Public Funding for Cascade Technologies Limited

Optical instruments are critical in identifying substances and molecules. They are used in a diverse range of applications such as manufacture, pollution monitoring, airport security systems and healthcare diagnostics. Often, molecular species are present in minute amounts, making their measurement difficult. A fundamental limit to sensitivity of such instruments is the presence of noise in the laser light, which hides the very signature fluctuations in the optical signal intensity that enable detection of very minute levels of a given substance. In this project, we will address this by exploiting recent advances in quantum optics — the application of squeezed quantum states of light. In this special form of quantum light, one can choose to sacrifice the purity of characteristics of the light that one is not interested in order to reap gains in others that one is - in our case, characteristics that enable spectroscopy. Such an approach was recently and spectactularly successful in the first steps of helping the next generation of LIGO detectors search deeper into space for astronomical events causing gravitational waves. We will exploit squeezed light for molecular detection with unprecedented sensitivity, thereby enabling detection of far smaller amounts of molecules possible with standard techniques.

Quantum dots are tiny structures of semiconductor materials 1 million times smaller than a sand grain that can emit light. Their properties (emission wavelength) can be controlled by the choice of semiconductor composition and by adjusting their size. The use of Quantum Dots (QDot) in lasers technology started in the 90s. This is a relatively new area and, although only a few suppliers worldwide exist, they have very attractive properties for commercial gas sensing. Cascade Technologies designs and manufactures gas analysers based on advanced laser technology for a range of markets: environmental monitoring, gas process industries, food industries, pharmaceuticals. One of the commercial limitations of these systems is their manufacturing price (one of the main components being the price of the laser), the laser performance and the laser’s emitting wavelength availability. In this project, Cascade Technologies and Lancaster University will work together to design, build and test QDot lasers relevant to gas sensing applications. The access to new wavelengths in the mid-IR region would mean that Cascade would gain access to different markets. A reduction in price of the

Project title: Open Path Analyser and Leak Localisation for unconventional gas (OPALL) OPALL project will develop and demonstrate a novel Open Path gas sensing platforms capable of continuous and unattended operation in harsh environment to monitor methane from unconventional gas extraction sites (Coal bed methane or Shale gas). It will be based on the use of Quantum Cascade Lasers integrated in an infrared absorption spectrometer previously developed for a security application. The systems will be tested and deployed in triangular arrangements at an unconventional gas extraction site, networked and coupled to data inversion algorithms in order to localise the source of possible fugitive emissions. Overall the project aims to address the high-level challenge of developing, safe, reliable and cost-effective technologies for the emerging shale gas market.

This project aims to develop a new form of non-invasive, real-time quality control system to improve production efficiency in agrifood industries. A new type of optical based analsyer which will be able to differentiate between healthy fruit, and fruit with internal disorders such as rot or latent infection, will be developed. The proposed instrument will be easily integrated into exisiting packaging line systems and aims to provide early detection of infected or spoiled fruit, such that this fruit can be marketed early or discarded to prevent the spread of further infection. Overall, this type of quality control with result in a new method of crop management, increasing prodution efficiency and yields, and therefore benefiting the UK and worldwide markets.

Cascade Technologies, a manufacturer of high-technology, laser based, gas analysers and the National Physical Laboratory have joined together with leaders in the hydrogen energy sector, BOC, ITM Power and the University of St Andrews to develop a new tool for the quality assurance of hydrogen fuel. Cascade Technologies, with support from the University of St Andrews, will develop a laser gas analyser to measure the impurities in hydrogen fuels. The analyser will then be tested on-site at hydrogen production facilities and refueling stations (ITM Power and BOC). Finally, the measurements made by the new analyser will be verified by experts at NPL. Just as now, fuel impurities can be damaging to internal combustion engines. This is also the case for the fuel-cell vehicles of the future. This new laser based approach could mean real-time online chemical analysis of fuel impurities, at the pump, without the need for a scientist or laboratory. This fit-and-forget technology promises to dramatically increase the confidence which tomorrow's drivers can expect to have in their fuel.

Project title: Mid Infrared Gas Sensing and Imaging System (MIG-SIS) MIG-SIS project will develop and demonstrate 2um pump laser sources optimised for the optical parametric amplification (OPA) of chirped Quantum Cascade (QC) Lasers for sensing and imaging applications. QC Laser stand-off trace gas detection is currently limited by the watt level peak power they emit. As a consequence (and dependant upon the particular detection scheme) range is restricted to ~1’s – 10’s metres. The primary technical motivator of this project is therefore to extend the range of QC Laser based active stand-off gas detection system through a significant increase in its illumination and range capabilities via the use of an OPA. This project will focus on combining 2 different photon generation mechanisms: non-linear optics (Q-switched solid state-laser pumped OPAs) and direct generation (QC Lasers).

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