Grantee Research Project Results
Final Report: InFRNO2: INfrared Faraday Rotation of NO2 for Portable Sub-Part-Per-Billion Sensors
EPA Contract Number: EPD12029Title: InFRNO2: INfrared Faraday Rotation of NO2 for Portable Sub-Part-Per-Billion Sensors
Investigators: So, Stephen
Small Business: The Laser Sensing Company
EPA Contact: Richards, April
Phase: I
Project Period: March 1, 2012 through August 31, 2012
Project Amount: $79,999
RFA: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) - Phase I (2012) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) , SBIR - Air and Climate
Description:
The Laser Sensing Company is developing a shoebox-sized sensor that dissipates minimal power and still provides sub-part-per-billion sensitivity for detection and quantification of NO2 in the air. The technology will use mid-infrared quantum cascade laser-based balance detection Faraday rotation spectroscopy (FRS) to achieve extremely low-noise, power-efficient sensors. Phase I determined the feasibility of such a sensor and required the demonstration of a multipass optical mirror cell with a long optical path and an encircling magnetic solenoid, a balanced mid-infrared detector, and electronics and software to control and acquire the sensor signals for FRS.
FRS is a laser-based magnetic spectroscopy method that can provide extremely low noise in low-cost, robust and compact packages, and this project aims to further reduce power consumption and size, while increasing sensitivity dramatically. The Laser Sensing Company uses the latest quantum cascade laser technology, which provides compact sources of mid-infrared light, coupled with the latest advances in sensor architectures and electronic systems, to create a new class of sensor.
Such a sensor will be extremely important in pollution controls and environmental monitoring wireless sensor networks, as NO2 is a critical respiratory health pollutant linked to increased asthma and allergy incidence, which is hazardous even at trace levels in the atmosphere.
Summary/Accomplishments (Outputs/Outcomes):
The Laser Sensing Company was able to develop the required components with adequate performance for sub-part-per-billion sensitivity sensors and demonstrated the components in a prototype sensor. The multipass cell that the company developed provided 57.6 meters of optical path in a 12 cm long package. The balanced detection system achieves a common mode rejection ratio of 31.6dB, a relatively high value which assures low noise levels.
The multipass cell can be used in absorption spectroscopy as well, which the company tested for detection of ethane (C2H6) at sub-part-per-billion levels. Such a cell provides low-cost long optical paths for better detection sensitivities in the same sensor volume.
The Laser Sensing Company also explored the stability of sensors built around these technologies and identified the required development paths to provide maximum stability in the future.
Along with the company's Rice University colleagues working on the project via a subcontract, The Laser Sensing Company also provided an initial baseline of measurements using multipass FRS, which shows a 0.5ppb noise level in 10 seconds, thus proving the target sensing concept.
Conclusions:
The feasibility of developing such a commercialized field-deployable sensor is very positive. The sensor already can measure at part-per-billion levels with minimal optimizations, while potentially only dissipating 20 watts of power, easily achievable via solar panel and batteries.
With some additional stability improvements, sensor architecture design improvements and a dedicated distributed feedback laser, The Laser Sensing Company will be able to drop the size, weight and power consumption of such NO2 sensors by orders of magnitude, compared to the state of the art.
Placing these sensors in many locations along roadsides with solar panels and batteries will provide critical data to provide real-time air quality warnings and understand air pollution effects on public health.
Commercialization:
Sales beginning on multipass cells for OEM, POs placed for a total of $85k in revenue
Sales of a complete prototype sensor
Series A round terms sheet under consideration, Phase II NSF SBIR awarded
Journal Articles on this Report : 1 Displayed | Download in RIS Format
| Other project views: | All 3 publications | 1 publications in selected types | All 1 journal articles |
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Krzempek K, Jahjah M, Lewicki R, Stefanski P, So S, Thomazy D, Tittel FK. CW DFB RT diode laser-based sensor for trace-gas detection of ethane using a novel compact multipass gas absorption cell. Applied Physics B–Lasers and Optics 2013;112(4):461-465. |
EPD12029 (Final) |
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Supplemental Keywords:
air pollution, air pollution monitoring, nitrogen dioxide, quantum cascade laser, portable, sensor, mid-infrared quantum cascade laser, QCL, emissionsThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.