Photon counting carbon dioxide gas sensing at 2.05 m wavelength

We demonstrate proof-of-principle carbon dioxide (CO2) sensing at 2.05 mu m wavelength using a commercial infrared superconducting nanowire single photon detector (SNSPD). We verify the absorption peaks within the tuning range of the illumination source and perform a differential measurement within one of these peaks to detect a changing concentration of carbon dioxide within a gas cell. We demonstrate that SNSPDs are a promising enabling technology for short wave and mid wave infrared gas remote sensing.