Grant: Strategic Projects - Group
Université Laval
$232,800.00
Integrated mid-IR photonics enabling ubiquitous sensing
FY 2016-17
Summary
Affordable and reliable laser sensors are becoming the cornerstone of ubiquitous sensor networks in the coming Internet of Things (IoT) era. They are needed in Canada and worldwide for ubiquitous monitoring of greenhouse gas leakage for security, control of hazardous emission and accumulation, and data collection for studies of climate change and human-environment interactions. Laser sensing technology will also penetrate into our daily lives in the next few years. Chip-scale laser spectrometers will enable personal, real-time monitoring of air, water, and environmental risks, meeting ever increasing personal and public interests in health, security, and impacts of person-environment interactions. Versatile, ultra-compact lasers, functioning as both sensing and communication means, can be integrated into smartphones and various wearable devices to guard our health and guide our environment-friendly activities. Mid-infrared (mid-IR) is an ideal wavelength range for all these applications. It contains signatures of many important molecules, known as molecular fingerprints. Also, recent research progress has shown great penitential of mid-IR for free-space as well as guided-wave communications, indicating that a single tunable source can be reconfigured for both sensing and communication purposes, extremely attractive for wearable technology.Existing mid-IR systems consist of discrete optical components interconnected applying free-space optics means, which are costly and power demanding. Integrating these components on silicon for a mid-IR system-on-a-chip may lead to orders-of-magnitude reduction in cost and power consumption, as well as unbeatable compactness and lightness for portability, high reliability, and easy integration with electronics. The outcome of this research may scale the IoT infrastructure to enable a safer and greener Canada. It will also place Canadian manufacturers in an advanced position in fast expanding markets of billion dollars for a better high-tech ecosystem and new jobs in Canada.
Program
Strategic Projects - Group
Recipient
Location
Quebec, Canada
Recipient Type
Academia
Type
Grant
Source
NSERC's Awards Data
As published
Application id
494358-2016
Name nom
Shi, Wei
Department département
Génie électrique et génie informatique
Organization id
51
Institution établissement
Université Laval
Province en
Québec
Province fr
Québec
Country en
CANADA
Country fr
CANADA
Fiscal year exercice financier
2016
Competition year année de concours
2016
Award amount
232800
Program id
STPGP
Program name en
Strategic Projects - Group
Program name fr
Projets stratégiques - De groupe
Group en
Research partnerships programs
Group fr
Programmes de partenariat
Committee code
1588
Committee name en
Strategic Projects - ICT
Committee name fr
Projets stratégiques - ICT
Area of application code
800
Area of application group en
Information and communication services
Area of application group fr
Services d'information et de télécommunications
Area of application en
Information and communication services
Area of application fr
Services d'information et de télécommunications
Research subject code
2505
Research subject group en
Electrical and electronic engineering
Research subject group fr
Génie électrique et électronique
Research subject en
Photon devices
Research subject fr
Dispositifs photoniques
Partie
1
Nb partie
3
Application title
Integrated mid-IR photonics enabling ubiquitous sensing
Keyword
NSERC
Application summary
Affordable and reliable laser sensors are becoming the cornerstone of ubiquitous sensor networks in the coming Internet of Things (IoT) era. They are needed in Canada and worldwide for ubiquitous monitoring of greenhouse gas leakage for security, control of hazardous emission and accumulation, and data collection for studies of climate change and human-environment interactions. Laser sensing technology will also penetrate into our daily lives in the next few years. Chip-scale laser spectrometers will enable personal, real-time monitoring of air, water, and environmental risks, meeting ever increasing personal and public interests in health, security, and impacts of person-environment interactions. Versatile, ultra-compact lasers, functioning as both sensing and communication means, can be integrated into smartphones and various wearable devices to guard our health and guide our environment-friendly activities. Mid-infrared (mid-IR) is an ideal wavelength range for all these applications. It contains signatures of many important molecules, known as molecular fingerprints. Also, recent research progress has shown great penitential of mid-IR for free-space as well as guided-wave communications, indicating that a single tunable source can be reconfigured for both sensing and communication purposes, extremely attractive for wearable technology.Existing mid-IR systems consist of discrete optical components interconnected applying free-space optics means, which are costly and power demanding. Integrating these components on silicon for a mid-IR system-on-a-chip may lead to orders-of-magnitude reduction in cost and power consumption, as well as unbeatable compactness and lightness for portability, high reliability, and easy integration with electronics. The outcome of this research may scale the IoT infrastructure to enable a safer and greener Canada. It will also place Canadian manufacturers in an advanced position in fast expanding markets of billion dollars for a better high-tech ecosystem and new jobs in Canada.
