Real-time measurement of dual-wavelength laser-induced fluorescence spectra of individual aerosol particles

Abstract

We report the development of an in-situ aerosol detection system capable of rapidly measuring dual-wavelength laser-induced fluorescence spectra of single particles on the fly using a single spectrometer and a single 32-anode photomultiplier array. We demonstrate the capability of this system with both reference samples and outdoor air. We present spectra from separate excitation wavelengths from the same particle that demonstrate improved discrimination capability compared with only using one excitation wavelength.

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ZnO UV photodetector with controllable quality factor and photosensitivity

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“…This laser-based approach has already proven successful, [6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13] and a recent upgraded version based on dual wavelength excitation has demonstrated even higher discrimination power. 14,15 The major disadvantage is related to the price of the laser source (about 1000 USD/μJ of UV) which can prevent the widespread use of devices based on this scheme. A possible cost-effective alternative is represented by flash lamps (about 100 USD/μJ).…”