Modulated resonant versus pulsed resonant photoacoustics in trace gas detection

Modulated resonant photoacoustics is a sensitive technique widely used for trace gas sensing. Generally, a continuous-wave laser is modulated at a frequency corresponding to an acoustic resonance of a photoacoustic cell. Another mode of operation-which we propose to call the pulsed resonant mode-consists in matching the frequency repetition rate of a pulsed laser to an acoustic resonance of the cell. We present a theoretical model to compare the performance of these two configurations. For a given average power of the incoming light inside the cell, the pulsed resonant mode of operation (nanosecond pulses or shorter) produces pi/2 times higher photoacoustic signals than the modulated resonant scheme (the latter is optimized for a 50% duty cycle). This result agrees with experiments during which both cases were investigated at 532 nm using the same photoacoustic cell containing trace concentrations of NO2.