High throughput infrared spectrometer for standoff chemical detection

Advanced autonomous detection of chemical warfare agents and other organic materials has long been a major military concern. While significant advances have recently been accomplished in remote spectral sensing using rugged FTIRs with point detectors, efforts towards spatial chemical discrimination have been lacking. Foster-Miller, Inc. (FMI) has developed a radically different mid-infrared (3-5um) and long wave IR (8-12um) spectrometer for standoff detection of chemical warfare agents and other molecular species. This no moving parts device will eliminate the cost, complexity, reliability and bandwidth/resolution problems associated with either Fabry Perot or Michelson Interferometer based approaches currently under consideration. Given the small size and performance insensitivity to onboard vibration, high EMI, thermal variations, the proposed optic would easily adapt cryocooling and field deployable requirements for low radiance detection.