Modulation index optimization for wavelength modulation spectroscopy

In this work, the second-harmonic component of wavelength modulation spectroscopy is simulated for R(22) CO2 absorption line to investigate the effect of gas temperature and pressure on the modulation index. We found that the optimum value of modulation index, that is 2.2, is not affected by temperature but gas pressure will change the optimized modulation index. Specifically, when the gas pressure decreased to lower pressures of less than 100 mbar, the modulation index is also decreased and tended exponentially to about two. Accordingly, the optimum value of modulation index is recalculated for a range of CO2 gas pressures to establish a nearly zero pressure deviation in the spectroscopy of very low pressure samples.