The application of an unintensified charge-coupled device (CCD) to one
-dimensional multispecies Raman flame imaging is demonstrated. Relativ
e signal strength is improved by the higher quantum efficiency of the
unintensified CCD versus an intensified CCD generally used for Raman i
maging. Experimental comparisons of unintensified and intensified CCD
systems show similar to 40% improvement in the signal-to-noise ratios
of major-species Raman signals for laboratory-scale H-2-air names. The
maximum possible signal improvement is limited by the 40% transmissio
n efficiency of the ferroelectric liquid-crystal light valve used to g
ate the CCD, although the light valve is demonstrated to be unnecessar
y for low-luminosity flames.