High Resolution Ftir Spectroscopy

In FT-ICLAS, the aim is to improve the absorption detection sensitivity. The experiment combines IntraCavity Laser Absorption Spectroscopy (ICLAS) with FTIR spectroscopy. ICLAS is a well known instrumental technique in which a sample is inserted in a cell placed inside a broadband, multimode laser cavity. The laser is operating in pulsed mode and intracavity absorption rises as the laser wave builds up. An equivalent absorption pathlength of several kilometers is currently generated, leading to ultra high sensitivity. Different research groups have now performed such experiments with FTIR instruments to resolve the intracavity absorption, rather than with grating spectrographs with CCD detection. The set-up in Brussels will be detailed.