United States Patent
US Patent 8309929: Tunable photonic cavities for in-situ…
US 8309929 · granted 2012-11-13
Abstract
Compact tunable optical cavities are provided for in-situ NIR spectroscopy. MEMS-tunable VCSEL platforms represents a solid foundation for a new class of compact, sensitive and fiber compatible sensors for fieldable, real-time, multiplexed gas detection systems. Detection limits for gases with NIR cross-sections such as O.sub.2, CH.sub.4, CO.sub.x and NO.sub.x have been predicted to approximately span from 10.sup.ths to 10s of parts per million. Exemplary oxygen detection design and a process for 760 nm continuously tunable VCSELS is provided. This technology enables in-situ self-calibrating platforms with adaptive monitoring by exploiting Photonic FPGAs.
| Patent Number | 8309929 |
|---|---|
| Title | Tunable photonic cavities for in-situ spectroscopic trace gas detection |
| Granted | 2012-11-13 |
| CPC Classification | G01J 5/02 |
| Number of Claims | 19 |
Abstract
Compact tunable optical cavities are provided for in-situ NIR spectroscopy. MEMS-tunable VCSEL platforms represents a solid foundation for a new class of compact, sensitive and fiber compatible sensors for fieldable, real-time, multiplexed gas detection systems. Detection limits for gases with NIR cross-sections such as O.sub.2, CH.sub.4, CO.sub.x and NO.sub.x have been predicted to approximately span from 10.sup.ths to 10s of parts per million. Exemplary oxygen detection design and a process for 760 nm continuously tunable VCSELS is provided. This technology enables in-situ self-calibrating platforms with adaptive monitoring by exploiting Photonic FPGAs.
Claim 1
A method for detecting a gas, comprising: electrically driving above a lasing threshold an extended cavity vertical cavity surface emitting laser to produce laser emission light ata wavelength and a power, wherein said laser includes a microelectromechanically tunable optical cavity; placing said laser in a position of interest; and tuning said optical cavity to produce a second wavelength that corresponds to an absorptionwavelength of a gas of interest, wherein if said gas enters said extended cavity said power will be reduced, wherein said cavity is functionalized with a gas-sensitive coating.
Claims
19 totalA method for detecting a gas, comprising: electrically driving above a lasing threshold an extended cavity vertical cavity surface emitting laser to produce laser emission light ata wavelength and a power, wherein said laser includes a microelectromechanically tunable optical cavity; placing said laser in a position of interest; and tuning said optical cavity to produce a second wavelength that corresponds to an absorptionwavelength of a gas of interest, wherein if said gas enters said extended cavity said power will be reduced, wherein said cavity is functionalized with a gas-sensitive coating.