Abstract.
A compact open-path optical ammonia detector is developed. A tunable external-cavity diode laser operating at 1.5 μm is used to probe absorptions of ammonia via the cavity-enhanced absorption (CEA) technique. The detector is tested in a climate chamber. The sensitivity and linearity of this system are studied for ammonia and water at atmospheric pressure. A cluster of closely spaced rovibrational overtone and combination band transitions, observed as one broad absorption feature, is used for the detection of ammonia. On these molecular transitions a detection limit of 100 ppb (1 s) is determined. The ammonia measurements are calibrated independently with a chemiluminescence monitor. Compared to other optical open-path detection methods in the 1–2 μm region, the present result shows an improved sensitivity for contactless ammonia detection by over one order of magnitude. Using the same set-up, a detection limit of 100 ppm (1 s) is determined for the detection of water at atmospheric pressure.
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Received: 19 January 2000 / Revised version: 6 March 2000 / Published online: 7 June 2000
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Peeters, R., Berden, G., Apituley, A. et al. Open-path trace gas detection of ammonia based on cavity-enhanced absorption spectroscopy . Appl Phys B 71, 231–236 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1007/s003400000302
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s003400000302