Quantum cascade laser frequency combs j erome faist, 1gustavo villares, giacomo scalari, markus r osch, 1christopher bonzon, andreas hugi,2 and mattias beck1 1institute for quantum electronics, eth zurich, switzerland, email. Advances in quantum cascade lasers will enable powerful new technologies to become commercial realities. Frequencycombassisted terahertz quantum cascade laser spectroscopy. Singleshot submicrosecond midinfrared spectroscopy on. In contrast to high performance lasers based on a twophonon. The dependence of the thermal resistance on the cw or pulsed injection conditions and its. The laser light was then collimated by a combination of. Onchip dualcomb based on quantum cascade laser frequency combs g. Introduction last year marked the 20th anniversary of the invention and demonstration of the quantum cascade laser qcl at bell laboratories 1.
Ozone, ammonia, co 2, water vapor external cavity qc laser tecooled detector telescope 75m roundtrip c. Feb 17, 2017 please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report. We report a metrologicalgrade thz spectroscopy based on the combination of a thz frequencycomb synthesizer fcs and a thz quantum cascade laser qcl. The light sources are selected to measure co, no, no2.
Clemens j, bird b, weida m, rowlette j and baker m j 2014 quantum cascade laser based midinfrared spectrochemical imaging of tissues and biofluids spec. Using time resolved quantum cascade laser absorption spectroscopy, the densities of no, no 2 and n 2 o have been measured in synthetic air as well as in air with 0. The identification of plastic type is important for environmental applications ranging from recycling to understanding the fate of plastics in marine, atmospheric, and terrestrial environments. Figure 12 shows a schematic sketch of the experimental setup consisting of a closed tube reactor made of pyrex and a 3 channel qclas spectrometer, triple q. Farinfrared quantum cascade lasers operating in the alas. Pdf frequencycombassisted terahertz quantum cascade. Coupled with tunable diode laser tdl spectroscopy, a single instrument is now able to broaden insight and monitor both the near and midinfrared range of spectroscopic light. It aims at giving a synthetic view of the topic including the aspects of the physics, the technology, and the use of the device. In the short space of 15 years since their first demonstration, quantum cascade lasers have become the most useful sources of tunable midinfrared laser radiation. A schematic description of the gain mechanism is given in the drawing.
The instrument uses an infrared tunable quantum cascade laser. Multicomponent gas analysis using broadband quantum cascade laser spectroscopy we present a broadband quantum cascade laser based spectroscopic system covering the region between 850 and 1250 cm1. Spectroscopic applications of quantum cascade lasers. By sequentially firing 128 lasers, our system acquires a photoacoustic spectrum covering 565 cm 1 9351500 cm 1 with a normalizednoiseequivalentabsorption coefficient of 2. Characterization and control of tunable quantum cascade laser. Therefore they open completely new ways for infrared spectroscopy. Faist1, b 1 institute for quantum electronics, eth zurich, ch8093 zurich, switzerland 2 irsweep gmbh, ch8093 zurich, switzerland dated. Quantum cascade laser spectrometer earth observing laboratory. Quantum cascade laser absorption spectroscopy of uf6 at 7.
Vibrational stark spectroscopy on fluorobenzene with. Spectroscopic detection of biological no with a quantum. Attenuation of the intensity of the combs by molecular vibrational resonances results in. Midir spectroscopy in general provides rapid, labelfree and objective analysis, particularly important in the field of biomedical analysis. Quantum cascade lasers for spectroscopy fraunhofer iaf. Trace gas spectrometry using quantum cascade lasers. Detection of multiple transitions in no and h2o using multimode absorption spectroscopy, mumas, with a quantum cascade laser, qcl, operating at 5. Frequency comb quantum cascade lasers emitting light on a wide spectrum consisting of equidistant peaks in frequency space. We found that a certain level of external optical feedback is tolerable as long as the free spectral range of. Infrared reflectance spectroscopy is a powerful approach for plastics identification, requiring only optical access to a sample. For example, initial experiments at fraunhofer ipm using emitters fabricated at fraunhofer iaf have established its utility in freespace optical data networks. The use of visible and nearinfrared wavelengths for plastics.
Rp photonics encyclopedia quantum cascade lasers, qcl, mid. In a quantum cascade laser, the mentioned quantum well structure is embedded in a waveguide, and the laser resonator is mostly of dbr or dfb type. They can be used for infrared absorption spectroscopy of trace gases, for example. Its robust multipass cavity ensures a constant interaction length. Quantum cascade laser at the heart of spectrometer on a chip. How can quantum cascade lasers be used in spectroscopy. This book provides an introduction to quantum cascade lasers, including the basic underlying models used to describe the device. An introduction is given explaining both the desire for a widely tunable, narrow bandwidth device working in the midinfrared, as well as detailing the ways in which quantum cascade lasers qcls ful ll these requirements. Infrared nearfield spectroscopy of trace explosives using. Pdf dopplerfree spectroscopy with a terahertz quantum. Emersons quantum cascade laser technology offers fast, high resolution spectroscopy to detect and identify a range of molecules in the midinfrared wavelength range. A preliminary spectroscopic measurement based on a direct laser absorption spectroscopy of methane ch 4 as an appropriate uf 6 analyte simulant, was demonstrated. A versatile and powerful tool many important applications in the infrared are awaiting the right laser source.
