A group at the TU Wien and Friedrich-Alexander University, who are partners with Alpes Lasers through the Hydroptics and WaterSpy project, have recently published a paper titled "Polarimetric Balanced Detection: Background-Free Mid-IR Evanescent Field Laser Spectroscopy for Low-Noise, Long-term Stable Chemical Sensing" which uses a QC-XT laser from Alpes Lasers to measure water quality in situ at the Prato water treatment plant in Genova, Italy.

In this study, the QC-XT proved to be superior to classic DFB-QCLs due to the broad tuning capabilities of this novel laser type. In addition, unused spectral information for data interpretation was used as an inherent stability control of the system.

WaterSpy is a consortium of 10 partners, including Alpes Lasers, funded by Horizon 2020, the EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation for 2014-2020 in order to develop water quality analysis photonics technology suitable for inline, field measurements.

At the completion of the project in 2020, the WaterSpy module was extensively tested in the labs of partners in Austria, Germany and Italy, followed by a real-world demonstration at a water treatment plant near Genoa in Italy. While a full sample analysis of 100 ml of water may take up to 3 days using current laboratory analysis systems, the WaterSpy portable device takes no more than 7 hours to conduct an equivalent analysis, and is therefore less costly. It also complies with the latest EU drinking water regulations.

This system only requires two standard Quantum Cascade Lasers to perform the analysis. Do not hesitate to contact us for more information!