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Published on: January 7, 2019
Highly Sensitive CO-LITES Sensor Based on a Tapered Fiber Focusing and a Fiber-Coupled MPC
Xinhong Yu1, Haiyue Sun1,2, Chu Zhang1
1Zhengzhou Advanced Research Institute, Harbin Institute of Technology, Zhengzhou 450008, China.
Sensors (Basel, Switzerland)
|August 13, 2026
Summary
A novel carbon monoxide (CO) sensor uses light-induced thermoelastic spectroscopy (LITES) with a tapered fiber for enhanced sensitivity. This CO sensor achieves a low detection limit, showing excellent stability for accurate gas detection.
Area of Science:
- Spectroscopy
- Optical Sensing
- Environmental Monitoring
Background:
- Carbon monoxide (CO) is a toxic gas requiring sensitive detection methods.
- Existing CO sensors face challenges in sensitivity, stability, and ease of use.
- Light-Induced Thermoelastic Spectroscopy (LITES) offers a promising non-contact detection technique.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a highly sensitive CO sensor using LITES.
- To investigate the impact of beam focusing on LITES signal generation.
- To demonstrate a robust and stable CO sensing system.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a fiber-coupled multipass cell (MPC) with a 40 m optical length for increased absorption path.
- Employed tapered-fiber focusing to achieve micron-scale excitation spots.
- Compared five different beam shaping and focusing schemes to optimize signal generation.
Main Results:
- The tapered-fiber configuration yielded the strongest LITES signal response.
- Achieved a high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and good linear response to CO concentration.
- Demonstrated a minimum detection limit (MDL) of 3.86 ppm, improving to 304 ppb with 300s integration time.
Conclusions:
- The developed CO-LITES sensor offers high sensitivity and robustness.
- Tapered-fiber focusing is crucial for enhancing LITES sensor performance.
- The sensor exhibits excellent long-term stability and potential for accurate CO monitoring.
