Frequency-stabilized single-mode cavity ring-down apparatus for high-resolution absorption spectroscopy

• Published in: Review of scientific instruments 2004-04, Vol.75 (4), p.849-863
• Main Authors: Hodges, Joseph T., Layer, Howard P., Miller, William W., Scace, Gregory E.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0034-6748; 1089-7623
• DOI: 10.1063/1.1666984

We present a cavity ring-down spectroscopy apparatus suitable for high-resolution absorption spectroscopy. The central feature of the spectrometer is a ring-down cavity whose comb of eigenfrequencies is actively stabilized with respect to a tuneable, frequency-stabilized reference laser. By using dichroic ring-down cavity mirrors that are designed to have relatively high losses and low losses at the respective wavelengths of the reference laser and probe laser, the cavity stabilization dynamics are decoupled from frequency jitter of the probe laser. We use the cavity eigenfrequencies as markers in spectral scans and achieve a frequency resolution of ≈1 MHz. Five rovibrational transitions in the (2,0,1) vibrational band of water vapor near 0.935 μm are probed with a continuous-wave external-cavity diode laser, and their line strengths are determined and compared to literature values. Collisional narrowing effects and pressure shifting are observed, illustrating the applicability of the method for quantitative line shape studies of weakly absorbing systems.