Certain applications in coastal hydrography require a short pulse width, high repetition rate output format in the green spectral region. a design for a solid-state laser is described which will generate 5 nanosecond pulses at an energy of 0.5 mj per pulse and a repetition rate of 10khz. the output… More

Advanced tunable laser materials form the basis for satisfying future army system requirements. since it is not yet possible to predict from the existing body of solid-state theory which host crystal and active-ion dopant leads to a suitable laser for a given wavelength range, an empirical approach… More

A highly sensitive and directional nuclear radiation detection system,responding to low-level gamma-radiation and low neutron flux, would beimportant in the area of decoy discrimination and/or as a warning device against threat particle beam weapons. for example, active illumination of a potential… More

The use of metal-containing polymers as precursors to high critical temperature (t(c)) superconducting filaments will be explored through a proprietary low-temperature solution synthesis. careful evaluation of the pertinent chemical literature will be done to optimize the starting material… More

A fiberoptic pressure sensor is described, in which the sensor elements are placed in the roots of various gears. this permits an engineering evaluation relating the measured pressure at the geartooth-root interaction to the performance of the gear. the subminiature design of the electronics permits… More

A novel method for non-contact, non-invasive in-situ photodiode evaluation on the wafer is proposed. the proposed method is based on a modified form of the scanning tunneling microscope (stm). although primarily a tool for materials surface research, we believe the technique can be adapted to… More

The potential of a solid state source for the generation of tunable mir will be reexamined in light of recent developments in the area of new nonlinear optical materials and the emergence of very efficient solid state lasers.

Fibertek proposes to extend the capability of the neutron sensing long counter to low resolution neutron energy discrimination and gamma ray rejection through the use of lithium doped glass scintillator fibers. fibertek intends to incorporate (6)li- and (7)li-doped glass scintillator fibers into a… More

The recent development of high-power gaalas diode laser arrays emitting in the 740-890 um region encourages the search for new chromium-doped crystals for near-infrared tunable lasers with potential for improved performance. among the many crystal hosts, there are those with structure possessing… More

This program will investigate and develop an existing near infrared, solid-state laser medium that lases at 1.178 m. The laser medium proposed to be developed is a manganese-doped, barium ortho-vanadate crystal: Mn:Ba3 (VO4)2. This crystal has been grown by Fibertek for preliminary evaluation. The… More

The proliferation of clandestine laboratories for illegal drug manufacturing has escalated throughout the years. National total of methamphetamine laboratories seizures has grown from 43 in 1973 to a 2025 in 1999. Last year it registered an increment of24% compared to the previous year. These… More

"This program will develop a new approach for laser transmitters for ultra-compact space-based ladar systems. The technology proposed has the potential for reducing the size, weight and cost of the laser transmitter by an order of magnitude over existingdevices with the same average power. The… More

"This proposal addresses the need for a high-resolution 3-D imaging receiver subsystem, part of a direct detection laser radar (Ladar) used for BMD target discrimination and tracking. Currently, implementation of active Ladar sensors on exo-atmospherickinetic energy kill vehicles (EKVs) and… More

"Abstract: The emergence of space-based lasers as a viable alternative for ballistic missile destruction in space has started a flourish of activity aimed at the development and testing of components and systems required for this application. Currentschedule for the completion of these tests is… More

Develop new techniques to design and build a fiber optical amplifier capable of >10W with wall plug efficiencies of >30% for space based commmunications applications. Fibertek proposes a Phase I program that includes a comprehensive trade analysis on fiberlaser technology, modeling of a baseline… More

This Phase II SBIR effort will develop a compact high pulse energy eyesafe laser transmitter with a pulse width of 1ns and a repetition rate of 30Hz. This source will be compatible with multi-function operation (imaging, rangefinding and designation) anddesigned for compact packaging. The end… More

This Phase II SBIR effort will develop a compact high pulse energy eyesafe laser transmitter with a pulse width of 1ns and a repetition rate of 30Hz. This source will be compatible with multi-function operation (imaging, rangefinding and designation) anddesigned for compact packaging. The end… More

Lidar systems are powerful tools for a wide range of remote sensing applications. These include precision distance measurements, target detection, designation, and imaging, and the mapping of chemical species concentrations. The transition of lidartechnology into space will provide a powerful tool… More

We will develop the next generation drive and control electronics for diode-pumped military lasers. New approaches to switching power supplies, energy storage and magnetics will enable the size and weight of drive and control electronics to be loweredwhile increasing the power output and efficiency… More

Fibertek will develop an advanced Laser Target Designator/Rangefinder for ship self defense. The LTD/R will be designed to be integrated into the upgraded Mk 46 OSS. Eye safe rangefinding and targeting will be enabled to the maximum useful range of theOSS. The new LTD/R makes use of innovations… More

This program seeks to develop a new approach for laser transmitters aimed at ultra-compact space-based Ladar systems. The technology proposed has the potential for reducing the size, weight and cost of the laser transmitter by an order of magnitude over existing devices with the same average power.… More

The proposed Single Photon Counting 3D Ladar Receiver forms part of a high repetition-rate Ladar system that will provide a significant saving in cost, volume, mass and power consumption when compared to currently proposed MDA active sensor systems. When combined with a high-repetition-rate… More

Lidar systems are powerful tools for a wide range of remote sensing applications. These include precision distance measurements, target detection, designation, and imaging, and wind speed measurements. The transition of lidar technology into space will provide a powerful tool for defense and… More

In this Phase II effort, Fibertek will implement designs for integrated electronic pulsed power and thermal control modules demonstrated in Phase I prototypes. These electronics modules feature novel higher efficiency power conversion and control circuitry. The pulsed power modules will be… More

The availability of moderate power fiber lasers and amplifiers has made possible the demonstration of compact Laser Radar systems in the eye safe spectral region. These systems benefit primarily from the high repetition rates afforded by the ideal thermal management in optical fibers allowing very… More

Advanced modulation formats and detection approaches, common in optical communications, have the potential of improving the performance of coherent LADAR systems. In order to achieve unambiguous range and velocity discrimination a sophisticated modulation format is required. We want to adapt… More

A space-qualified, single-frequency oscillator operating at 1064 nm is a critical component for a number of active optical measurement systems that have been proposed for both ground and space-based NASA missions. These include metrology for space-based interferometers, direct detection wind lidar… More

This program will develop the next-generation air-cooled laser transmitter for underwater mine detection and other active sensor systems. The technical approach to be investigated incorporates novel high-gain laser pump modules in an oscillator-amplifier configuration to produce tens of Watts… More

This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project investigates efficient stimulated Raman amplification in the 1620-1750 nm near infrared spectral region. This spectral range overlaps with the first overtone of the strongest vibration resonances. In addition, no efficient high… More

Fibertek Inc., is proposing to produce a high repetition rate fiber laser transmitter at 532nm to replace an existing low repetition rate laser source for MDA Ladar applications. This new transmitter increases the output power by a factor of twenty and increases the rate of pulse production one… More

Several instruments that are potential candidates for future space-based NASA missions require a highly stable, single frequency laser oscillator that is wavelength tunable. It should be a cw source with an output in the 10-100 mW range. Most of the applications either require that the wavelength… More

For unmanned air vehicules to become cost effective and have reliable performance they will require avionic sensor systems such as obstacle avoidance and wind sensing that are low cost and weight just a few pounds. Doppler Laser Radar has indeed proven to be a useful tool to measure wind fields… More

This program will develop an advanced Laser Target Designator / Rangefinder (LTD/R) for incorporation into the Mk46 Optical Sight System. The new LTD/R will enable designation and eye-safe rangefinding against air and sea-based targets with ranges out to the horizon. Applications include… More

Coherent Laser Radar is becoming a versatile remote sensing tool. It is applied to a wide variety of situations ranging from atmospheric monitoring of wind and aerosols to vibrometric monitoring of remote objects.[1] A compact, low weight system is however required to break into most of the… More

We propose the development and space-qualification of a 1.06 micron ultrastable fiber laser source that fully satisfies the requirements of this SBIR opportunity (Laser Technologies for Gravitational Wave Detection). Our recommended approach builds on extensive experience developing and using… More

One of the key components enabling inter-satellite optical communications is a high power amplifier operating within the optical C-band. This specification ensures that this amplifier is compatible with very highly reliable fiber based transponder components which have been developed for… More

The development of eye safe fiber lasers for wavelengths with high transmission through the atmosphere, capable of operating single wavelength at short pulses (¿|1ns), high pulse energy, high average power, and high beam quality, require the development of appropriate active fiber designs as well… More

This program addresses the Special Operations need for a cost effective wind Lidar system enabling efficient delivery of psychological warfare material. Our approach involves the design, development and field demonstration of an all fiber transceiver allowing for the mapping of wind fields. The… More

We propose the demonstration of a highly versatile system allowing computer controlled modulations formats achieving a minimum 5W at 532nm with 500Kpps repetition frequency and 800MHz intra-pulse modulation. This approach can easily be extended to other wavelengths of interest to the Navy by… More

Fibertek Corporation of Herndon VA is proposing to perform critical system analysis and design for an ultra high resolution analog-to-digital converter(ADC)-based LADAR receiver that can resolve multiple

The systems developed at fibertek for Obstacle-Avoidance has so far all been operated at 1560nm. Such an operation is required due to the required eye-safety constraint. This wavelength range has so far shown reduced efficiency to a 30% optical-optical efficiency in the last stage of optical… More

Fibertek has developed transmitters for Lidar and 3D imaging applications based on fiber optics architectures both at 1064nm. We have demonstrated an all fiber transmitter producing as much as 15W at 10Kpps. This all-fiber based transmitter produces pulses at 1064nm as short as 750ps and can have… More

This SBIR will develop single frequency cw laser technology for 2um lidar and UV interferometer locking control critical to NASA missions that will measure atmospheric winds and aerosols. NASA recently completed the Earth Science Decadal Study that identified atmospheric global wind and aerosol… More

A novel rod laser amplifier design for CPA of USP lasers has been developed. In Phase I the design will be finalized and performance modeling will be completed. In the option phase we will demonstrate a subscale amplifier head to verify design and performance.

A new approach in underwater Lidar (Light detection and ranging) imaging is being evaluated which should improve the contrast of submerged targets. The use of radio frequency modulation in underwater imaging applications has been suggested to discriminate against the volume backscatter clutter.… More

Stable, single-frequency cw lasers operating at 2 ýým and at 1064/532/355 nm are needed in a number of lidar systems that are being planned for NASA airborne and space-based lidar systems. These include the following. 1. Direct Detection Doppler Wind Lidar systems that operate at 355 nm. 2.… More

We propose the development and space qualification of a high reliability frequency-stabilized CW laser source at 1064 nm wavelength region to satisfy the requirements of this SBIR subtopic opportunity. Our recommended approach is based on extensive experience developing and using single frequency… More

We propose a 1.5um fiber-optic pulsed coherent lidar as a highly effective sensor sub-system for airborne wake-vortex hazard detection. The proposed design is based on a recently developed platform at Fibertek, for fiber-optic pulsed coherent lidar capable of 6km range, and operating at high pulse… More

Our proposed design offers innovative concepts for the design and development of the low noise switching power supply and constant current source driver with protection circuitries that are more efficient and several times more powerful than the current generation deployed in recent systems

A rugged and efficient high power blue laser source in the 455 - 500 nm spectral region is proposed. The source will be capable of either cw or pulsed operation (at multi-kHz repetition rate) and offers tunable, wavelength output in the blue spectral region. The concept is based on frequency… More

We propose to develop a power scalable, multi-spectral, fiber laser source, capable of simultaneous laser ourput in the mid-IR (2-5um) atmospheric propagation bands of interest. The fiber laser is based on non-silica oxide fibers being developed by Fibertek and its partners, and is optimized for… More

Raman fiber laser source based on novel fibers offer an exciting possibility for the mid-IR and longer wavelength regions. Such mid-IR sources are pumped by commercially available fiber lasers, and offer power-scalable, multi-spectral outputs in desired atmospheric bands of interest. BENEFIT: … More

The goal of this Phase II program is to develop an efficient and compact diode-pumped laser amplifier module that can be used in a chirped-pulsed amplifier (CPA) system to achieve scaling of energy and power of an Ultra-Short Pulse laser (USP) to levels commensurate with military applications. In… More

This SBIR will develop advanced, high-efficiency, high beam-quality solid-state laser technology and non-linear wavelength conversion technology suitable for Ozone, Aerosol, Wind, CO2, Water Vapor Lidar. We propose to increase the wall-plug efficiency of 1um lasers from 6-8% into the 12-16% range… More

We propose a 1.5um fiber-optic pulsed coherent lidar as a highly effective sensor sub-system for airborne wake-vortex hazard detection. The proposed design is based on a recently developed platform at Fibertek, for fiber-optic pulsed coherent lidar capable of 6km range, and operating at high pulse… More

