Mixed Electronic and Optical Computing Platforms for Portable Surface Plasmon Resonance Sensors

这个项目的目标是开发和展示与光学计算方法相关的新的工程能力，以改进光学传感器的设计和性能，以便进行方便、用户友好和现场便携的环境分析。光学计算方法和新颖的系统集成方法承诺减少现场便携式传感器的功率需求，简化现场便携式传感器的电子和光学序列，优化现场便携式传感器的信号采集和处理，并通过更新传感器控制器中的可编程存储器来适应不断变化的校准模型。因此，与依赖于光信号离散数字化的传统传感器相比，使用这些新的工程技术将开发出更小、更轻、更省电、具有更高检测极限的传感器。提出的新的光学计算方法将被纳入手持式表面等离子体共振(SPR)传感器的设计和建造中，用于以更高的检测下限和灵敏度测定一系列环境污染物。在第一阶段，传感器的应用将仅限于定量测定地下水中的多环芳烃(PAHs)。多环芳烃是致癌的环保局优先污染物，主要通过燃料和石油泄漏或作为不完全燃烧的副产品进入环境。在第二阶段，该传感器将扩展为设计用于多分析物检测的大规模并行SPR传感器阵列。目标分析对象的范围将扩大到其他(EPA)优先污染物。在为第一阶段和第二阶段设计的传感器方面，一个关键的进展领域将是系统对影响SPR光谱的环境变化的解释能力的增强。在拟议的研究的第一阶段，这些光学计算将被集成到一种新型的光纤表面等离子体共振传感器设计中。第一阶段的目标是展示通过SPR传感器中的集成光学计算可实现的灵敏度、功率、空间和信噪比方面的改进，提高隔离但集成的光电探测器中的系统浓度灵敏度，展示易于校准和参考环境变化的可编程性，以及在不断变化的环境中能够确定+/-1%多环芳烃浓度的电池寿命超过12小时。光纤SPR传感器将有两个感应区：一个对目标分析物和任何环境变化做出反应，另一个只对环境变化做出反应。

0086947BookshThe environmental sensing goal of this project is to develop and demonstrate new engineering capabilities associated with optical computational methods for improving the design and performance of optical sensors for convenient, user-friendly, and field-portable environmental analyses. Optical computational methods and novel systems integration approaches promise reduction in power requirements for field portable sensors, simplification of electronics and optical train of field portable sensors, optimization of signal collection and processing for field portable sensors, and adaptation to changing calibration models by updating the programmable memory in the sensor controller. Thus, compared to traditional sensors that rely in discrete digitization of optical signals, smaller, lighter, and less power-hungry sensors with superior detection limits are to be developed using these new engineering technologies. The proposed novel optical computational methods will be incorporated in the design and construction of hand held surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensors for determination of a range of environmental pollutants at superior detection limits and sensitivities. In Phase 1, application of the sensor will be limited to quantitation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in ground water. PAHs are carcinogenic EPA priority pollutants that largely enter the environment through fuel and oil spills or as a byproduct of incomplete combustion. In Phase 2, this sensor will be expanded to a massively parallel array of SPR sensors designed for multi-analyte detection. The scope of target analytes will be expanded to other (EPA) priority pollutants. One key area of progress to the sensors designed for both Phase 1 and Phase 2, will be the increasing ability of the system to account for environmental changes that affect the SPR spectrum.In Phase 1 of the proposed research, these optical computations will be integrated into a novel, fiber optic, surface plasmon resonance sensor design. The goals of Phase 1 are to demonstrate the improvements in sensitivity, power, space, and signal-to-noise ratio achievable with integrated optical computation in the SPR sensor, to improve system concentration sensitivity in isolated but integrated photodetectors, to demonstrate programmability for ease of calibration and referencing to environmental changes, and to increase greater than 12 hours of battery life capable of determining to +/- 1% PAH concentration down to ppb levels in a changing environment. The fiber optic SPR sensor will have two sensing areas: one responsive to the target analyte and any environmental changes, the other responsive to only environmental changes.