Dual Modulation Faraday Rotation Spectroscopy of HO2

Abstract

The technique of dual modulation Faraday rotation spectroscopy has been applied for near shot-noise limited detection of HO2 at the exit of an atmospheric pressure flow reactor. This was achieved by combining direct current modulation at 51 kHz of an external cavity quantum cascade laser system with 610 Hz modulation of the magnetic field generated by a Helmholtz coil. The DM-FRS measurement had a 1.8 times better signal-to-noise ratio than an AC-FRS measurement acquired under identical flow reactor conditions. Harmonic detection of the FRS signal also eliminated the substantial DC-offset associated with electromagnetic intereference pick-up from the Helmholtz coils that is observed in the AC-FRS spectrum. A noise equivalent angle of 4x10^(-9) rad Hz^(-1/2) was observed for the DM-FRS measurement, and this corresponds to a 3 sigma detection limit of 0.2 ppmv Hz^(-1/2).