SBIR/STTR Phase II: Microchip-Laser-Based Optical Alloy Analysis Instrument

这个小型企业创新研究（SBIR）二期项目涉及基于激光诱导等离子体光谱的光学合金成分传感器的开发。该传感器的一个关键元件是采用微芯片激光激励源。该技术能够检测钢合金和铝合金中的工业相关成分。第一阶段的结果表明了该技术分析铁合金的有效性。第二阶段的项目将侧重于开发一个小型、轻型和可移动的现场原型，它将能够分析各种合金样品。该技术的关键商业应用是铝和铁废金属分析，这是现有分析技术无法有效覆盖的大量市场利基。主要市场是含有大量轻元素成分的钢和铝合金。这些精密仪器电流每年在全球的销售额超过1000万美元。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project concerns the development of an optical alloy composition sensor based on laser induced plasma spectroscopy. A key element of the sensor is the use of a microchip laser excitation source. The technology has the capability to detect industrially relevant compositions in steel alloys and possibly aluminum alloys. The Phase I results indicated the efficacy of the technique for the analysis of iron alloys. The Phase II project will focus on the development of a small, lightweight and mobile field prototype, which will be able to analyze various alloy samples.The key commercial application of this technology is aluminum and iron scrap metal analysis, substantial market niches which are not effectively covered by existing analysistechnology. The major market is for steel and aluminum alloys that have significant components of light elements. These precision instrument currents have sales worldwide in excess of $10 million per year.