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Spinoff story

Ultraviolet Lasers Scan for Chemical Clues

A real-world story of NASA technology finding a life beyond the mission.

About this technology

Overview

NASA funding, including JPL SBIR contracts for Mars exploration, helped Photon Systems make small, inexpensive spectrometers in the deep-UV range, where they’re so sensitive they can identify bacteria. They’re being used in pharmaceutical quality control, wastewater treatment, and more.