Highly sensitive absorption spectroscopy of the ozone molecule around 1.5 mu m

The overtone spectra Of O-3 around lambda = 1.5 mum have been measured with a homemade widely tunable single mode GaAs diode laser with external Littm an resonator, The sensitivity was greatly enhanced by using wavelength modu lation techniques, a multipass absorption cell, and a balanced ratiometric detector device. The ozone preparation technique, the wavelength calibratio n, and the analysis of the ozone spectra are presented. The information obt ained from these spectra regarding the vibrational-rotational patterns. whi ch are strongly influenced by numerous couplings between energy levels, is discussed. (C) 2001 Academic Press.