Tunable Ultraviolet Light Source for Combustion Experiments

An ultraviolet light source that comprises a tunable diode laser and associated optics provides the optical excitation needed for simultaneous wavelength-modulation-absorption spectroscopy (WMS) and laser-induced-fluorescence (LIF) measurements in experiments on combustion. These measurements are needed for determining the spatially and temporally resolved concentrations of molecular and radical species that play important roles in flames. Other uses for measurements of this type could include general detection and quantitation of trace gases in the atmosphere, including toxic gases emitted by industrial facilities. Instruments that incorporate light sources like the present one and that will perform these measurements are undergoing development. In comparison with prior ultraviolet lasers and with prior WMS and LIF instruments, the present light source and the developmental instruments are compact and rugged and consume less power. As a result, the developmental instruments are expected to be suitable for use, not only in laboratories, but also in diverse harsh environments, including those of drop towers, aircraft, and spacecraft.