AMPLIFIED LASER ABSORPTION: DETECTION OF NITRIC OXIDE

Experimental results are reported for the power loss of a carbon monoxide gas laser due to the absorption of small amounts of nitric oxide placed in an intra-laser-cavity absorption cell. It was found, for the particular experimental conditions employed, that the absorption coefficient of nitric oxide at 1900.04 cm−1 is enhanced more than two orders of magnitude when it is in the intracavity cell. Finally, the experimental results are compared with theoretical calculations.