Digital signal processing for step-scan Fourier transform infrared photoacoustic spectroscopy

A software-based digital signal processing (DSP) method using the data system processor has been developed to demodulate the photoacoustic responses of a sample to the fundamental phase modulation frequency and its harmonic frequencies (up to the ninth harmonic) in step-scan FT-IR photoacoustic measurements, without the use of any additional hardware, The DSP algorithm and its sampling depth multiplexing advantages are compared to conventional hardware demodulation, Comparison of results from the DSP method to those from hardware demodulators are shown at both the phase modulation frequency and the harmonics, and application of the DSP method to step-scan photoacoustic measurements with phase modulation is discussed as it applies to obtaining depth profile information in heterogeneous materials.