SBIR Phase I: New, Reconfigurable Micro-elecro-mechanical System (MEMS) Based Grating for Optical Sensors

本小型企业创新研究第一阶段项目将确定生产基于微机电系统（MEMS）的可重构光栅的可行性。这种新装置将成为下一代紧凑型光谱仪器的核心。需要对此类MEMS器件的操作进行基础研究，以优化其操作并实现广泛应用。具体来说，第一阶段的工作将侧重于完善MEMS光栅阵列，其控制间距可以实时重新配置，以便对精确的实验室和现场就绪传感器系统至关重要的几个通带进行快速、全光谱分析。目标包括几个原型微光栅的生产和封装，以及开关性能，光学效率和光谱分辨率的测量。利用InterScience在电光技术和MEMS领域的专业知识，第一阶段的研究工作将尝试建立这样一个MEMS光栅的操作，并开发一个设计，将其集成到一个紧凑的光学域光谱系统中。第一期项目将结合材料、机械和光学研发，为第二期的全面实施铺平道路。拟议研究的商业应用包括在大气分析、远程监控、紧凑型压力和化学传感等领域将全新的光谱仪器推向市场。此外，这种新仪器在创新的心脏治疗方式中也有医疗应用。＊＊＊

*** ABSTRACT 9661476 Castracane This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will establish the feasibility of producing a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) based, reconfigurable optical grating. This new device will form the heart of the next generation of compact spectroscopic instruments. Fundamental research into the operation of such MEMS devices is required to optimize their operation and enable widespread applications. Specifically, this Phase I effort will focus on perfecting a MEMS grating array whose ruling spacing can be reconfigured in real time to allow for rapid, full spectral analysis of several passbands critical for accurate laboratory and field-ready sensor systems. Objectives include production and packaging of several prototype micro-gratings and measurement of switching performance, optical efficiency and spectral resolution. Exploiting the expertise that InterScience has developed in both electro-optic technology and the MEMS field, the Phase I research effort will attempt to establish the operation of such a MEMS grating and develop a design for its integration into a compact, optical domain spectroscopic system. This Phase I project will combine material, mechanical and optical research and development and pave the way for full implementation in Phase II. Commercial applications of the proposed research involve bringing fundamentally new spectroscopic instruments to market in areas such as atmospheric analysis, remote surveillance, and compact pressure and chemical sensing. In addition, there exist medical applications for this new instrument in innovative cardiac treatment modalities. ***