SBIR Phase I: Photonic Crystal Slot Waveguide Miniature Spectrometer for In-Situ Groundwater Contaminant and Greenhouse Gas Detection and Identification

This SBIR Phase I project will develop a 100 micron long lab-on-a-chip spectrometer to detect benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX) and other compounds in contaminated ground water and methane and nitrous oxides in air emissions. The project will develop a photonic crystal slot waveguide device which will combine slow light effect in photonic crystal waveguides with large optical field intensity in a low index slot at the center of the photonic crystal waveguide. This will allow exact identification of analyte through spectroscopic signatures. The broader/commercial impact of the project will be realized with the successful demonstration of this technology that will permit this chip to be adapted to a wide range of contaminants in water and air media, and hence, could be very useful to activities in the environmental field.