STTR Phase II: Planar Array Infrared (PA-IR): A Compact Rugged Double Beam Infrared Spectrometer for Laboratory and Field Analysis

This Small Innovation Technology Transfer (STTR) project will demonstrate the utility of infrared planar array technology to study water pollutants such as industrial contaminants and biological impurities. It proposes to optimize the design and construction of a compact, high-sensitivity, double beam infrared instrument based on focal plane array detection, which meets or exceeds performance standards of commercially available Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) solutions and is able to operate in ambient environments to provide measurements of dilute concentrations of organic and biological contaminants. If successful the outcome of this project will enable real time effluent detection from a manufacturing site such as that found at chemical companies who could realize tangible and intangible savings from being able to pro-actively identify and measure the presence of pollutants. A portable Planar Array Infrared (PA-IR) spectrograph could be used to measure contaminants in rivers, streams and ponds, thereby providing ?real time? feedback on changes in the environment. The World Laboratory Analytical Instrument Market is estimated to be $9.36B in 2008. IR spectroscopy is estimated to be $738MM.