Research Initiation: Squeezed State Enhanced Frequency Modulation Spectroscopy (ROA Supplement)

The objective of this research is to demonstrate experimentally the feasibility of using optical squeezed states to enhance the available sensitivity of frequency modulation spectroscopy when used as an optical sensing probe of a chemically complex, gas phase environment of the type commonly encountered in materials processing reactors. Such a demonstration would be the first to use optical squeezed states to advantage in a spectroscopic application and would open up the possibility of using absorption spectroscopy to detect low concentration or otherwise difficult to detect molecular and radical species at very high sensitivity. The use of squeezed states will reduce the amplitude modulated background level normally associated with frequency modulation spectroscopy to below the usual shot noise or quantum limited value.