Infrared Photonic Crystal Spectrometer for the Cryovacuum Environment

ABSTRACT: This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project investigates an inexpensive ultra-compact infrared spectrometer based on photonic crystals arrays. Current infrared spectrometer technologies, based on diffraction gratings or Fourier transform infrared spectrometers (FTIR), lack portability and are extremely expensive as a result of difficulties in resolving signals in this spectral range. In contrast, the photonic crystal spectrometer uses photonic crystals to manipulate infrared light with high precision, allowing significantly decreased size and cost in a package that has no moving parts, and as a result is highly resistant to environmental effects such as vibration and temperature. The infrared photonic crystal spectrometer is a compact spectral sensing solution suitable for applications where grating spectrometers or FTIR are too bulky or expensive or in extreme environmental conditions . In this project, the infrared photonic crystal technology developed in Phase I will be further developed ultimately resulting in a functional prototype spectral sensing system sensitive between 1 and 14 microns. BENEFIT: The anticipated results of this project are customizable IR spectrometer modules suitable for applications in plastics identification and gas monitoring, as well as other applications where a moderate number of infrared spectral signals can be used for identification and monitoring.