Zoltán Bozóki

Application of acoustic resonators in photoacoustic trace gas analysis and metrology

The application of different types of acoustic resonators such as pipes, cylinders, and spheres in photoacoustics is considered. This includes a discussion of the fundamental properties of these resonant cavities. Modulated and pulsed laser excitation of acoustic modes is discussed. The theoretical and practical aspects of high-Q and low-Q resonators and their integration into complete photoacoustic detection systems for trace gas monitoring and metrology are covered in detail. The characteristics of the available laser sources and the performance of the photoacoustic resonators, such as signal amplification, are discussed. Setup properties and noise features are considered in detail. This review is intended to give newcomers the information needed to design and construct state-of-the-art photoacoustic detectors for specific purposes such as trace gas analysis, spectroscopy, and metrology.

Photoacoustic instruments for practical applications: Present, potentials, and future challenges

Abstract Gas concentration monitoring by photoacoustic spectroscopy is reviewed from the point of view of practical applicability. Major challenges, which stem from the complexity of the measurement method, are thoroughly discussed and the possibility for long-term reliable and automatic measurements is demonstrated.

Near-infrared diode laser based spectroscopic detection of ammonia: a comparative study of photoacoustic and direct optical absorption methods

A photoacoustic spectroscopic (PAS) and a direct optical absorption spectroscopic (OAS) gas sensor, both using continuous-wave room-temperature diode lasers operating at 1531.8 nm, were compared on the basis of ammonia detection. Excellent linear correlation between the detector signals of the two systems was found. Although the physical properties and the mode of operation of both sensors were significantly different, their performances were found to be remarkably similar, with a sub-ppm level minimum detectable concentration of ammonia and a fast response time in the range of a few minutes.

Pulsed-laser excitation of acoustic modes in open high-Q photoacoustic resonators for trace gas monitoring: results for C 2 H 4

The pulsed excitation of acoustic resonances was studied with a continuously monitoring photoacoustic detector system. Acoustic waves were generated in C(2)H(4)/N(2) gas mixtures by light absorption of the pulses from a transversely excited atmospheric CO(2) laser. The photoacoustic part consisted of high-Q cylindrical resonators (Q factor 820 for the first radial mode in N(2)) and two adjoining variable acoustic filter systems. The time-resolved signal was Fourier transformed to a frequency spectrum of high resolution. For the first radial mode a Lorentzian profile was fitted to the measured data. The outside noise suppression and the signal-to-noise ratio were investigated in a normal laboratory environment in the flow-through mode. The acoustic and electric filter system combined with the averaging of the photoacoustic signal in the time domain suppressed the outside noise by a factor of 4500 (73 dB). The detection limit for trace gas analysis of ethylene in pure N(2) was 2.0 parts in 10(9) by volume (ppbV) (minimal absorption coefficient α(min) = 6.1 × 10(-8) cm(-1), pulse energy 20 mJ, 1-bar N(2)), and in environmental air, in which the absorption of other gas components produces a high background signal, we can detect C(2)H(4) to ~180 ppbV. In addition, an alternative experimental technique, in which the maximum signal of the second azimuthal mode was monitored, was tested. To synchronize the sampling rate at the resonance frequency, a resonance tracking system was applied. The detection limit for ethylene measurements was α(min) = 9.1 × 10(-8) cm(-1) for this system.

Carbon mass determinations during the AIDA soot aerosol campaign 1999

During the soot aerosol campaign particle carbon mass concentrations of Diesel soot, spark generated “Palas” soot, external and internal mixtures of Diesel soot with (NH4)2SO4, and particles coated with secondary organic aerosol material were determined by several di&erent methods. Two methods were based on thermochemical @lter analysis with coulometric and NDIR detection of evolved CO 2 (total carbon, TC and elemental carbon, EC) and four methods employed optical techniques: aethalometry (black carbon, BC), photoacoustic soot detection (BC), photoelectron emission, and extinction measurement at 473 nm. Furthermore, � -attenuation (total particulate mass), FTIR spectroscopy (sulphate), and COSIMA model calculations were used to determine particle mass concentrations. The general agreement between most methods was good although some methods did not reach their usual performance. TC determined by coulometric @lter analysis showed good correlations with optical extinction, photoacoustic BC signal, and photoelectron emission data. However, the evolution of the photoelectron emission signal correlated with changes in accessible surface area rather than mass concentration and was very sensitive to surface conditions. The BC content as measured by the aethalometers approximately equal to less than 70% of the EC content for Diesel soot and amounts to less than 25% of the EC content of “Palas” soot. ? 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Diode laser based photoacoustic humidity sensors

Abstract Various diode laser based photoacoustic (PA) systems applied in water vapour detection are presented. The dependence of the systems’ performance on the physical and chemical properties of the measured gas is discussed. It was found that the pressure dependence of the measured PA signal is different for amplitude and wavelength modulated lasers. This difference is explained. Linearity in a concentration range of more than four orders of magnitude in combination with typical accuracy of a few percentages was proved.

Design and characterization of a windowless resonant photoacoustic chamber equipped with resonance locking circuitry

A novel design of a windowless resonant photoacoustic chamber with open acoustic filters and an electronic resonance locking circuitry is presented. The acoustic behavior of the cell and preliminary measurements on a certified gas mixture with a CO2 laser demonstrate the feasibility for trace gas monitoring.

INTRACAVITY PHOTOACOUSTIC GAS DETECTION WITH AN EXTERNAL CAVITY DIODE LASER

The first use of an external cavity diode-laser light source in combination with a photoacoustic detector for high-sensitivity gas detection is described. This combined system is applicable for detecting gases with absorption coefficients as low as 5 x 10−8 cm−1 by operating the photoacoustic cell in an intracavity mode. Measurements were made on the 1.13 μm absorption lines of water vapour. For quantitative measurements, it was found to be necessary to introduce a reference cell into the system.

External Cavity Diode Laser Based Photoacoustic Detection of CO2 at 1.43 μm: The Effect of Molecular Relaxation

Photoacoustic spectroscopy, based on an external cavity diode laser operating at 1431 nm, was used for measuring CO2 concentration as a minority component in a gas mixture. By using N2 as a buffer gas, a molecular relaxation effect was observed, which influenced both the amplitude and the phase of the measured photoacoustic signal and consequently reduced the sensitivity of the PA system. This molecular relaxation effect could be suppressed by adding water vapor of a constant and relatively high (∼4%) concentration to the gas sample. In parallel with this, the arising spectral interference between H2O and CO2 necessitated the development of a simple yet efficient signal analysis method, which increased the sensitivity of the system by more than one order of magnitude and accordingly reduced the minimum detectable CO2 concentration down to ∼1000 ppm.

A high-sensitivity, near-infrared tunable-diode-laser-based photoacoustic water-vapour-detection system for automated operation

A photoacoustic sensor system for automatic detection of low concentrations of water vapour is described in this paper. A Littman-configuration external-cavity diode laser operating at 1125 nm was used as a light source in combination with a high-sensitivity measuring photoacoustic cell, a reference photoacoustic cell and PC-controlled electronics. The system was calibrated with synthetic gas samples and a detection limit of 13 µmol per mol of water vapour was determined. Adsorption/desorption phenomena at the walls of the measuring photoacoustic cell were found to be an important limiting factor for the sensitivity of the system.