Observation of CO and CO(2) absorption near 1.57 microm with an external-cavity diode laser

Near-IR and visible room-temperature diode lasers in broadly tunable external-cavity configurations are becoming commercially available for gas-sensing applications. Near 1.57 mum, a coincidence of overtone and combination-band transitions from CO, CO(2), OH, and H(2)O is particularly interesting for combustion and combustor emissions monitoring. We report initial observations of the room-temperature absorption of CO and CO(2) made with a commercial external-cavity diode laser.