Bandwidth Controllable Tunable Filter for Hyper-/Multi-Spectral Imager, Phase I

This SBIR Phase I proposal introduces a fast speed bandwidth controllable tunable filter for hyper-/multi-spectral (HS/MS) imagers. It dynamically passes a variable narrow band spectral component (li) from the visible to Infrared (IR). The filter has the following projected specifications: >95% in-band transmittance, <0.1% out-band leakage, >1,000 nm tuning range, a few to hundred nanometer variable bandwidth, 0.05 ms/nm tuning speed, large optical aperture size (10² ' 10² possible), and excellent environment stability against temperature fluctuation, mechanical impact and vibration. These performance characteristics, particularly the variable bandwidth, are not reachable for both commercial products on-the-shelf and state-of-the-art technologies. This filter is a vital enabling component for many photonics instruments such as multi- and hyper-spectral imaging system, Ladar/Lidar, mine detector, and optical beam steerer for tracking, ranging, measure and free-space optical communication. The Phase I objective is to demonstrate the feasibility for the tunable filter while the Phase II objective is to optimize the filter through which prototype filter(s) will be developed. The success of this project will open a new era for manufacturing tunable band-pass filters with the desired performance characteristics.

This is a mature technology (TRL 7+) — the realistic path in is usually NASA's Technology Transfer Program: licensing an existing NASA patent, or a Space Act Agreement to use NASA facilities/expertise directly. NASA also runs a startup licensing program with no upfront fee for companies formed to commercialize a specific NASA technology.

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