SAW ARRAY DETECTOR FOR HAZARDOUS VAPORS

MICROSENSOR SYSTEMS, INC. WILL INVESTIGATE THE USE OF SURFACE ACOUSTIC WAVE (SAW) TECHNOLOGY FOR THE DETECTION OF HAZARDOUS CHEMICAL VAPORS IN A SHIPBOARD ENVIRONMENT. THE APPROACH WILL UTILIZE AN ARRAY OF SOLID-STATE SAW OSCILLATORS THAT HAVE BEEN COATED WITH SORBENTS THAT ARE SPECIFIC FOR THE CHEMICAL VAPORS OF INTEREST, WHICH WILL INCLUDE REPRESENTATIVE TOXIC PRODUCTS OF COMBUSTION AND CHEMICAL AGENT SIMULANTS. THE STUDY WILL REQUIRE SELECTION OF OPTIMAL COATINGS FOR EACH SAW SENSOR IN THE ARRAY, TESTING OF THE PERFORMANCE OF EACH COATED SENSOR WITH POSSIBLE INTERFERING VAPORS AS WLL AS WITH THE SPECIFIC TARGET GASES, AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SIMPLE PATTERN RECOGNITION SCHEME TO ANALYZE DATA PRODUCED BY THE SENSOR ARRAY AND IDENTIFY WHEN A PARTICULAR THREAT CONDITION EXISTS. STUDIES WILL BE CARRIED OUT TO DETERMINE THE VARIOUS VAPOR CONCENTRATION LEVELS NEEDED TO ACHIEVE RELIABLE IDENTIFICATION OF A TOXIC THREAT AND HOW FAST SUCH A 4-SENSOR SAW ARRAY CAN ACHIEVE A RELIABLE MEASUREMENT. A FINAL REPORT WILL BE PREPARED SUMMARIZING THE RESULTS OF THE STUDY AND RECOMMENDING THE DIRECTION FOR FURTHER STUDIES.