FIBER-OPTIC FOURIER-TRANSFORM SPECTROMETER FOR FLUORESENCE MEASUREMENTS IN BIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS

FIBER-OPTIC SENSORS, IN CONJUNCTION WITH FLUORESCENCE SPECTROSCOPY, HAS MANY USES IN BIOCHEMISTRY, IMMUNOASSAYS, AND CLOSED-AQUACULTURE SYSTEMS. THE USE OF IN SITU FLUORESCENCE MEASUREMENT DURING FIELD TESTS IS HAMPERED BY THE PHYSICAL LIMITATIONS OF SPECTROMETERS RELATED TO THEIR SIZE, WEIGHT, AND STABILITY. TO FULFILL THE NEED FOR A COMPACT AND PORTABLE SPECTROMETER COMPATIBLE WITH FIBER-OPTIC SENSORS IN DETECTION/ANALYSIS OF FLUORESCENCE SPECTRA, RESEARCHERS ARE DESIGNING A NOVEL FIBER-OPTIC FOURIER-TRANSFORM SPECTROMETER (FOFTS) HAVING NO MOVING PARTS. THIS DESIGN PROVIDES RAPID SCANNING, LIGHT WEIGHT, AND COST EFFECTIVENESS WITHOUT COMPROMISING THE PERFORMANCE OF THE SPECTROMETER. THE OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT INCLUDE SELECTION OF OPTICAL COMPONENTS FOR A FIBER-OPTIC INTERFEROMETER, EVALUATION OF METHODS TO ACHIEVE OPTICAL-PHASE MODULATION, CALIBRATION OF OPTICAL-PHASE MODULATORS USING LASER AND BROADBAND LIGHT SOURCES, AND ACQUISITION OF FAMILIES OF FLUORESCENCE DATA.