Carbon Monoxide Detection (CO)
Application areas of laser-based carbon monoxide detection

nanoplus lasers for carbon monoxide detection are used for various applications including:
- Process Optimization: Combustion control
- Environment: Emission control
- Safety: Early fire detection
- Health: Breath gas analysis
- Health: Analysis of surgical smoke
Tunable diode laser spectroscopy allows measuring CO with up to ppb precision in real time and in situ. Providing long-term stability and requiring little maintenance, nanoplus lasers are suitable for operation in harsh environments.
Standard wavelengths for carbon monoxide detection
nanoplus offers various wavelengths to target the vibrational-rotational bands of carbon monoxide. Literature recommends the following wavelengths for carbon monoxide detection:
Select your wavelength for carbon monoxide detection
Above wavelengths as well as further customized wavelengths for carbon monoxide detection are available from nanoplus.
When you choose your wavelength, you have to consider your product set up, environment and nature of the measurement.
These factors influence the optimum wavelength for your application. Do have a look at the Hitran Database to further evaluate your choice of wavelengths. Our application experts are equally happy to discuss with you the most suitable wavelength for your application.
Let us know the wavelength you require with an accuracy of 0.1 nm!
Related information for laser-based carbon monoxide detection
Specifications & Mountings
Applications
Papers & Links
The following tables analyse the typical specifications of the standard wavelengths for CO detection.
electro-optical properties of 1568.0 nm DFB laser diode | symbol | unit | minimum | typical | maximum |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
standard wavelength | λ | nm | 1568.0 | ||
absorption line strength | S | cm / mol | ∼ 2 x 10-23 | ||
output power | pout | mW | 5 | 7 | 10 |
threshold current | lth | mA | 10 | 20 | 30 |
current tuning coefficient | cT | nm / mA | 0.008 | 0.015 | 0.02 |
temperature tuning coefficient | cI | nm / K | 0.07 | 0.1 | 0.14 |
mode hop free tuning range | Δλ | nm | +/- 0.5 | +/- 0.7 | +/- 1 |
electro-optical properties of 2330.0 nm DFB laser diode | symbol | unit | minimum | typical | maximum |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
standard wavelength | λ | nm | 2330.0 | ||
absorption line strength | S | cm / mol | ∼ 3 x 10-21 | ||
output power | pout | mW | 3 | ||
threshold current | lth | mA | 10 | 25 | 30 |
current tuning coefficient | cT | nm / mA | 0.01 | 0.02 | 0.05 |
temperature tuning coefficient | cI | nm / K | 0.18 | 0.22 | 0.25 |
mode hop free tuning range | Δλ | nm | +/- 0.5 |
electro-optical properties of 4610.0 nm DFB interband cascade laser | symbol | unit | minimum | typical | maximum |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
standard wavelength | λ | nm | 4610.0 | ||
absorption line strength | S | cm / mol | ∼5 x 10-19 | ||
output power | pout | mW | > 2 | ||
threshold current | lth | mA | 30 | 40 | 70 |
current tuning coefficient | cT | nm / mA | 0.14 | ||
temperature tuning coefficient | cI | nm / K | 0.48 | ||
mode hop free tuning range | Δλ | nm | +/- 0.5 |
mounting options / technical drawings | wavelength | TEC | cap with window | AR cap with AR window | fiber | heatsink | collimation | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
TO5.6 | 760 nm - 3000 nm | NA | ✔ | NA | NA | NA | NA | |
TO5 | 760 nm - 3000 nm | ✔ | NA | ✔ | NA | ✔ | ✔ | |
TO66 | 3000 nm - 6000 nm | ✔ | NA | ✔ | NA | ✔ | ✔ | |
c-mount | 760 nm - 3000 nm | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | |
SM-BTF | 760 nm - 2360 nm | ✔ | NA | NA | single mode | NA | NA | |
PM-BTF | 1064 nm - 2050 nm | ✔ | NA | NA | polarization maintaining | NA | NA |
Please find below a number of application samples.
