Novel Mid Infrared III-V Light Sources & Detectors enabling Autonomous Gas Sensors 

This project addresses a rapid growth global market requirement, in many cases legislatively driven, for mass produced ultra-low power consumption gas sensors. The project will achieve a step change reduction in gas sensor power consumption through significant enhancement of current epitaxially grown compound semiconductor light source (light emitting diode [LED]) and photodiode detector (PD) performance. Enhanced performance would be achieved through development of novel mid infrared (MIR) edge emitting LED`s (EELED) and photodiode detector (PD`s) devices, utilising antimonide epi-grown bandgap structures. The project provides MIR EELED`S and PD`s tuned to specific gas absorption bands for use as the mid infrared light source and detector respectively in optical based gas sensors. Such ultra-low power consumption devices enable low cost “fit & forget” deployment of gas sensors specifically in smart wireless autonomous sensor networks. The consortium provides a manufacturing supply chain to implement new processes, light sources & detectors through to complete gas sensors. The project advances the Technology Readiness Level of EELED and PD capability to a late stage pre-commercial level, i.e. >TRL6.