Quartz Enhanced Photothermal Spectroscopy (QEPTS) is a technique, which enables developing gas sensors characterized by a broadband operational range and superb sensitivity. QEPTS relies on the thermoelastic effect induced by the illumination of the Quartz Tunning Fork (QTF) with a modulated laser radiation, which generates a piezoelectric signal. QTF excitation can occur at any wavelength, which is impossible to observe in e.g. semiconductor detectors. The sub-dollar cost of a QTF delivers simultaneously broadband and sensitive detection capability and significantly reduced costs of the sensor. Furthermore, as in majority of laser-based sensors, the sensitivity of QEPTS-based systems can be easily enhanced by increasing laser-gas interaction path length. This is typically realized by using multipass cells (MPCs), which significantly increase the sensor’s complexity and decrease its robustness. Instead of using MPCs, an Antiresonant Hollow-Core Fiber (ARHCF), designed for light transmission in more than one spectral band can be used as a long gas absorption cell, leading to the increase in the sensor’s performance while keeping its design simple. Here, we present a sensor utilizing a combination of an ARHCF-based absorption cell and the QEPTS. In the developed system the gas-filled ARHCF substitutes an MPC. The spectroscopic signal analysis relies on the use of a simple QTF with a resonance frequency of 32.744 kHz connected with a self-made, low-noise amplifier and an addition of a wavelength modulation spectroscopy – based signal retrieval scheme for sensor’s performance enhancement. The sensor enables simultaneous detection of acetylene and methane at parts-per-million by volume level sensitivity, targeting their absorption lines in the near- and mid-infrared. The results confirm excellent suitability of the ARHCF-aided QEPTS sensors for being employed as a versatile gas detectors.
This research was funded by Narodowe Centrum Nauki (NCN), grant number UMO-2018/30/Q/ST3/00809.
Access to the requested content is limited to institutions that have purchased or subscribe to SPIE eBooks.
You are receiving this notice because your organization may not have SPIE eBooks access.*
*Shibboleth/Open Athens users─please
sign in
to access your institution's subscriptions.
To obtain this item, you may purchase the complete book in print or electronic format on
SPIE.org.
INSTITUTIONAL Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.
PERSONAL Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.