High quality infrared (8 mu m) diode laser source design for high resolution spectroscopy with precise temperature and current control

The performance of a tunable diode laser (DL) spectrometer is directly dete rmined by the DL qualities and its tunability control. Emission characteris tics are very sensitive to current and temperature drifts. In order to obta in a high quality source for spectroscopy, we designed our own liquid nitro gen cryostat containing the DL. Moreover we compared current and temperatur e control and we found that temperature tuning can be more efficient. We ch eck and demonstrate it by recording SO2 spectra in the 1168-1169 cm(-1) spe ctral region. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.