Quantum cascade laserbased photoacoustic spectroscopy for. Over the ast twopdecades chemical sensing using laser absorption spectroscopy las in the molecular fingerprint region from 3 to 20m has been es tablished as a powerful. Challenges and developments, which are the subject of the contributions to this focus issue, are also introduced. The qcld can be switched from emitter to receiver by changing the applied. Atomic and laser spectroscopy oxford classic texts in the.
Infrared absorption nano spectroscopy using sample photoexpansion induced by tunable quantum cascade lasers feng lu and mikhail a. Quantum cascade lasers qcls in biomedical spectroscopy. Surface vibrational relaxation of n2 studied by co2. We report on the development of a microelectromechanical systems memsscale photoacoustic sensor for the detection of trace gases. Spie 7608, quantum sensing and nanophotonic devices vii, 76080e 22 january 2010. There are also externalcavity lasers, where a wavelength tuning element such as a diffraction grating is part of the resonator. Quantum cascade laser based photoacoustic spectroscopy for trace vapor detection and molecular discrimination ellen holthoff 1, john bender 1, paul pellegrino 1 and almon fisher 2 1 united states army research laboratory, rdrlseeo, 2800 powder mill road, adelphi, md. A midinfrared quantum cascade laser qcl was used to determine detection limits for acetic acid, acetone, 1,4dioxane, and vinyl acetate. A quantum cascade laser qcl is a semiconductor laser operating in the mid to long infrared and terahertz regime.
Cavity enhanced qclaser spectroscopy function generator laser diode driver qcdfb laser in dewar gas cell with highq optical cavity collimating optics insb detector trigger signal preamplifier data acquisition card pc laptop r99,995%. Quantum cascade lasers qcl are the first room temperature semiconductor laser source for the midir spectral region, triggering substantial development for the advancement of midir spectroscopy. We present a portable broadband photoacoustic spectroscopic system for trace gas or aerosol detection using distributed feedback quantum cascade laser arrays. Applications of quantum cascade lasers in plasma diagnostics. Quantum cascade lasers hardcover jerome faist oxford. We report a simple technique that allows obtaining midinfrared. Eur 26 4 filik j, frogley m d, pijanka j k, wehbe k and cinque g 2012 electric field standing wave artefacts in ftir micro spectroscopy of biological materials analyst 7 85361.
This gives the instrument a high relative accuracy when comparing simultaneous measurements. This thesis presents work examining the characteristics and applicability of quantum cascade lasers. The first qc laser was demonstrated at the much shorter wavelength of 4. Photoacoustic spectroscopy using a quantum cascade laser. The eclk consists of a quantum cascade laser qcl gain chip, a gratingtuned extended optical cavity in littrow configuration, laser drive electronics, an alpes lasers tc3 temperature controller, and a graphical user interface software.
Midinfrared quantum cascade lasers, operating in a pulsed or continuous wave mode, have potential as spectroscopic sources because of their narrow linewidths, single mode operation, tunability. Quantum cascade lasers are semiconductor based laser sources a meeting in the midinfrared or in the terahertz region. However, although the quantum cascade laser is a valuable spectroscopic tool, its application is not limited to spectroscopy. Characterization and control of tu nable quantum cascade laser beam parameters for sta ndoff spectroscopy robert furstenberg, christopher a. In this work we present a standoff longwave infrared lwir spectroscopy system for remote detec on of hazardous substances.
We report on the operation of a double metal waveguide farinfrared quantum cascade laser emitting at 28. Challenges and developments, which are the subject of. Quantum cascade laserbased reflectance spectroscopy. Two configurations of a continuous wave quantum cascade distributed feedback laserbased gas sensor for the detection of no at a parts per billion ppb concentration level, typical of biomedical applications, have been investigated. Characterizing a quantum cascade tunable infrared laser. The quantum cascade lasers developed at fraunhofer iaf cover a wavelength range from 4 11. Here, we present a spectrometer based on dualfrequencycomb spectroscopy using midinfrared frequency combs generated by quantum cascade lasers. Essentially we design and then build a semiconductor material such that when you apply a voltage to it, what happens is that the electrons go through the actual material, and because this design is an energy staircase at every step that the electrons jump down they emit a laser photon. Currently, midir scatteringtype nearfield scanning optical microscopy snsom 5 is the most common technique for midir imaging of samples on nanoscale. Gas sensing using quantum cascade lasers kenneth gillespie hay.
Multimode absorption spectroscopy using a quantum cascade. No kinetics in pulsed lowpressure plasmas studied by timeresolved quantum cascade laser absorption spectroscopy. Quantum cascade laser absorption spectroscopy of uf 6 at 7. The facet temperature profile and the thermal resistance of operating quantum cascade lasers qcls have been assessed using a microprobe bandtoband photoluminescence technique. The laser and detector are, in fact, essentially the same device, a bifunctional quantum cascade laser detector qcld. The widely tunable quantum cascade laser is becoming a valuable light source in the fingerprint region. Applying quantum cascade laser spectroscopy in plasma. Author links open overlay panel berndjoachim schultz a hendrik mohrmann a victor a.
