Shot-noise-limited dual-beam detector for atmospheric trace-gas monitoring with near-infrared diode lasers.

A dual-beam detector is used to measure atmospheric trace species by differential absorption spectroscopy with commercial near-infrared InGaAs laser diodes. It is implemented on the Spectromètre à Diodes Laser Accordables, a balloonborne tunable diode laser spectrometer devoted to the in situ monitoring of CH4 and H2O. The dual-beam detector is made of simple analogical subtractor circuits combined with InGaAs photodiodes.

Open multipass absorption cell for in situ monitoring of stratospheric trace gas with telecommunication laser diodes.

A two-mirror multipass absorption cell that is operated open to the atmosphere from a stratospheric balloon to monitor in situ methane (in the 1.65-microm region) and water vapor (in the 1.39-microm region) with telecommunication laser diodes is described.