πFBG resonator used as a transducer for trace gas photothermal detection

We present an optical transduction method adapted to the detection of low frequency thermal perturbations and implemented for photothermal trace gas detection. The transducer is a π-phase shifted fiber Bragg grating, stabilized and interrogated by the Pound-Drever-Hall method. The principle of detection is based on the frequency shift of the narrow optical resonance, induced by the temperature variations. In temperature measurement mode, the stabilization leads to an estimated limit of detection of 1 µK at room temperature and at a frequency of 40 Hz. When the fiber transducer is placed in a gas cell, CO₂ is detected by photothermal spectroscopy with a limit of detection of 3 ppm/H z. This novel method, based on a single fiber, offers robustness, stabilized operation and remote detection capability.