Modeling and Selection of the Best Absorption Lines for the Detection of Carbon Monoxide at 2.35 Micron with Tunable Diode Lasers

A modeling of high-resolution absorption spectra of carbon monoxide (CO) and other interfering gases at 2.35 mm was conducted. The main objective of the study was to find the best CO absorption lines for the spectral analysis of this molecule at 2.35 mm in the complex gas mixtures such as exhaled air with the highest sensitivity, selectivity and speed of the detection. Several CO absorption lines have been determined as the best for the use in laser based spectral analysis of CO under conditions of high humidity and high concentrations of CO2 in complex gas mixtures. Measurements of resonance absorption in these lines allow one to obtain maximum sensitivity and selectivity of CO analysis in the near-infrared spectral region.