Nanosecond infrared absorption spectrometer

In the present publication, we describe the design details of a time-resolved IR absorption spectrometer with a broadband probe capability and nanosecond time resolution. The IR probe source is based on stimulated electronic Raman scattering in a metal vapor and has a measured pulsewidth of ~1 ns. Broadband collection of the IR light is facilitated by the unique use of a multielement detector array with its associated signal collection circuitry. The spectrometer has been used to record the IR spectra of some gas phase radicals which are indicative of its applicability to spectroscopic and kinetic investigations of short-lived molecular species.