STTR Phase II: An Ultra Compact and Low Cost Raman Analyzer Based on Slitless Volume Holographic Spectrometers

这个小型企业技术转移（STTR）二期项目的重点是商业化一种新的低成本和紧凑的低分辨率（~ 1nm）拉曼光谱（LRRS）技术，用于医疗诊断。目前的拉曼光谱系统体积庞大，价格昂贵，并且由于其前狭缝狭窄，漫射光（例如拉曼散射）的吞吐量很小。医疗诊断需要手持式和低成本LRRS系统，特别是在设备较差的医疗点设施。此外，当前系统的低效率使得它们使用更高的泵浦激光功率并将其聚焦在被检查的组织上，这增加了成本并可能损坏组织。所提出的拉曼分析仪采用的技术是利用球形和圆柱形光束体全息图的全息光谱方法。与传统的LRRS系统相比，该技术实现了结构紧凑、重量轻、成本低的光谱仪，主要元素最少。具体来说，消除了传统光谱仪中的窄缝，从而使漫射光在光谱仪中可以更有效地耦合。提出了利用上述体全息技术开发LRRS系统样机的方法。开发的LRRS系统将基于表面增强拉曼光谱（SERS）对医疗诊断进行优化。该项目的广泛影响/商业潜力将在生物化学、医学、制药、工业质量保证、国土安全、矿物学和环境传感等领域得到广泛应用。所提出的仪器的紧凑和低成本性质使其成为上述几个领域中对高电流需求的手持传感设备的完美选择。2005年，该技术覆盖的整个美国市场规模为26亿美元，预计到2010年将以7%的速度增长。拟议的仪器在医疗诊断领域的潜在应用（例如，使用SERS信号检测心血管疾病）将通过减少人们因各种医疗条件而遭受的痛苦和死亡，对公共卫生产生重大影响。手持式SERS阅读器可以适应其他快速诊断测试，并且可以在装备较差的POC设施中使用该技术快速诊断许多其他疾病。

This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase II project focuses on the commercialization of a new low-cost and compact low-resolution (~1 nm) Raman spectroscopy (LRRS) technique for medical diagnostics. Current Raman spectroscopy systems are bulky and expensive and have small throughput for diffuse light (e.g., Raman scattering), due to their front narrow slit. Handheld and low-cost LRRS systems are needed for medical diagnostics, specifically at less equipped point of care (POC) facilities. Besides, the small efficiency of the current systems make them use higher pump laser power and focus it onto the examined tissue that adds to the cost and can damage the tissue. The technology adopted in the proposed Raman analyzer is a holographic spectroscopy method that uses spherical and cylindrical beam volume holograms. The technology enables compact, light weight, and low-cost spectrometers with the fewest main elements compared to the conventional LRRS systems. Specifically, the narrow slit as in the conventional spectrometers is eliminated, whereby diffuse light can be more efficiently coupled in the spectrometer. The development of a LRRS system prototype with the mentioned volume holography technology is proposed. The developed LRRS system will be then optimized for medical diagnostics based on surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS).The broader impact/commercial potential of this project will be over a broad range of applications in the fields of biochemistry, medicine, pharmaceuticals, industrial quality assurance, homeland security, mineralogy, and environmental sensing. The compact and low-cost nature of the proposed instrument makes it the perfect choice for handheld sensing devices that are of high current demand in several fields mentioned above. The entire US market volume that can be covered by this technology has been $2.6B in 2005, with a prospected 7% growth rate through 2010. The potential application of the proposed instrument in the field of medical diagnostics (e.g., in the use of SERS signals for the detection of cardiovascular diseases) will have a major impact on public health by reducing the suffering and death of people due to a variety of medical conditions. The handheld SERS reader can be adapted to other rapid diagnostic tests and many other diseases can be rapidly diagnosed at less equipped POC facilities with this technology.