are simultaneously determined by a least-squares fit of simulated to measured absorption profiles. Method validation measurements of K(g) concentrations in saturated potassium hydroxide vapor in the temperature range 950-1200 K showed excellent agreement with equilibrium calculations, and a dynamic range from 40 pptv cm to 40 ppmv cm. The applicability of the compact TDLAAS sensor is demonstrated by real-time detection of K(g) concentrations close to biomass pellets during atmospheric combustion in a laboratory reactor.

Exhaled Breath Biomonitoring Using Laser Spectroscopy

Biological monitoring usually relies on the collection of blood and urine samples. Although being non-invasive and providing an inextinguishable sampling pool, the analysis of exhaled breath is not ...