Nanoscale optical arrays developed by CIRTEMO using innovative new manufacturing process

Opticalfiltercompany CIRTEMO has developed nanoscale optical arrays suitable for applications including hyperspectral imaging using MagAssemble technology, which the company says is a first.

"Today, custom optical arrays are very expensive, complicated, and slow to manufacture, especially on the prototype scale. With the MagAssemble technology, we can help customers create low-cost, high-value optical filter arrays and other diffractive optics very quickly, in some cases, within days," said Jason Williamson, CIRTEMO’s Chief Executive Officer. "We can now help our customers develop unique optics, especially on the micro and nano scale. The MagAssemble technology is a game changer for companies who are developing hyperspectral imaging systems for industrial, defense, agricultural, life science, and autonomous vehicle applications."

Two core optics platforms—which are suitable for hyperspectral imaging systems or point detection sensors— are being commercialized by CIRTEMO: Multivariate Optical Computing (MOC) and Pattern Transfer Nanomanufacturing (PTMN) based on MagAssemble technology. The MOC platform allows for the design and manufacture of patented optical filters, Multivariate Optical Elements, which are encoded to detect/measure complex chemical compounds and attributes in real-time.

The PTMN platform enables CIRTEMO to design and manufacture shapes and structures on the nanometer scale. These features can then be transferred to a wide variety of substrates for producing optics that are not possible with traditional optical manufacturing techniques, according to the company.

"As camera sensor manufacturers both increase the number of pixels within a camera while reducing the size of the pixels, the ability to manufacture optical filters and other diffractive optical elements on the nanoscale will become paramount," said Dr. Ryan Priore, CIRTEMO’s Chief Technology Officer. "With PTMN technology, we can manufacture a variety of arrays on the nanoscale in both the visible and short ware infrared regions of the optical spectrum. Our existing partner network can mate these optical filters to a variety of detectors and/or focal plane arrays which are ideally suited for prototyping next generation hyperspectral imaging systems."

CIRTEMO is just the second company to be founded to commercialize the patented Multivariate Optical Element platform that was invented by Dr. Michael Myrick at the University of South Carolina. Prior to founding CIRTEMO, Williamson founded Ometric in 2005. Ometric successfully commercialized the technology in a variety of industrial sectors. The company was sold to Haliburton in 2011 in what was reportedly an eight-figure deal.

View more information on CIRTEMO.

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