Abstract
A quartz-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy sensor system was developed for the sensitive detection of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) using its absorption transitions in the v(6) fundamental band at similar to 7.73 mu m. The recent availability of distributed-feedback quantum cascade lasers provides convenient access to a strong H2O2 absorption line located at 1295.55 cm(-1). Sensor calibration was performed by means of a water bubbler that generated titrated average H2O2 vapor concentrations. A minimum detection limit of 12 parts per billion (ppb) corresponding to a normalized noise equivalent absorption coefficient of 4.6 x 10(-9) cm(-1)W/Hz(1/2) was achieved with an averaging time of 100 s. (C) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC.