All-fiber infrared lasers and components for chemical detection applications

红外光谱是一个成熟的领域，通常用于识别气体、液体和固体。因此，令人惊讶的是，尽管有150多年的红外光谱学历史，却没有便携式红外化学传感器存在。这是由于缺乏廉价，坚固耐用和可调谐的激光光源。虽然激光存在于其他光谱区域，但材料的相关吸收特征相当不特定，并且缺乏中红外光谱所显示的所需指纹模式。在这个项目中，我们将开发廉价、高效、坚固和紧凑的全光纤中红外激光器。这些激光器基于一类对中红外光具有高透射率的氟化物玻璃材料（ZBLAN），将用于提高新型光纤光谱仪的灵敏度和化学特异性。

Infrared (IR) spectroscopy is a mature field and is routinely used to identify gases, liquids and solids. It may therefore appear surprising that - despite over 150 years of IR spectroscopy - no portable IR-based chemical sensor exists. This is due to the lack of cheap, rugged and tunable laser light sources. While lasers exist in other spectral regions, the associated absorption features of materials are rather unspecific and lack the desired fingerprint pattern that mid-IR spectra exhibit. In this project, we will develop all-fiber mid-IR lasers that are inexpensive, efficient, rugged, and compact. These lasers, which are based on a class of fluoride glass materials (ZBLAN) that have a high transmission for mid-IR light, will be used to increase the sensitivity and chemical specificity of novel fiber-based spectrometers.