A research team led by Prof. Fang Yonghua from the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences proposed and systematically optimized a novel parabolic mirror cavity-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (PMCERS) technique, achieving a marked improvement in gas detection sensitivity through the integration of advanced optical design and signal processing methods. These results were published in Optics & Laser Technology.
Multi-component gas detection is important for environmental, industrial, and medical applications. Raman spectroscopy is well-suited for this purpose because it enables the simultaneous, water-vapor-free detection of multiple gas species. However, its inherently weak scattering limits sensitivity. Conventional cavity-enhanced approaches relying on lens-based collection have a limited numerical aperture, resulting in inefficient capture of three-dimensionally distributed Raman signals.
In this study, the team developed a parabolic mirror-based cavity-enhanced Raman spectroscopy system that leverages the large-aperture characteristics of parabolic mirrors to significantly improve Raman signal collection. Through the systematic optimization of the cavity structure, an efficient closed-loop optical path was established, effectively eliminating signal collection blind spots and suppressing stray-light interference.
