Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 30, 2025
Infrared Degenerate Four-wave Mixing with Upconversion Detection for Quantitative Gas Sensing
Published on: March 22, 2019
Broadband detection of methane and nitrous oxide using a distributed-feedback quantum cascade laser array and
Marilena Giglio1,2, Andrea Zifarelli2, Angelo Sampaolo1,2
1State Key Laboratory of Quantum Optics and Quantum Optics Devices, Institute of Laser Spectroscopy, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China.
Abstract:
Here we report on the broadband detection of nitrous oxide (N2O) and methane (CH4) mixtures in dry nitrogen by using a quartz-enhanced photoacoustic (QEPAS) sensor exploiting an array of 32 distributed-feedback quantum cascade lasers, within a spectral emission range of 1190-1340 cm-1 as the excitation source. Methane detection down to a minimum detection limit of 200 ppb at 10 s lock-in integration time was achieved. The sensor demonstrated a linear response in the range of 200-1000 ppm. Three different mixtures of N2O and CH4 in nitrogen at atmospheric pressure have been analyzed. The capability of the developed QEPAS sensor to selectively determine the N2O and CH4 concentrations was demonstrated, in spite of significant overlap in their respective absorption spectra in the investigated spectral range.
