Multi-mission Chemical Sensor (MMCS)

IST is proposing the development of a miniature chemical agent detection device that is based on using infrared energy absorption to detect the presence of toxic materials. The detection of toxic chemicals is possible if the vapors pass between a source ofinfrared energy and a sensor capable of measuring the thermal change associated with the absorption of infrared energy at specific frequencies. The breadboard detection system utilizes a MEMS photonic band gap foil that is ion etched to emit broadbandinfrared energy in the LWIR region. The sensor utilizes a microbolometer array with cutoff filters tuned to pass thermal energy at narrowly defined frequencies. The selected frequencies will correspond to those that are known absorption peaks for thechemical agents of interest. If a chemical agent enters the cell, energy is absorbed at specific frequencies that are detected by the tuned microbolometers as a temperature change. If these temperature changes correspond to the known absorption peaks forspecific chemical agents an alarm is sounded. The resulting system is very small, solid state and thus very rugged, does not require periodic maintenance or personnel involvement in operation and will not false alarm when encountering non-toxic gasses.Development of this Multi-Mission Chemical Sensor will result in an extremely rugged device capable of being employed via non-traditional means. These include emplacement via launch and dissemination from a projectile, dropping from a UAV or operationwhile mounted on a small robotic vehicle. The design will enable interface with other components such as GPS receivers and RF communications modules allowing non line of sight operations. Commercial usage would include monitoring critical areas such assubways, Government buildings and stadiums. The rugged design and ease of operation will allow first responders to focus on taking corrective action immediately after a potential threat is detected.