Note: A very simple circuit for piezo actuator pseudo-tracking for continuous-wave cavity ring-down spectroscopy

Area of Science:

• Spectroscopy
• Optical Physics
• Instrumentation

Background:

• Cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS) requires precise control of optical cavities.
• Piezo actuators are commonly used for cavity length stabilization in CRDS.
• Existing piezo-tracking methods can be complex or costly.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a simple, low-cost circuit for pseudo-tracking of piezo actuators in CRDS.
• To demonstrate how this circuit can improve the performance of CRDS systems.

Main Methods:

• The circuit utilizes a standard positive-edge trigger D-type flip-flop integrated circuit.
• It is designed with a low component count using readily available parts.
• The circuit is integrated into a continuous-wave CRDS (cw-CRDS) setup.

Main Results:

• The developed circuit enables effective pseudo-tracking of the piezo actuator.
• Integration into cw-CRDS systems leads to an increased ring-down event rate.
• This results in improved measurement sensitivity or reduced data acquisition time.

Conclusions:

• A simple and accessible piezo-tracking circuit can be built for CRDS.
• The circuit offers practical advantages for enhancing cw-CRDS performance.
• This approach provides a cost-effective solution for improving CRDS sensitivity and speed.