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Sub-Doppler spectroscopy with an external cavity quantum cascade laser

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Abstract

The linewidth of an external cavity quantum cascade laser is studied as a function of injection current and laser scan rate. The laser linewidth is inferred to be ca. 2.5 MHz from Lamb-dip spectra on a low pressure sample of NO and its variation with injection current is well modeled using literature values for the intrinsic material properties of the lasing medium. The laser linewidth measurements are corroborated by polarization spectroscopy studies as well as by analysis of hyperfine structure and cross-over resonances.

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Acknowledgments

This work is conducted under the EPSRC programme grant EP/G00224X/1: New Horizons in Chemical and Photochemical Dynamics. RJW and JK would like to thank the EPSRC for the award of postgraduate studentships.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Physical and Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, The University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QZ, UK

    R. J. Walker, J. Kirkbride, J. H. van Helden, D. Weidmann & G. A. D. Ritchie

  2. Space Science and Technology Department, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell Oxford Campus, Didcot, OX11 0QX, UK

    D. Weidmann

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  1. R. J. Walker
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  2. J. Kirkbride
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  3. J. H. van Helden
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Correspondence to G. A. D. Ritchie.

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Walker, R.J., Kirkbride, J., van Helden, J.H. et al. Sub-Doppler spectroscopy with an external cavity quantum cascade laser. Appl. Phys. B 112, 159–167 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00340-013-5410-9

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