Silicon Photonic Water Quality Sensor

Pesticide detection in water has become a high priority worldwide, from protecting the population from environmental contamination due to agricultural pesticides, and bio-threats from terrorist activities. An exhaustive characterization of water pollutants requires laboratory-based analyses which are inherently slow and expensive. Thus, regarding the above mentioned pesticide contaminations, developing a real-time and in-situ detection technique would be very valuable to rapidly protect the population and the environment, especially in remote places. This project aims to develop continuous sensors using silicon photonics technology. The sensor will target the most relevant pesticides and exhibits a limit of detection that allows to test the quality standards for water within a few minutes. This project gives the opportunity for the interns to gain multi-disciplinary skills on a fast-growing technology, while it provides a R&D service to the industrial partner and a new product to Canada.

Faculty Supervisor:

Lukas Chrostowski

Student:

Loic Laplatine

Partner:

Luxmux Technology Corporation

Discipline:

Engineering - computer / electrical

Sector:

Alternative energy

University:

University of British Columbia