Vibration-Insensitive and Large-Range MEMS Scanning Fourier Transform Spectroscopy for Portable Chemical/BioSensors

NSF # 0901711：用于便携式化学/生物传感器的倾斜不敏感MEMS扫描傅立叶变换光谱：谢惠凯；这项研究的目的是开发便携式或手持化学/生物传感器的微型红外（IR）光谱仪。该方法是利用新型微机电系统（MEMS）技术使反射镜扫描机构和红外探测器小型化。提出了一种独特的干涉仪设计来补偿反射镜的倾斜。傅里叶变换光谱，特别是在红外范围内，或FTIR，是非常强大的化学/生物传感。然而，大多数FTIR系统体积庞大，价格昂贵。MEMS技术已被用于小型化FTIR系统，但研究人员仍然面临着几个挑战：由于MEMS反射镜的小位移而导致的低光谱分辨率；扫描MEMS反射镜的倾斜；以及缺乏用于FTIR的小型非冷却红外探测器。这项研究将通过几种创新技术来解决这些挑战：一种新的MEMS反射镜，其扫描范围将超过1毫米，即10？E与同类产品相比有所改善；能够倾斜不敏感扫描的单镜迈克尔逊干涉仪设计；电容式MEMS非制冷红外探测器，体积小，价格便宜，灵敏度高。所提出的集成技术具有广泛的应用范围，包括国土安全、反恐、食品安全和环境监测。由于其体积小，成本低，这种装置可以由士兵或边防警卫等现场急救人员使用，以便快速识别爆炸物，化学武器，有毒危害和生物制剂，以防止或尽量减少损害并挽救生命。通过这个项目，将努力吸引更多的年轻学生，特别是少数民族学生进入工程和科学领域。

NSF # 0901711: Tilting-Insensitive MEMS Scanning Fourier Transform Spectroscopy for Portable Chemical/BioSensorsPIs: Huikai Xie; Fan Ren (University of Florida)The objective of this research is to develop miniature infrared (IR) spectrometers for portable or handheld chemical/biosensors. The approach is to use novel micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) techniques to miniaturize the mirror scanning mechanism and the IR detector. A unique interferometer design is also proposed to compensate mirror tilting.Fourier transform spectroscopy, especially in infrared range, or FTIR, is very powerful in chemical/biosensing. However, most of FTIR systems are bulky and expensive. MEMS technology has been used to miniaturize FTIR systems, but researchers still face several challenges: low spectral resolution due to small displacements of the MEMS mirrors; tilting of scanning MEMS mirrors; and lack of small-sized uncooled IR detectors for FTIR. This research will address these challenges with several innovative techniques: a new MEMS mirror whose scan range will reach over 1 mm that is 10?e improvement compared to its counterparts; a single-mirror Michelson interferometer design capable of tilt-insensitive scanning; and a capacitive MEMS uncooled IR detector that is small, inexpensive and highly-sensitive. The proposed integrated technology has a broad range of applications including homeland security, antiterrorism, food safety, and environmental monitoring. Due to their small size and low cost, such devices can be used onsite by first responders such as soldiers or border guards, so that explosives, chemical weapons, toxic hazards and biological agents can be identified quickly to prevent or minimize damage and save lives. Through this project, efforts will be made to attract more young students especially minority students into engineering and science areas.