A Multi-Wavelength Seed Derived Laser for In-Situ Validation of Airborne Remote Sensing Instruments

This Phase I SBIR will establish the feasibility of developing a collinear three wavelength source for an in-situ, 1800, back scatter nephelometer. The three wavelength source is being developed to facilitate on-board validation measurements of airborne remote backscatter lidar. Currently, commercial nephelometers utilized for in-situ validation measurements employ wavelengths that are both not matched to the operational wavelengths and not at the 1800 angle used in near nadir remote sensing backscatter lidar systems. Uncertainties in the wavelength and angle dependence of the return signal make in-situ validation of the remote measurement difficult. The performance of remotely operated lidar systems will be greatly improved by the successful demonstration of an in-situ backscatter measurement with the proposed collinear three wavelength source.

The primary beneficiary of the proposed module development is NASA's in-situ and remote sensing programs. Periodically poled materials offer a wider array of functionality including robust, multi-element platforms for combining tasks like frequency conversion and modulation without adding insertion loss due to additional components. Several other missions like NASA's 3D WINDS that require seed derived, fiber coupled, frequency tripled lasers for calibration and locking will also benefit. AdvR will maintain communications with these NASA groups during this Phase I effort to stay current with the present needs and remain flexible towards meeting specific application needs as technology progresses.

Nonlinear poled materials play an increasingly important role in photonics applications that may be in non-standard wavelength regions, some of which include microwave photonics, up conversion, infrared detection, IR generation, and bio-photonics. In addition to its use with NASA's nonlinear optical material based photonic applications, the technology will be of use for military applications, sensing and environmental monitoring, and basic research. Additional markets that can utilize compact, rugged, highly efficient, wavelength conversion modules are free space telecommunications, remote sensing, precision spectroscopy, interferometry, and frequency metrology.

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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