A Miniature, Intelligent, Integrated-Optic NIR Spectrometer for Local and Remote Detection of Petrochemical Fuels in Fluid Flow Channels

In this SBIR program, Brimrose proposed to build and develop a miniature solid-state spectrometer capable of determining the identity of individual petrochemical fuels in fluid flow channels and reacting to their presence by automatically implementing safety control processes. Optical spectral analysis will be achieved by utilizing an integrated-optic acousto-optically tunable filter (IOAOTF) implemented on LiNbO3. This device is ideal for application in harsh environments and achieves a narrow passband response (1nm) with fast wavelength tuning (10us) over a wide bandwidth (1.1 to 2.2um) by simply changing its acoustic drive frequency. Furthermore, this component is light weight (<1 gram), small (20x3x1 mm), sensitive, reliable, rugged and requires very little drive poser (<100mW). Due to the inherent fiber compatibility of this device, spectroscopic analysis of fluid flow channels can be made by placing the IOAOTF in a module adjacent to the channel or remotely using an optical fiber probe of several meters length. The co-principal investigator of this program, Dr. Derek Vaughan, was previously working with the LiNbOxIOAOTF development group at British Telecom Laboratories in the UK, and his PhD thesis is concentrated in this field. He is now committed to the further development and application of these devices with Brimrose Corporation.