Project: Novel portable, ultra-sensitive, fast and rugged trace gas sensor for atmospheric research based on photothermal interferometry

Acronym	ATMO-SENSE (Reference Number: PS-2016_20)
Duration	01/04/2018 - 30/03/2021
Project Topic	The project ATMO-SENSE aims at taking the next steps towards the realisation of a generic gas sensing platform characterized by high sensitivity, fast response time, rugged operation and low power consumption. The photonic sensing concept to be further developed and refined is based on 2f-wavelength modulated Fabry-Pérot photothermal interferometry (PTI), which was recently developed and filed for patent at TU Wien. In PTI, sensitivity and ruggedness strongly benefit from miniaturization. This is in strong contrast to classical absorption measurements, where an increase in sensitivity is typically achieved, by an increase in the optical path length, e.g. through multi-pass gas cells. Due to its unique characteristics PTI can be applied to a wide range of different gas sensing applications, such as: • Environmental trace gas monitoring, • Medical applications (e.g. exhaled breath gas analysis), and • Manufacturing/production (e.g. process monitoring and process control). Following the research topic to be addressed by this ERA-NET call on “Photonic Sensing”, we have selected an application scenario in the area of Environmental Monitoring, where measurement speed, sensitivity, ruggedness and low power consumption are crucial. We plan to measure fluxes of important trace gas molecules (N2O, CO2, O3) in the atmosphere. For flux measurements the concentration of the target trace gas molecules as well as the wind direction need to be measured. We want to develop the photonic concept which will allow performing those flux measurements in the future. The ability to measure fluxes of trace chemical species in the atmosphere is of crucial importance in modern environmental research. Having access to time resolved concentrations of multiple chemical components up to sub-parts-per-trillion (ppt) concentration levels and applying the eddy covariance technique, reveals information on the mass transport of these chemical components including insight in complex exchange phenomena.
Network	PhotonicSensing
Call	Photonics based sensing

Project partner

Number	Name	Role	Country
1	Technische Universität Wien	Coordinator	Austria
2	Technische Universität Wien	Partner	Austria
3	nanoplus Nanosystems and Technologies GmbH	Partner	Germany