Miniature, Rugged Infrared Spectrometer

The figure shows a first-phase prototype of a miniature, rugged long-wavelength infrared (LWIR) spectrometer that incorporates recent advances in the design and fabrication of microelectronic and integrated optical devices. Initial development efforts have been directed toward the intended use of the instrument in measuring the concentrations of certain chemical constituents (e.g., CO2, hydrocarbons, NO2, N2O, and HCl) in aircraft turbine exhaust streams. The instrument would be small and rugged enough to be mounted aboard an aircraft for diagnostic engine monitoring or even for feedback engine control. The basic instrument design could be varied to obtain automotive engine monitors, chemical-composition monitors for hot industrial processes, hand-held meters for identifying unknown chemicals or for measuring deviations from the nominal composition or purity of known chemicals, and mounted or hand-held instruments for detecting toxic or otherwise hazardous gases in outdoor or indoor air.