Block MEMS Awarded SBIR Phase II Enhancement Contract

Date Announced: 23 Feb 2012

Block's spectrometer incorporates widely tunable quantum cascade lasers for stand-off detection of hazardous materials and explosives.

MARLBOROUGH, Mass., Feb. 23, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Block MEMS has recently been awarded a prestigious Army Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Phase II Enhancement Contract. This award follows Block's previous success in winning a Phase II Commercialization Pilot Program (CPP) award for its versatile LaserScan™ Analyzer.

Petros Kotidis, CEO of Block MEMS, stated, "The focus of this new award will be on enhancing the LaserScan's capabilities through the development of novel chemical recognition algorithms. These algorithms will enable LaserScan to detect liquid and solid chemical warfare agents and other emerging chemical threats, from a standoff distance on a variety of substrates."

LaserScan is a revolutionary next-generation spectrometer that incorporates widely tunable mid-infrared (IR) quantum cascade lasers (QCL). It detects and measures substances on surfaces from a standoff distance of 6 inches to 2 feet. LaserScan identifies bulk materials and detects sub-micron films based on their mid-IR absorption characteristics.

Key applications include detection of explosive materials, traditional and nontraditional chemical agents, biological agents and toxic industrial chemicals. It also analyzes gases and liquids. An alternate version of the device is designed to interface with common FTIR accessories, including liquid and gas cells, fiber optic probes and reflectance accessories. The LaserScan can also be outfitted to function as an IR microscope.

Source: Block Engineering

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