Combustion control in high temperature processes: CO
CO is a major element in high temperature processes. Optimizing CO concentration in flue gas increases combustion efficiency. Simultaneously, it reduces greenhouse gas emissions. CO detection at long wavelengths like 2.8 µm and 4.3 µm uses stronger vibrational absorption features than the shorter wavelength ranges. This effect increases the sensitivity of the detector and allows using measurement set ups with short path lengths. [3, 12, 35, 48, 111, 125]
Combustion control in high temperature processes: O2 and CO
Oxygen control enhances process and cost efficiency of incinerators. Oxidation requires excess air. But too much air cools down the combustion and increases the amount of CO in the flue gas. Real-time and in situ monitoring helps to optimize the oxygen content in combustion processes. [3]
Early fire detection: CO
Early fire detection technologies rely on highly sensitive detection of carbon monoxide. Coal-fired power plants, steel mills or biomass deposits use these smoke detectors to increase process and workers safety.
Please find below a selection of related papers from our literature list.
Let us know if you published a paper with our lasers. We will be happy to include it in our literature list.
#3 Gas monitoring in the process industry using diode laser spectroscopy;
I. Linnerud, P.Kaspersen, T. Jaeger, Appl. Phys. B 67, 1998, pp. 297-305.
#32 Single-frequency Sb-based distributed-feedback lasers emitting at 2.3 µm above room temperature for application in tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy;
A. Salhi, D. Barat, D. Romanini, Y. Rouillard, A. Ouvrard, R. Werner, J. Seufert, J. Koeth, A. Vicet, A. Garnache, Appl. Opt., 45, 20., pp. 4957-4965.
#35 TDLAS-based sensors for in situ measurement of syngas composition in a pressurized, oxygen-blown, entrained flow coal gasifier;
R. Sur, K. Sun, J.B. Jeffries, R.K. Hanson, R.J. Pummill, T. Waind, D.R. Wagner, K.J. Whitty, Appl. Phys. B, 116, 1, 2014, pp. 33-42.
#43 Chemical analysis of surgical smoke by infrared laser spectroscopy;
Michele Gianella, Markus W. Sigrist, Appl. Phys. B, 109, 3, Nov. 2012, pp. 485-496.
#48 Absolute, spatially resolved, in situ CO profiles in atmospheric laminar counter-flow diffusion flames using 2.3 µm TDLAS;
S. Wagner, M. Klein, T. Kathrotia, U. Riedel, T. Kissel, A. Dreizler, V. Ebert, Appl. Phys. B, 109, 3, Nov. 2012, pp. 533-540.
#50 Mid-IR difference frequency laser-based sensors for ambient CH4, CO, and N2O monitoring;
J. J. Scherer, J. B. Paul, H. J. Jost, Marc L. Fischer, Appl. Phys. B, 109, 3, Nov. 2012, pp. 271-277.
#63 Breath Analysis Using Laser Spectroscopic Techniques: Breath Biomarkers, Spectral Fingerprints, and Detection Limits;
C. Wang and P. Sahay, Sensors 2009, 9, 8230-8262.
#93 Interband cascade laser-based optical transfer standard for atmospheric carbon monoxide measurements;
J. A. Nwaboh, Z. Qu, O. Werhahn and V. Ebert, App. Optics, Vol. 56, No. 11, April 10, 2017, pp. E84-E93.
# 107 Recent progress in laser‑based trace gas instruments: performance and noise analysis;
J. B. McManus, M. S. Zahniser, D. D. Nelson et. al., Appl. Phys. B, 2015, 119: 203.
#111 Optical fiber tip‑based quartz‑enhanced photoacoustic sensor for trace gas detection;
Z. Li, Z. Wang, C. Wang, W. Ren, Appl. Phys. B, 2016, 122:147.
#119 Metrological quantification of CO in biogas using laser absorption spectroscopy and gas chromatography;
J. A. Nwaboh, S. Persijn, K. Arrhenius, H. Bohlén, O. Werhahn, V. Ebert, Meas. Sci. Technol., Vol. 29, No. 9, 2018.
# 125 Tomographic laser absorption imaging ofcombustion species and temperature in the mid-wave infrared;
C. Wei, D. I. Pineda, C. S. Goldenstein, R. M. Spearrin, Opt. Exp., Vol. 26, Iss. 16, 2018, pp. 20944 - 20951.