Micro-Scale Photonic Trace Gas Sensor

Introduction

The demand for highly sensitive trace gas detection down to part-per-billion (ppb) levels and exceptional selectivity is paramount across various fields, including environmental monitoring, industrial process control, and healthcare. Currently, such capabilities are only accessible through bulky and expensive high-end sensors, limiting their use primarily to research settings.

Breakthrough Achievement

However, the ERC Starting Grant project sCENT has recently achieved a significant breakthrough by demonstrating the first chip-scale sensor capable of ppb-level detection and selectivity equivalent to that of high-end instruments. These sensors merge the strengths of high-end commercial spectroscopic systems, offering:

• Sensitivity
• Selectivity
• Isotope detection capability
• Long-term stability

While also being compact, lightweight, and requiring only microlitre sample volumes. This success was possible due to a pioneering waveguide design supporting air-like modes, demonstrated within the ERC Starting Grant sCENT.

Project Objectives

The current project aims to explore the disruptive innovation potential of the sCENT sensor concept, advancing it from a proof-of-concept to the next level of technological readiness. This entails:

1. The development of a prototype module
2. Its real-life application demonstration to study the metabolic emissions of methane-consuming bacteria native to permafrost soils.

Additional Aspects

Additionally, the project encompasses crucial aspects such as:

• IP protection management
• Monitoring target markets (primarily environmental intelligence)
• Designing a technology roadmap for the sensor's exploitation

Outreach Activities

Outreach activities are meticulously planned to promote the sensors to potential commercial partners, end-users, and stakeholders.

Vision

The overarching vision for the sCENT sensor is to unlock new opportunities for large-scale in-situ gas monitoring with unparalleled data density, ultimately enhancing our capabilities for environmental intelligence in the face of our evolving climate.