Sep 11, 2012 – San Diego, CA (September 11, 2012) – Daylight Solutions, Inc., a leading manufacturer of molecular detection and imaging solutions in the mid-infrared, announced today that the company has been awarded a Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF). The grant will be used to advance and commercialize Daylight’s infrared microscope platform.
Under NSF Phase I SBIR funding, Daylight developed an innovative new approach to infrared microscopy based on its system level expertise in mid-IR imaging and its patented technology in broadly tunable, external-cavity, quantum cascade lasers (QCLs). The integration of a high power, tunable infrared laser illumination source enables full-frame spectroscopy and chemical imaging applications with data acquisition times up to 50 times faster than traditional infrared approaches, such as Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) microscopy. The compact, benchtop microscope allows a user to generate full infrared spectra at every pixel in an image, enabling chemical and molecular identification of samples in addition to traditional visual inspection. The integrated software suite provides features that allow for flexible data acquisition, hyperspectral imaging, data visualization and archiving, and spectral database matching for sample identification.
The NSF Phase II SBIR funding will be used for the development of a commercial prototype and to prepare for production. “Daylight’s QCL-based infrared microscope is a true game-changer in the chemical imaging space,” says company President and COO, Paul Larson. “This innovative approach will enable exciting new research and commercial capabilities in medical diagnostics, forensics, food safety, and many other market sectors.”
Daylight Solutions develops molecular detection and imaging systems for a variety of markets, including defense, scientific research, medical diagnostics, and commercial applications. Since 2005, the company has been the world leader in transitioning QCL-based mid-infrared technology into system level solutions for its customers. In addition to its custom development services, the company also offers integrated sensor products and a line of broadly tunable and fixed wavelength lasers.
The statements contained in this news release are not purely historical and contain forward looking information and statements. These include statements regarding the Company’s expectations, intentions, or strategies regarding future matters. All forward-looking statements included in this press release are based on information available to the Company on the date released.