Planar Laser-Induced Fluorescence

Planar laser induced fluorescence (PLIF) extends the concepts and capabilities of laser induced fluorescence (LIF) to two dimensions.

The experimental setup is similar to LIF, except the laser beam is expanded into a planar sheet, exciting a 2-D plane of the target species in the flow field. The fluorescence signals from the excited plane are imaged with a CCD array, and the data can be used to gain a quantitative understanding of the structure and evolution of a flow field. PLIF was originally developed in the Hanson Research Group to quantitatively study the structure of laminar and turbulent flames, but its applications have since been expanded for use as a diagnostic for gasdynamic properties [1-3]. PLIF provides the same information as ordinary LIF but at a far greater number of points in the flow field, all while still using only a single laser!

To learn more, check out some of our publications:

[1] G. Kychakoff, R. D. Howe, R. K. Hanson, J. C. McDaniel, “Quantitative visualization of combustion species in a plane,” Applied Optics, Vol. 21 (1982) pp. 3225–3227. DOI: 10.1364/AO.21.003225

[2] C. S. Goldenstein, V. A. Miller, R. K. Hanson, “Infrared planer laser-induced fluorescence with a CW quantum-cascade laser for spatially resolved CO2 and gas properties,” Applied Physics B: Lasers and Optics, Vol 120 (2015) pp. 185–199. DOI: 10.1007/s00340-015-6167-0

[3] S. Wang, R. K. Hanson, “Quantitative 2-D OH thermometry using spectrally resolved planar laser-induced fluorescence,” Optics Letters, Vol. 44 (2019) pp. 578–581. DOI: 10.1364/OL.44.000578