Absorption and wavelength modulation spectroscopy of NO_2 using a tunable, external cavity continuous wave quantum cascade laser

The absorption spectra and wavelength modulation spectroscopy (WMS) of NO(2) using a tunable, external cavity CW quantum cascade laser operating at room temperature in the region of 1625 to 1645 cm(-1) are reported. The external cavity quantum cascade laser enabled us to record continuous absorption spectra of low concentrations of NO(2) over a broad range (approximately 16 cm(-1)), demonstrating the potential for simultaneously recording the complex spectra of multiple species. This capability allows the identification of a particular species of interest with high sensitivity and selectivity. The measured spectra are in excellent agreement with the spectra from the high-resolution transmission molecular absorption database [J. Quant. Spectrosc. Radiat. Transfer 96, 139-204 (2005)]. We also conduct WMS for the first time using an external cavity quantum cascade laser, a technique that enhances the sensitivity of detection. By employing WMS, we could detect low-intensity absorption lines, which are not visible in the simple absorption spectra, and demonstrate a minimum detection limit at the 100 ppb level with a short-path absorption cell. Details of the tunable, external cavity quantum cascade laser system and its performance are discussed.