The Use of Reverse Mirage Spectroscopy to Determine the Absorption Coefficient of Liquid Methanol at CO2 Laser Wavelengths

Abstract

An experimental setup for performance of reverse mirage spectroscopy at CO2 laser wavelengths on liquid samples having high values of absorption coefficients is described. One and the same liquid is used as both the absorbing and deflecting medium. The Rosencwaig-Gersho theory has been applied, and the choice of experimental conditions that would enable determination of absorption coefficient β from the magnitude of photothermal signals measured at two different probe beam distances (probing locations) is discussed. The usefulness of this technique (essentially not inhibited by the requirements imposed on the sample's thickness) is tested on methanol having absorption coefficients β close to 300 cm−1 in the wavelength region covered by CO2 laser emission.