SBIR-STTR Award

To address the DoDs Chemical and Biological Defense (CBD) program need for the development of real-time analytical technology for multicomponent vapor identification and quantification, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new Photoacoustic Gasses Optical Detector and Analyzer (PAGODA). It is based on a new system design that utilizes a novel, POC-developed photoacoustic transducer and COTS components. Specifically, the innovation in the transducer and the device structure will enable the detection and quantitative analysis of airborne chemical threats in a compact, lightweight, and inexpensive package, which directly addresses the CBD program requirements for an affordable, quick-response, compact, and lightweight, and power-efficient open-path construct. In Phase I, POC will demonstrate the feasibility of PAGODA by analysis and modeling of the device, and prototyping the novel transducer in order to develop a theoretical performance model, reaching TRL-3, and to drive the preliminary design constraints for a Phase II demonstration system. In Phase II, POC plans to build and optimize the performance of a PAGODA prototype based on the outcome of the Phase I feasibility study and then test it in a laboratory authorized to handle and manipulate the various CWAs and TICs, thus reaching TRL-6.

To address the CBDs need for real-time analytical technology for multicomponent vapor identification and quantification, Physical OpticsCorporation (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 thePhase I effort POC has designed, fabricated, and tested the PAGODA system conceptual prototype, including the MEMS PAS transducerprototype, identified means to improve the spectral resolution and sensitivity, and derived the preliminary design constraints for a Phase IIPAGODA demonstration system. Phase I results confirmed the ability of the PAGODA system to meet CBD requirements for the detection andquantification of airborne chemical threats with spectral resolution of ~200 nm by continuously monitoring atmospheric vapor and aerosolcomponents while using standard batteries, weighing <1 kg, being no larger than 650 cm^3, and costing <$10,000. Phase II efforts will focus onfurther design, optimization, and demonstration of a fully operational PAGODA device, thus reaching TRL-5. This Phase II PAGODA device willalso serve as a basis for the potential development of a fully industrial, TRL-7, field-deployable local detector and analyzer in the distributedCBD network in Phase III.