Extended-Cavity-Quantum-Cascade-Laser-Voltage Intracavity Sensing and Application to Atmospheric Gas Detection

Laser spectrometers based on Quantum Cascade Lasers (QCL) provide good results for gas sensing in terms of sensibility and selectivity thanks to the characteristics of these sources. Distributed feedback (DFB) configuration provides narrow linewidth that enhances selectivity and their emission in the mid-IR enables to reach the fundamental absorption bands of molecules. The main limitation of these sources is their narrow tuning range (~ 10 cm
^-1
) that prevents from monitoring complex species with broad absorption spectra or realizing multi-gas sensing. To obtain a broader tuning range, one solution consists of QCL DFB array with an arrayed waveguide grating to perform multi-species spectroscopy [1]. A more common technique is to implement the laser in an external cavity system. In GSMA, a commercial Extended-Cavity Quantum Cascade Laser emitting at 10.5 μm has been used to demonstrate photoacoustic gas sensing of heavy molecules such as butane [2] and a lab-made EC-QCL emitting at 7.5 μm was developed for detection of acetone and POCl3 in gas phase [3].