title: Highly sensitive and fast detection of propane-butane using a 3 μm quantum cascade laser.
abstract: A mid-IR optical analyzer based on a 3 μm Fabry-Perot quantum cascade laser has been developed for ultrafast detection of aerosol propellants, such as propane and butane. Given the laser emission bandwidth of 35 cm(-1), the system is spectrally well-matched to the C-H vibrational band of hydrocarbons, it is insusceptible to water interference, and stable enough to operate without wavelength scanning. Thus, it offers both high sensitivity and speed, reaching 1 ppm precision within a measurement time of 10 ms. The performance of the instrument is evaluated with an industrial demonstrator for aerosol cans leak testing, confirming that, in compliance with international directives, it can detect leaks of 1.2×10(-4) slpm at a rate of 500 cans per minute.
authors.affiliation: Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Laboratory for Air Pollution and Environmental Technology, Überlandstrasse 129, Dübendorf 8600, Switzerland. jana.jagerska@empa.ch
authors.forename: Jana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jágerská
authors.forename: Béla
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tuzson
authors.forename: Herbert
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Looser
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bismuto
authors.forename: Jérôme
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Faist
authors.forename: Heino
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Prinz
authors.forename: Lukas
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Emmenegger