Miniature Integrated Multi-Band Spectrometer

"Widespread concern about the prospects of chemical assaults has raised demand for a miniature low-power high resolution wideband spectroscopic sensor for real-time characterization and identification of chemical agent clouds and vapors. Current devicesonly cover narrow bandwidths, and hence require multiple modules to cover the UV, visible, and near IR spectral bands, increasing system weight, size, and complexity. To address this problem, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a newcompact, monolithic (no moving parts) miniature integrated multiband spectrometer (MIMS) capable of high spectral resolution over the spectral range from the ultraviolet to the near infrared. This unique performance is achieved by stacking a number ofminiaturized one-dimensional planar spectrometers, one for each spectral band, to form a single 2-D spectrometer module. MIMS spectral resolution will be about 0.1 nm, its total spectral range about 600 nm (200-800 nm), its signal-to-noise ratio high, andits power loss budget low. In this Phase I project, POC will design this lightweight, compact 2-D spectrometer, analyze its performance, and verify the concept by experimental demonstrations. In Phase II, POC will further optimize the MIMS system andbuild a prototype to meet or exceed the performance requirements. POC anticipates that the proposed MIMS technology will benefit environmental monitoring and pollution control, manufacturing,