FOM awards valorisation grant for ferrule-top technology
The FOM Foundation has awarded a valorisation grant to Dr. Davide Iannuzzi (VU). This FOM workgroup leader and Vidi-laureate officially started his company Optics11 last week. This company develops a technology for miniature opto-mechanical sensors. After five years of research, this 'fiber-top' technology is ready to enter the market. The valorisation project facilitates the development of a system that reads out the information of a so-called 'ferrule-top' sensor. This is the third FOM-valorisation project, in which the use of knowledge from FOM and NWO/N research at universities is stimulated.
Measuring in challenging environments
Fiber-top technology can be used for many different types of sensors, such as sensors for AFM (Atomic Force Microscopy), temperature, humidity, currents and magnetic fields. The remarkable thing is that these sensors can be read out remotely. This is because the sensor is attached to the tip of a tiny 0.1 millimetre optical fiber, that is connected to a remotely controlled reading device. The fiber-top sensors can therefore be used in extreme situations: at high and low temperatures, in liquids, in the presence of explosive gases and in turbulent electromagnetic environments.
Reading out information
Iannuzzi will use the FOM valorisation grant to develop a read out system for the ferrule-top sensor. The ferrule is a very small device (diameter 3 mm) that is wrapped around the end of an optical fiber. In the device a cantilever (one-sided mounted overhanging beam) is placed . By measuring the bending of the cantilever, the top ferrule can be used as a sensor for sub-nanoscale objects.
First two FOM valorisation projects
FOM supports the valorisation of its research at institutes and universities. In 2010, the first two valorisation projects for university workgroups commenced. These are led by the FOM workgroup leaders Dr. Rudolf Sprik and Dr. Martin van Hecke. With his group, Rudolf Sprik, of the University of Amsterdam will develop a method to show damage in composite materials. This project is being realised in collaboration with companies from the aerospace industry. Together with companies from the construction industry, Martin van Hecke's group in Leiden will explore the possibilities for using sound waves to determine the properties of sand.
You can find more information about FOM valorisation on the FOM website.
You can find more information about the ferrule-top technology here.