STTR Phase I: High Resolution Spectrometer-on-a-Chip Based on Nano-Optic Plasmonic Device

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This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project will investigate the feasibility of developing an ultra-compact, high-resolution and low-cost spectrometer-on- a-chip, based on plasmonic nanowire arrays. In response to the growing demands for non-invasive point-of-care diagnostics, there have been many efforts to miniaturize optical spectrometers using various conventional technologies. However they are not yet conducive to both dramatic miniaturization and also high spectral performance at low production cost. Unlike the bulky and expensive conventional diffractive optical devices, the proposed nano-optic device utilizes the wavelength-dependent plasmonic phenomena occurring on metal nanowire surfaces and the gaps between the metal nanowires. This nano-optic filter array is expected to enable a high resolution spectrometer on a chip, overcoming the limits of diffractive optics. If successful the proposed ultra-compact high-resolution low-cost spectrometer-on-a-chip can be used in various applications such as mobile/wearable health monitoring, multiple gas detection, and high-resolution color sensing. Consumer electronics manufacturers, portable medical device vendors, and wireless sensor node suppliers can be all potential customers. As a key component to these markets, it is anticipated that the total addressable market for the proposed spectrometer-on-a-chip will be over $1 billion in 2012. The proposed activities will contribute to advancing personalized point-of-care, environmental monitoring, and homeland security by enabling non-invasive, reliable, high-throughput, low-cost sensing, detection and diagnostics. Overall it will result in health care cost reduction, and enhancement of the quality of life. They will also provide solid understanding of the phenomena occurring when a light interacts with nanostructured metal. Successful completion of this project will also open up new application opportunities in the convergence areas of information, bio and nanotechnologies.