Ppb-level detection of nitric oxide using an external cavity quantum cascade laser based QEPAS sensor

Geometrical parameters of micro-resonator for a quartz enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy sensor are optimized to perform sensitive and background-free spectroscopic measurements using mid-IR quantum cascade laser (QCL) excitation sources. Such an optimized configuration is applied to nitric oxide (NO) detection at 1900.08 cm(-1) (5.26 mu m) with a widely tunable, mode-hop-free external cavity QCL. For a selected NO absorption line that is free from H2O and CO2 interference, a NO detection sensitivity of 4.9 parts per billion by volume is achieved with a 1-s averaging time and 66 mW optical excitation power. This NO detection limit is determined at an optimal gas pressure of 210 Torr and 2.5% of water vapor concentration. Water is added to the analyzed mixture in order to improve the NO vibrational-translational relaxation process. (C) 2011 Optical Society of America