Compact Raman Spectrometer For In-Situ Planetary Chemistry

In this proposal, we demonstrate a new Raman imaging sensor based on a compact, CCD-mounted spectrometer. This enables high sensitivity and specificity for UV-Raman that will be capable of full-frame imaging, thus reducing size, weight, and power requirements, as well as eliminating the need for mechanical scanning and actuators to acquire data across a 2-dimensional image. The proposed program will establish the optical model and tools to estimate system performance, fabrication requirement and tolerance, formulate calibration procedure and evaluation criteria, develop critical optical component fabrication techniques and procedure, and chart the road for a Raman imager with improved performance that can be obtained with the state of the art fabrication techniques. In Phase II we will demonstrate a prototype imaging system and present a plan to infuse the technology into a NASA program.