Fabrication of highly sensitive Infrared chalcogenide glass optical sensor by Spark Plasma Sintering – FIHSICOS

Mid Infrared spectroscopy in the 2-14 µm region is widely used for chemical and biologic analysis. The company DIAFIR has developed an infrared fiber evanescent wave spectroscopy for biological analysis and food industry. The key component is the single-use tapered chalcogenide fiber sensor, which determines the sensitivity of this analysis solution. The main objective of this project is to develop a cost-effective technique for fabricating a much more sensitive and also more complex arsenic-free infrared optical sensor, which cannot be obtained by employing the currently used fiber drawing and tapering technique. The great improvement of sensitivity will be achieved by greatly improving the signal-to-noise ratio (thanks to more input light and larger contact surface).
The methodology selected here is to associate the newly matured SPS (Spark Plasma Sintering) technology with patented technology for the fabrication of chalcogenide glass powder by using ball milling. The innovation of this project is the cost-effective fabrication of a specially designed highly sensitive middle IR arsenic-free optical sensor with multi-cavity SPS sintering of infrared glass powder.
The consortium is composed of two academic partners and one industrial partner with complementary expertise. The coordinating partner is specialized in infrared transmitting chalcogenide glass since more than 30 years and will be responsible for fabricating high purity glass powder by ball milling. This will considerably reduce the fabrication cost in comparison with the current fabrication method, batch-by-batch, with single-use and expensive silica ampoule. The other academic partner has extensive experience in SPS sintering and will be responsible for numerical simulation and mold design. The industrial partner is a provider of infrared sensors and has substantial experience in SPS sintering of infrared optical components. He will be responsible of the fabrication and evaluation of the sensor.