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Method and apparatus for external cavity laser absorption spectroscopy There is disclosed an apparatus, and corresponding methods, for determining one or more characteristics of a sample in an absorption cell using laser absorption spectroscopy. For example, the characteristic may be concentration o

Method and apparatus for external cavity laser absorption spectroscopy There is disclosed an apparatus, and corresponding methods, for determining one or more characteristics of a sample in an absorption cell using laser absorption spectroscopy. For example, the characteristic may be concentration of a species in the sample. The apparatus comprises an external cavity semiconductor laser comprising a semiconductor gain medium within an optical resonator. The absorption cell is located within the optical resonator of the external cavity semiconductor laser so as to be optically coupled with the gain medium. A controller is arranged to provide a varied injection current to the semiconductor gain medium. A photodetector is arranged to detect laser light output by the external cavity semiconductor laser. An analyzer is arranged to determine one or more characteristics of the sample from behavior of the detected laser light output as a function of the varied injection current.

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1. Apparatus arranged to determine one or more characteristics of a sample in an absorption cell, the apparatus comprising: an external cavity semiconductor laser comprising a semiconductor gain medium within an optical resonator;said absorption cell being arranged such that at least part of the sam

1. Apparatus arranged to determine one or more characteristics of a sample in an absorption cell, the apparatus comprising: an external cavity semiconductor laser comprising a semiconductor gain medium within an optical resonator;said absorption cell being arranged such that at least part of the sample in the absorption cell is within the optical resonator and is optically coupled with the gain medium;a controller arranged to vary an injection current applied to the semiconductor gain medium;a photo detector arranged to detect laser light output by the external cavity semiconductor laser; andan analyser arranged to determine one or more characteristics of the sample from behaviour of the detected laser light output as a function of the varied injection current. 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the external cavity semiconductor laser comprises a wavelength selector arranged to selectively tune the laser to each of a plurality of wavelengths, and the analyser is arranged to determine one or more characteristics of the sample at each selected wavelength from behaviour of the detected laser light output as a function of the varied injection current at or proximal to each selected wavelength. 3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the wavelength selector is a diffraction grating forming a boundary of the optical resonator. 4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the diffraction grating is mounted in a first order Littrow configuration with respect to the optical resonator. 5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the one or more characteristics of the sample comprise an absorption spectrum of the sample. 6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the one or more characteristics of the sample comprise one or more concentrations of one or more species within the sample. 7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the external cavity semiconductor laser is a quantum cascade laser. 8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the analyser is arranged to determine said one or more characteristics of the sample at least partly from one or more determinations of a laser threshold current of said injection current. 9. The apparatus of claim 8 arranged to determine a laser threshold current from a second derivative of the laser output power with respect to the injection current. 10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the analyser is arranged to determine said one or more characteristics of the sample at least partly from one or more gradients of the detected laser light output laser as the injection current is varied above a laser threshold current. 11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the controller is arranged to modulate the injection current. 12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the controller is additionally arranged to ramp the injection current such that the ramp encompasses the concurrent threshold current. 13. A method of determining one or more characteristics of a sample comprising: locating the sample in the optical cavity of an external cavity laser such that the sample is optically coupled with a gain medium of the external cavity laser;applying a varying injection current to drive the gain medium;detecting laser light output by the external cavity laser; anddetermining said one or more characteristics of the sample from behaviour of the detected laser light as a function of the applied variations in injection current. 14. The method of claim 13 further comprising: using a wavelength selector to vary tuning of the external cavity laser across a wavelength range; anddetermining said one or more characteristics as functions of wavelength. 15. The method of claim 13 wherein determining said one or more characteristics as functions of wavelength comprises determining an absorption spectrum of the sample. 16. The method of claim 13 wherein determining said one or more characteristics comprises identifying and/or determining concentrations of one or more species within the sample. 17. The method of claim 13 wherein determining said one or more characteristics of the sample from behaviour of the detected laser light as a function of the applied variations in injection current comprises detecting a threshold current of the external cavity laser and using said threshold current in said step of determining. 18. The method of claim 13 wherein the gain medium is a quantum cascade laser gain medium, the external cavity laser is a quantum cascade external cavity laser, and the sample is a gaseous sample. 19. The method of claim 13 wherein the sample is retained within an absorption cell at least partially containing the optical cavity of the external cavity laser. 20. A method of determining one or more absorption characteristics of a sample comprising: disposing the sample in an optical cavity of an external cavity laser having a gain medium, such that the sample gives rise to a loss rate of photons generated in the gain medium; anddetermining said one or more characteristics from a change in photon lifetime of the external cavity laser in the presence of the sample. 21. The method of claim 20 wherein the change in photon lifetime is detected from behaviour of the external cavity laser with respect to an injection current applied to the gain medium. 22. The method of claim 21 wherein the behaviour of the external cavity laser with respect to an injection current applied to the gain medium is detected by measuring optical output of the external cavity laser. 23. The method of claim 20 wherein the change in photon lifetime is a reduction in photon lifetime in comparison to absence of said sample.