Tunable mid-infrared laser-based gas sensors: new technologies and applications

Summary form only given. This work describes the design and performance characteristics of room-temperature mid-infrared diode-pumped sensors capable of either single or multicomponent real-time trace gas detection in ambient air. The difference-frequency-generation based sensor technology employs periodically poled lithium niobate crystals with multiple grating periods pumped by two single-frequency solid-state lasers and a thermoelectrically cooled HgCdTe infrared detector.