title: Photoacoustic detection of nitric oxide by use of a quantum-cascade laser.
abstract: A photoacoustic trace-gas sensor for the measurement of nitric oxide with a detection limit of 500 parts in 10(9) has been demonstrated. The radiation source was a thermoelectrically cooled distributed-feedback quantum-cascade laser operating in pulsed mode near 5.3 microm with an average laser power of 8 mW. A resonant photoacoustic cell was excited in its first longitudinal mode by the modulated laser light. Preliminary measurements have been performed to test the performance of our photoacoustic sensor; possible improvements to reach lower detection limits are discussed.
authors.affiliation: LIV3 Instituto Nazionale per la Fisica della Materia Regional Laboratory, Dipartimento Interateneo di Fisica "Michelangelo Merlin," Via Amendola 173, I-70126 Bari, Italy. angela.elia@fisica.uniba.it
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Elia
authors.forename: Pietro Mario
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Lugarà
authors.forename: Corrado
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Giancaspro
mesh_terms: D000162:Acoustics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D007834:Lasers; D008832:Microchemistry / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry*; D010783:Photometry / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D011789:Quantum Theory; D013057:Spectrum Analysis / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D014159:Transducers
chemical_list: D009569:Nitric Oxide