Photonic devices for monitoring greenhouse gases and other environmental contaminants in air and water

用于监测空气和水中的温室气体和其他环境污染物的光子器件

• 批准号: RGPIN-2020-04144
• 负责人: Meldrum, Alkiviathes
• 金额: $ 2.84万
• 依托单位: University of Alberta
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2020-01-01 至 2021-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=716140
• 关键词: Photonic; devices; monitoring; greenhouse; gases

Optical sensing methods are rapidly expanding throughout the high-tech endeavor. From automobile LIDARs to measuring the ripeness of fruit, the opportunity for development and growth of optical sensing technologies is enormous. In our work, we seek to employ optical methods for sensing specific compounds of importance to human health and the environment. We will first develop cost-effective, durable, and sensitive systems for detection of methane and CO2, two of the most important greenhouse gases. Accurate and low-cost technologies are needed in urban and rural areas to monitor overall background GHG levels, in order to determine emission sources, allow fast responses, find general trends, evaluate whether environmental commitments are met, and even to appraise new sources of these critically important gases. For water too, there is a need to measure a host of impurities at the levels required by Health Canada, especially on-site in remote and rural communities. But there is currently no simple technology that can actually do all this, and most methods are expensive, time consuming, and require trained laboratory personnel. We will work with industrial collaborators on optical devices that can detect impurities at the sub ppm levels required for most contaminants, while focusing on cost and ease of use for practical deployment. The work will involve experimental methods in optics and laser technologies. The development of light-emitting materials includes nanoparticles (e.g., silicon nanocrystals) and thin films for near and mid-IR lasers and durable multilayer materials for high-reflectivity in the mid-IR including gold nanoparticles in robust high-k dielectrics and metallic-dielectric multilayers. These material properties will be applied to form key components of mid-IR sensor technologies. Microphotonic detection systems also will require design and optimization of mid-IR optical waveguide technologies that could include on-board light sources and detectors. We work with several local companies specializing in environmental sensing and the development of mid-infrared light sources and lasers. The main theme of our work is in optics and photonics the development of both “macro” and “micro” photonics systems that can be deployed in the near term, in real world environments outside the laboratory. The main technologies are associated with optical emitters and detectors, which need to be sensitive and durable, and in the data analysis methods.

光学传感方法在整个高科技领域迅速扩展，从汽车激光雷达到测量水果的成熟度，光学传感技术的发展和增长机会是巨大的，我们寻求采用光学方法来传感特定的化合物。对人类健康和环境具有重要意义。 我们将首先开发经济高效、耐用且灵敏的系统来检测甲烷和二氧化碳这两种最重要的温室气体，以便在城市和农村地区监测总体背景温室气体水平。为了确定排放源、快速响应、发现总体趋势、评估环境承诺是否得到履行，甚至评估这些极其重要的气体的新来源，对于水来说，也需要测量所需水平的大量杂质。加拿大卫生部，特别是但目前还没有一种简单的技术可以真正做到这一切，而且大多数方法既昂贵又耗时，并且需要经过培训的实验室人员，我们将与工业合作者合作开发可以检测的光学设备。杂质达到大多数污染物所需的亚 ppm 水平，同时注重实际部署的成本和易用性。 这项工作将涉及光学和激光技术的实验方法，包括用于近红外和中红外激光器的纳米颗粒（例如硅纳米晶体）和薄膜以及用于中红外高反射率的耐用多层材料。包括坚固的高 k 电介质和金属电介质多层中的金纳米颗粒，这些材料特性将用于形成中红外传感器技术的关键组件，也需要设计和制造。中红外光波导技术的优化，包括板载光源和探测器。 我们与几家专门从事环境传感以及中红外光源和激光器开发的本地公司合作，我们工作的主题是在光学和光子学领域开发可部署的“宏观”和“微观”光子系统。短期内，在实验室外的现实世界环境中，主要技术与光学发射器和探测器以及数据分析方法相关，这些技术需要灵敏且耐用。