A quantum cascade laser based sensor for ambient air monitoring is presented and five gases, affecting the air quality, can be quantified. Quantum cascade lasers qcls are semiconductor lasers that emit in the mid to farinfrared portion of the electromagnetic spectrum and were first demonstrated by jerome faist, federico capasso, deborah sivco, carlo sirtori, albert hutchinson, and alfred cho at bell laboratories in 1994 unlike typical interband semiconductor lasers that emit electromagnetic radiation through the. Raschke3 1environmental molecular sciences laboratory, pacific northwest national laboratory, 902 battelle boulevard, richland, wa 99354, usa. The principle is based upon wavelength selec ve illumina on using external cavity quantum cascade lasers ecqcls, that are tunable. Opposite to conventional diode lasers, the optical gain is generated via an interband transition of the conduction band. Applying a 0 ns long current pulse to a qc laser generates a frequency downchirp covering a typical range of 3. Vibrational stark spectroscopy, vss, frequency combs, quantum cascade lasers, dual comb spectroscopy, dcs, irsweep introduction the influence of electric fields on optical spectra is known as the stark effect or electrochromism. Andrew mcgill naval research laboratory, 4555 over look ave. Radiocarbon dioxide detection based on cavity ringdown spectroscopy and a quantum cascade laser g. Quantum cascade laser absorption spectroscopy of the 1 aug 26, 2015 the quantum cascade laser is an electronic waterfall. October 15, 2018 dualcomb spectroscopy is emerging as one of the most appealing applications of midinfrared. Dispersion dynamics of quantum cascade lasersjournal. Broadband photoacoustic spectroscopy for trace gas and.
In situ diagnostic of etch plasmas for process control using quantum cascade laser absorption spectroscopy. Frequencycombassisted terahertz quantum cascade laser. Thermal characteristics of quantumcascade lasers by micro. Volume fabrication of quantum cascade lasers on 200 mm. Two lasers are configured to measure co, ch 4, and n 2 o, at 1 hz frequency and with very high precision better than 0. Pdf quantum cascade lasers qcls in biomedical spectroscopy. The kinetic analysis of irreversible protein reactions requires an analytical technique that provides access to timedependent infrared spectra in a single shot. Kosterev a, fatima toor b, yu yao b, claire gmachl b, tracy tsai b, gerard wysocki b, xiaojun wang c, mariano troccoli c, mary fong c, frank k. Ir quantum cascade laser qcl products boston electronics. This has ranged from a laboratory based spectrometer to the development of a portable spectrometer, utilizing the intrapulse method to drive the laser, for atmospheric measurements 5. Quantum cascade lasers in chemical physics sciencedirect. The laser was operated at liquid nitrogen temperature near. Variations in the spectral structure of the broadband, multimode, output of. Protein dynamics observed by tunable midir quantum.
Substrateside and epilayersidemounted qcls based on gainasalinasinp and gaasalgaas material systems have been compared. To avoid absorption by alaslike optical phonons, the alfree group v alloy gaas0. This letter describes these developments in laser technology and the burgeoning applications of quantum cascade lasers to infrared spectroscopy. Photoacoustic spectroscopy using a quantum cascade laser optical gas sensing swissphotonicsworkshop dubendorf 15. Infrared nearfield spectroscopy of trace explosives using an external cavity quantum cascade laser ian m. A lamb dip with a subdoppler linewidth of 170 khz is observed for a rotational transition of hdo. Pdf a contribution to active infrared laser spectroscopy.
Quantum cascade lasers qcl are designed for spectroscopy in the mir spectral range. It should also provide a guide for the application engineer to use this device in systems. The linewidth of longitudinal modes of the qcl is derived from pressuredependent fits to experimental mumas data. This book discusses many advances in optical physic, and is aimed at advanced undergraduates taking courses in atomic physics, or graduate students in the fields of lasers, astrophysics, and physical chemistry. Since then qc lasers have become the dominant midinfrared semiconductor laser sources, with spectral coverage from wavelengths of. The recent availability of thermoelectrically cooled pulsed and continuous wave quantum and interband cascade lasers in the midinfrared spectral region has led to significant improvements and new developments in chemical sensing techniques using insitu laser absorption spectroscopy for plasma diagnostic purposes. Quantum cascade laser qcl products boston electronics. Highspeed modulation of a terahertz quantum cascade laser. Quantum cascade lasers quantum cascade laser scientific. Where to buy quantum cascade lasers consulting on laser. Where to buy quantum cascade lasers, qcl, manufacturers. Quantum cascade laser absorption spectroscopy as a plasma. The source was continuously tunable from 1015 cm1 to 1240 cm1, allowing for the collection of photoacoustic vibrational. Merimaa1 1vtt technical research centre of finland ltd, centre for metrology mikes, p.
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