Fourier transform and Vernier spectroscopy using an optical frequency comb at 3–54 μm

Abstract

We present a versatile mid-infrared frequency comb spectroscopy system based on a doubly resonant optical parametric oscillator tunable in the 3-5.4 μm range and two detection methods: a Fourier transform spectrometer (FTS) and a continuous-filtering Vernier spectrometer (CF-VS). Using the FTS with a multipass cell, we measure high precision broadband absorption spectra of CH₄ at 3.3 μm and NO at 5.25 μm, the latter for the first time with comb spectroscopy, and we detect atmospheric species (CH₄, CO, CO₂, and H₂O) in air in the signal and idler ranges. Multiline fitting yields minimum detectable concentrations of 10-20 ppb Hz^-1/2 for CH₄, NO, and CO. For the first time in the mid-infrared, we perform CF-VS using an enhancement cavity, a grating, and a single detector, and we measure the absorption spectrum of CH₄ and H₂O in ambient air at ∼3.3 μm, reaching a 40 ppb concentration detection limit for CH₄ in 2 ms.