Accurate and sensitive detection of multicomponent trace
gases
below the parts-per-million (ppm) level is needed in a variety of
medical, industrial, and environmental applications. Raman spectroscopy
can identify multiple molecules in the sample simultaneously and has
excellent potential for fast diagnosis of various samples, but applications
are often limited by its sensitivity. In this contribution, we report
the development of a cavity-enhanced Raman spectroscopy instrument
using a narrow-line width 532 nm laser locked with a high-finesse
cavity through a Pound-Drever-Hall locking servo, which allows continuous
measurement in a broad spectral range. An intracavity laser power
of up to 1 kW was achieved with an incident laser power of about 240
mW, resulting in a significant enhancement of the Raman signal in
the range of 200–5000 cm–1 and a sub-ppm
sensitivity for various molecules. The technique is applied in the
detection of different samples, including ambient air, natural gas,
and reference gas of sulfur hexafluoride, demonstrating its capability
for the quantitative measurement of various trace components.