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Completed TRL 2 (started at 1, targeting 2)
Photonic fiber components that allow for larger than normal apertures and propagate single-mode in a large area will be investigated. A large mode area Photonic Crystal Fiber will be purchased for demonstration purposes and configured into a interferometer and conduct lab based measurements with it. Once the concept is demonstrated, fabrication of more complex structures better suited for lidar Interferometry will be considered as a follow-on activity.
Current remote sensing lidar receivers that use interferometric detection are limited to bulk-optics due to the core diameter of traditional single mode fibers. Multi-mode fibers have larger apertures but do not preserve light coherency needed. Photonic fiber structures are being investigated to solve these limitations and enable fiber components to be used.
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