Physical Optics Corporation — Department of Defense SBIR Phase II: CBD171-004

Description

To address the CBD’s need for real-time analytical technology for multicomponent vapor identification and quantification, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to continue the development of a new Photoacoustic Gasses Optical Detector and Analyzer (PAGODA) autonomous, network-enabled photoacoustic spectrometer (PAS) for the correlation, analysis, and identification of measured spectra. In the Phase I effort POC has designed, fabricated, and tested the PAGODA system conceptual prototype, including the MEMS PAS transducer prototype, identified means to improve the spectral resolution and sensitivity, and derived the preliminary design constraints for a Phase II PAGODA demonstration system. Phase I results confirmed the ability of the PAGODA system to meet CBD requirements for the detection and quantification of airborne chemical threats with spectral resolution of ~200 nm by continuously monitoring atmospheric vapor and aerosol components while using standard batteries, weighing <1 kg, being no larger than 650 cm^3, and costing <$10,000. Phase II efforts will focus on further design, optimization, and demonstration of a fully operational PAGODA device, thus reaching TRL-5. This Phase II PAGODA device will also serve as a basis for the potential development of a fully industrial, TRL-7, field-deployable local detector and analyzer in the distributed CBD network in Phase III.