Description of MIKES
The Centre for Metrology and Accreditation (MIKES) is a National Metrology Institute designated to develop and maintain the SI-system in Finland. MIKES carries out scientific research on several fields of fundamental metrology, in order to improve the realisation of the units and the accuracy of measurements. MIKES collaborates with universities, industry, and Finland’s environmental administration. MIKES has significant prior experience on sensitive high-resolution laser spectroscopy and absolute optical frequency measurements relevant to WP1 of this JRP, “Production of traceable, high resolution spectroscopic data for atmospheric applications”. The MIKES group has developed a near-infrared single-frequency synthesiser based on an optical frequency comb generator. The group has recently demonstrated extension of this work to the mid-infrared region between 2.7 and 3.5 ìm. The mid-infrared single-frequency synthesiser will be used in WP1 for traceable measurements of absorption line positions of key atmospheric species with an unprecedented resolution and accuracy. The group has previously developed state-of-the-art laser sources and other instrumentation needed in such measurements.
The key persons contributing to the JRP at MIKES are: Dr. Mikko Merimaa is the leader of the time and frequency group at MIKES. The time and frequency group demonstrated single-frequency synthesis at the 1.55 ìm telecommunication range with applications in spectroscopy. Dr. Markku Vainio is working jointly at MIKES and in the laboratory of Physical Chemistry at the Helsinki University. He is an expert on optical parametric oscillators, diode-lasers, and their applications in high-resolution molecular spectroscopy. Dr. Vainio was leading the project in which the mid-infrared frequency synthesiser, that will be needed for absolute frequency measurements of absorption line parameters of key atmospheric species relevant for this JRP, was developed. Dr. Tuomas Hieta investigates applications of quantum cascade lasers in mid-infrared industrial gas analysis and precision spectroscopy of Oxygen for measurement of air temperature. He has considerable experience with quantum-cascade lasers, FTIR-spectroscopy, and modelling of spectroscopic data.