SBIR Phase II: An Improved Open-Path FTIR Spectrometer for Remote Monitoring of Atmospheric Gases

这项小企业创新研究（SBIR）第二阶段项目将使Energetiq技术公司能够开发并商业化一种先进的开放路径FTIR光谱仪（OPFTIR）仪器，用于远距离监测大气气体。第二阶段的技术目标将是优化高亮度红外光源和光学子系统，使长路径仪器功能成为可能。对于目前的FTIR仪器，红外光源是一个热黑体，限制在大约1000摄氏度的工作温度下。对于OP-FTIR仪器，依赖这种低亮度光源的后果是：(a)体积庞大且昂贵的红外光学元件；(b)昂贵的红外探测器；（三）监测范围有限？通常不到几百米。第一阶段开发的激光加热红外光源已证明工作温度超过2000℃。与标准GlobarTM源的直接比较表明，信号幅度的改善在2到10之间（取决于波长），信号对噪声的测量意味着可探测性从1.5到约6的改善。这项研究的更广泛的影响是在环境监测领域和潜在的国土安全应用。OP-FTIR仪器的成本和尺寸将会降低，量程和灵敏度将会提高。随着人们越来越重视监测大气污染物的总通量，包括二氧化碳等全球变暖气体，未来OP-FTIR仪器将得到更广泛的应用。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will enable Energetiq Technology, Inc. to develop and commercialize an advanced Open-Path FTIR Spectrometer (OPFTIR) instrument for monitoring of atmospheric gases over extended distances. The Phase II technical goals will be the optimization of a high-brightness infrared source and optical subsystem that will enable long path instrument capabilities. For current FTIR instruments the infrared light source is a thermal blackbody, limited to operating temperatures of approximately 1000 C. For OP-FTIR instruments the consequences of relying on such low-brightness light sources are (a) bulky and expensive IR optics; (b) expensive IR detectors; and (c) limited monitoring range ? typically less than a few hundred meters. The laser heated IR light source developed in Phase I has demonstrated greater than 2000C operation. Direct comparison with a standard GlobarTM source shows an improvement in signal amplitude of between 2 and 10 (depending on wavelength) and signal to noise measurements imply an improvement in detectability of from 1.5 to about 6. The broader impacts of this research are in the area of environmental monitoring and potentially in Homeland Security applications. The cost and size of OP-FTIR instruments will be reduced and the range and sensitivity increased. With increased emphasis on monitoring total fluxes of atmospheric pollutants, including global warming gases such as CO2, OP-FTIR instruments will be even more widely used in the future.