27-10-2012, 11:33 AM
Long Wave Infrared Cavity Enhanced Sensors
ABSTRACT
The LWIR-CES report details the progress made on development of cavity-enhanced chemical sensors operating in the
long wave infrared during FY03. This includes confirmation of the operating sensitivities and a detailed investigation of the
limitations of these techniques. The principal goal of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory’s (PNNL’s) long wave infrared
(LWIR) cavity enhanced sensor (CES) project is to explore ultra-sensitive spectroscopic techniques and apply them to the
development of LWIR chemical sensors needed for detecting signs of weapons proliferation and/or terrorist activities. This
includes detecting not only the weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) themselves, but also signatures of their production
and/or detonation. The LWIR CES project is concerned exclusively with developing point sensors; other portions of PNNL’s
IR Sensors program address stand off detection. PNNL’s LWIR CES research is distinguished from that done by others by
the use of quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) as the light source. QCLs are novel devices, and a significant fraction of our
research has been devoted to developing the procedures and hardware required to implement them most effectively for
chemical sensing. This report details the progress we have made on our LWIR CES sensor development.
ABSTRACT
The LWIR-CES report details the progress made on development of cavity-enhanced chemical sensors operating in the
long wave infrared during FY03. This includes confirmation of the operating sensitivities and a detailed investigation of the
limitations of these techniques. The principal goal of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory’s (PNNL’s) long wave infrared
(LWIR) cavity enhanced sensor (CES) project is to explore ultra-sensitive spectroscopic techniques and apply them to the
development of LWIR chemical sensors needed for detecting signs of weapons proliferation and/or terrorist activities. This
includes detecting not only the weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) themselves, but also signatures of their production
and/or detonation. The LWIR CES project is concerned exclusively with developing point sensors; other portions of PNNL’s
IR Sensors program address stand off detection. PNNL’s LWIR CES research is distinguished from that done by others by
the use of quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) as the light source. QCLs are novel devices, and a significant fraction of our
research has been devoted to developing the procedures and hardware required to implement them most effectively for
chemical sensing. This report details the progress we have made on our LWIR CES sensor development.