Cavity ringdown spectroscopy system and method
AssigneeBattelle Memorial Institute
InventorMatthew S. Taubman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
One embodiment of the present invention includes an optical cavity, a source to provide light to the optical cavity, a sensor to detect the light and generate a corresponding sensor signal, and a servo device including a feedforward input and a feedback input. Feedback from the sensor signal is provided to the servo device to regulate operation of the source at a frequency selected to generate an optical field resonating in the first mode in the cavity. An input device provides a control signal to a control input of the servo device that selectively alters operation of the light source to corresponding halt resonance in the first mode. An evaluation device is also included to evaluate decay of the optical field after resonance in the first mode is halted.
Claims21
A method, comprising:
- providing a light output from a laser device to an optical cavity to operate the cavity in a first resonant mode;
- receiving a feedback signal representative of the light output with servo circuitry coupled to the laser device to stabilize operation of the cavity in the first resonant mode;
- and
- halting the operation of the cavity in the first resonant mode in response to a control signal provided to the circuitry to evaluate decay of an optical field corresponding to the first resonant mode.
A system, comprising:
- an optical cavity;
- a source to provide light to the optical cavity;
- a sensor to detect the light and generate a corresponding sensor signal;
- a servo device including a feedforward input and a resonance control input, the feedback input being responsive to the sensor signal to regulate operation of the source at a frequency selected to generate an optical field resonating in a first mode in the cavity;
- an input device to provide a control signal to the resonance control input of the servo device, the control signal selectively altering operation of the light source to halt resonance of the optical field in the first mode;
- and
- an evaluation device to evaluate decay of the optical field after the resonance of the optical field in the first mode is halted.
A system, comprising:
- means for generating a resonating optical field including a light source coupled to an optical cavity;
- means for stabilizing the resonating optical field by providing feedback to the light source with servo circuitry coupled to the light source;
- and
- means for evaluating decay of the optical field in response to a frequency adjustment signal input to the servo circuitry.
A method, comprising:
- operating an optical cavity responsive to light from a light source;
- providing a feedback signal to a servo device to stabilize operation of the source at a selected frequency and a control signal to the servo device to adjust operating frequency of the light source;
- switching between different resonant modes of the cavity in response to the control signal;
- and
- evaluating decay for each of the different resonant modes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.