Detectivity of shot-noise-limited interferometric systems measuring weak gaseous absorption

Allen M. Flusberg; Stephen F. Fulghum Jr.

doi:10.1117/1.601035

1 June 1996 Detectivity of shot-noise-limited interferometric systems measuring weak gaseous absorption

Allen M. Flusberg, Stephen F. Fulghum Jr.

Optical Engineering, Vol. 35, Issue 6, (June 1996). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.601035

Three alternative interferometric-calorimetry systems that can be used to detect extremely small concentrations of trace gases are compared for their sensitivity limits due to both shot noise and vibrational noise. The three systems are (1) a pulsed system based on excitation by a repetitively pulsed heating laser; (2) a continuous-wave (cw) acoustic system, based on excitation by a cw heating laser whose intensity is modulated at an acoustic resonance frequency of the absorption cell; and (3) a cw isobaric (optical homodyne) system, based on a cw heating laser whose intensity is modulated at a frequency that is well below the acoustic cutoff of the absorption cell. It is shown that the shot-noiselimited sensitivities of the three systems are comparable, but that the potential presence of vibrational noise strongly favors the pulsed system.

Citation Download Citation

Allen M. Flusberg and Stephen F. Fulghum Jr. "Detectivity of shot-noise-limited interferometric systems measuring weak gaseous absorption," Optical Engineering 35(6), (1 June 1996). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.601035

Published: 1 June 1996

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available