A review of spectroscopic applications of tunable semiconductor lasers

This paper provides a survey of the developments leading to the introduction of the semiconductor laser as a source for spectroscopic applications. Current stabilization methods appropriate to spectroscopic research are described in detail as are the improvements in laser performance. Major fields of spectroscopic research are also reviewed for the period 1980 to 1994. No attempt is made to provide a complete list of literature references; instead, the references cited are the key references to the particular subject being discussed. Several areas of research, such as infrared-infrared and infrared-microwave double resonance are not included in the review, because these research subjects are not so widespread among researchers using diode lasers. Trace gas monitoring and stable isotopic ratio applications of this technology are also not discussed here, because a review on these subjects has recently been published (Microchem. J., 50 (1994) 351).