Stabilized Portable External Cavity Laser (SPECL)

In Phase I, AOSense will design an integrated ultrastable laser module capable of reaching a short-term instability of <5e-15 at 1 s. The flexible design will allow the module to easily adapt for several relevant optical clock wavelengths. Our existing ECDL design will be modified to facilitate simple wavelength conversion; components for each wavelength will be identified. A breadboard-level demonstration of a stabilized 698 ECDL will be carried out. Based on results from this demonstration, the overall system design will be modified, as necessary.

Optical atomic clocks; Gravitational wave detection with single baseline interferometers; deep space navigation; real-time autonomous navigation; one-way, deep-space data links; LIDAR.

Secure data routing; communication systems insensitive to jamming; high resolution coherent radar; extended mission duration in GPS-denied environments; improved system integrity and a reduction of clock corrections and maintenance for the GPS constellation; Quantum computing.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 4) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

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