Abstract
We describe the design, construction, and initial performance evaluation of a high-repetition-rate cavity ringdown spectrometer. The spectrometer is based on the use of the Pound–Drever–Hall technique to lock the laser frequency to the maximum of a transmission fringe of the interferometer used as a sample cell. This results in continuous injection of light into the interferometer. The injection is repetitively interrupted with an acousto-optical modulator to generate ringdowns (exponential decays) at a typical rate of . Averaging of these large numbers of fitted ringdown times allows us to attain a minimum detectable absorption of short term and long term. In addition, the spectrometer has a continuous tuning capability of , which allows the use of standard linearization and frequency calibration techniques for the spectrum. To illustrate the operation and sensitivity of the spectrometer, part of the Q-branch of a weak acetylene overtone has been recorded.
© 2006 Optical Society of America
Full Article | PDF ArticleMore Like This
Nicola J. van Leeuwen, Jan C. Diettrich, and Andrew C. Wilson
Appl. Opt. 42(18) 3670-3677 (2003)
Jae Won Hahn, Yong Shim Yoo, Jae Yong Lee, Jae Wan Kim, and Hai-Woong Lee
Appl. Opt. 38(9) 1859-1866 (1999)
B. A. Paldus, C. C. Harb, T. G. Spence, R. N. Zare, C. Gmachl, F. Capasso, D. L. Sivco, J. N. Baillargeon, A. L. Hutchinson, and A. Y. Cho
Opt. Lett. 25(9) 666-668 (2000)