The mid-infrared is an interesting part of the electromagnetic spectrum that is composed of colours that cannot be seen by the human eye. Many chemical molecules resonate when illuminated by infrared light.

This infrared resonance can then be used to identify or "fingerprint" the molecules. The infrared is, therefore, useful for a range of applications, including atmospheric pollution monitoring, detecting explosives and narcotics, measuring food quality, and many others. However, infrared optical components tend to be large, expensive, and non-tuneable.

Researchers from the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) in collaboration with Dalian University of Technology (DUT) and the Singapore Sinchrotron Light Source (SSLS), have demonstrated that tuneable phase change materials, which are more typically found in data storage devices, can be used to tune the response of microscale infrared transmissive "metasurface" filters.

The filters can be tuned across the broad band of frequencies in the mid-infrared spectrum where many pollutant gasses vibrate.

SUTD lead researcher, Assistant Prof Robert Simpson said: "These infrared filters are so small that they can be incorporated into a smart phone. This would allow you to measure the quality of the oil that has been used to fry your food, measure the air that you breathe, or to measure fluids that are expelled from your body to check the condition of your health."

This research was published in Advanced Optical Materials, which is renowned for publishing breakthrough interdisciplinary research that focuses on light matter interactions.

Research paper

Related Links
Singapore University of Technology and Design
Space Technology News - Applications and Research

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The Space Media Network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceMediaNetwork Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceMediaNetwork Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

Mining for gold with a computer
College Station TX (SPX) May 04, 2018
Engineers from Texas A and M University and Virginia Tech report important new insights into nanoporous gold - a material with growing applications in several areas, including energy storage and biomedical devices - all without stepping into a lab. Instead of conducting any additional experiments, the team used image-analysis software developed in-house to "mine" the existing literature on nanoporous gold (NPG). Specifically, the software analyzed photographs of NPG from some 150 peer-reviewed pap ... read more