Silicon Multipass Cells for Localized Multi-Parameter Gas Sensing by Absorption Spectroscopy
Résumé
Multi-pass gas cells are commonly used in trace gas
sensing applications due to their ability to increase the effective
path length of light enhancing the light-gas interactions through the
cell. However, conventional multi-pass optical cell configurations
are bulky, and they have limitations in response time, stability, and
sensitivity. Localized gas sensing technique utilizing a rectangular
multi-pass cell (RMPC) integrated on silicon chip using MEMS
technology is proposed to overcome these limitations. The proposed
RMPC has an area of 9.5 mm × 10 mm and an effective path
length was found to be 12.7 cm,which is larger 12 times the physical
dimensions of the cell. Due to integration, the achieved path length
to volume ratio (PVR) is 7500 m/L. Using MEMS spectrometer,
the measured lower limit of detection (LLOD) was 3200 ppm for
acetylene, and 200 ppm for carbon dioxide, at sampling time of
1 second.