Abstract
The mid-infrared (mid-IR) spectral region holds great promise for new laser-based sensing technologies, based on measuring strong mid-IR molecular absorption features. Practical applications have been limited to date, however, by current low-brightness broadband mid-IR light sources and slow acquisition-time detection systems. Here, we report a new approach by developing a swept-wavelength mid-infrared fiber laser, exploiting the broad emission of dysprosium and using an acousto-optic tunable filter to achieve electronically controlled swept-wavelength operation from 2.89 to 3.25 μm (3070-3460 cm^-1). Ammonia (NH3) absorption spectroscopy is demonstrated using this swept source with a simple room-temperature single-pixel detector, with 0.3 nm resolution and 40 ms acquisition time. This creates new opportunities for real-time high-sensitivity remote sensing using simple, compact mid-IR fiber-based technologies.
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@article{Woodward2019,
title = {Swept-wavelength mid-infrared fiber laser for real-time ammonia gas sensing [Invited]},
author = {R. I. Woodward and M. R. Majewski and D. D. Hudson and S. D. Jackson},
url = {https://www.riwoodward.com/publication_files/woodward_2019_nh3.pdf},
doi = {10.1063/1.5065415},
year = {2019},
date = {2019-02-01},
journal = {APL Photonics},
volume = {4},
pages = {020801},
abstract = {The mid-infrared (mid-IR) spectral region holds great promise for new laser-based sensing technologies, based on measuring strong mid-IR molecular absorption features. Practical applications have been limited to date, however, by current low-brightness broadband mid-IR light sources and slow acquisition-time detection systems. Here, we report a new approach by developing a swept-wavelength mid-infrared fiber laser, exploiting the broad emission of dysprosium and using an acousto-optic tunable filter to achieve electronically controlled swept-wavelength operation from 2.89 to 3.25 μm (3070-3460 cm^-1). Ammonia (NH3) absorption spectroscopy is demonstrated using this swept source with a simple room-temperature single-pixel detector, with 0.3 nm resolution and 40 ms acquisition time. This creates new opportunities for real-time high-sensitivity remote sensing using simple, compact mid-IR fiber-based technologies.},
note = {Editor's Pick},
keywords = {dysprosium, fibre laser, mid-infrared},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}