We propose the SBIR Phase II effort to develop and space-qualify a 1.06 micron high reliability frequency-stabilized CW laser source that fully satisfies the requirements of this SBIR opportunity (Lidar System Components) . Our recommended approach builds on extensive experience developed through… More

We propose novel, more compact and inexpensive active sensors designed to operate interactively with passive IR seekers to provide enhanced performance in a number of important missile defense scenarios. We have identified a new approach to laser radar (ladar) design that exploits emerging… More

A multi-function ladar architecture will be investigated which is capable of dynamically adapting to flight conditions. The transmitter used is a high-power fiber laser approaching the 10W level. Receiver technology will utilize legacy designs providing useful operation under DVE conditions. A novel… More

Fibertek proposes an agile pulse- and modulation-format fiber-optic transmitter, that is compatible with free-space optical communication protocols, and is consistent with a space qualifiable roadmap. This leverages our recent and ongoing work on high power (Pavg > 10W) fiber-optic transmitters as… More

This SBIR is developing high-efficiency, high beam-quality Nd lasers and non-linear wavelength conversion technologies suitable for ozone, aerosol, oxygen, CO2, water vapor and wind lidar. The advanced solid-state laser technology proposed directly supports NASA Earth Science Decadal Study programs… More

Fibertek, Inc. and Univ. of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) propose to optimize and verify, an advanced platform for direct-detection lidar transmitter, based on using a dual-wavelength fiber-lidar transmitter. The proposed lidar tramsitter is based on a recently developed fiber lidar platform at… More

This SBIR will develop core Yb laser technology that is higher than 50% optical to optical efficient with pulse energies up to 300uJ/pulse in the all fiber version and up to 5mJ using planer waveguide power amplifiers. This SBIR try to newest fiber technologyÂ? 3C fiber as the gain medium fiber to… More

Uplink Laser Beacons for deep-space communication, can benefit greatly from migration to the 1010-1030nm wavelengths, via use of Silicon-APDs on the spacecraft receiving terminal. Fibertek has developed an uplink laser transmitter testbed using a multi-stage fiber-MOPA platform, that is also… More

Fibertek proposes a high energy and flexible operation 1570 nm pulsed lidar transmitter for airborne and space-based remote CO2 gas and doppler wind sensing. The lidar system is expected to operate with 5 mJ energy at 1 kHz repetition rate, and the pulse width will be adjustable from 20 ns to 1… More

A rugged and efficient high power (Watts) blue laser source in the 455470 nm spectral region is proposed. The laser source is capable of cw operation or pulsed operation at multi-kHz or higher repetition rates, as well as capable of RF-modulated-pulse formats. The laser source is based on a novel… More

In this STTR Phase 1 program, Fibertek successfully developed and demonstrated a breadboard version of a pulsed fiber laser capable of high-spectral resolution lidar (HSRL) measurements. This was installed in the Lidar Lab. at the Univ. of Maryland, Baltimore county (UMBC). Lidar integration,… More

?Laser beacons with scalable powers are needed for ground to deep-space optical communication uplinks. They serve as absolute reference for tracking of spacecraft during the downlink laser communication. For such space communication link distances the beam spread due to diffraction is significant… More

NASA's Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) roadmap, calls for an integrated network approach to communication and navigation needs for robotic and human space exploration missions, from near-Earth to planetary missions. Anytime, anywhere connectivity for Earth, Moon and Mars is a stated… More

Fibertek proposes a multi-function, high energy, eye-safe 1550 nm band pulsed fiber-laser lidar system for airborne sensing of various kinetic aviation hazards. The lidar system includes the laser transmitter, the receiver, a telescope, and a scanner. The lidar functionality will include ground and… More

Lidar remote sensing of atmospheric gasses requires high-quality laser sources throughout the spectrum from the UV to the infrared. The objective of this SBIR program is development of lidar wavelength-tunable sources that exceed the performance of those currently available. The proposed program… More

ABSTRACT: We propose the use of adaptive algorithms for laser jitter suppression on a variety of space and airborne platforms, that are capable of closed-loop bandwidths exceeding 1kHz, residual jitter of few urads or less, and narrowband jitter suppression exceeding 20dB. For implementation, in… More

In this proposed program, we focus on the demonstration of an efficient, compact, robust high-data-rate high-power (5W avg. power) fiber-laser based green transmitter, capable of various modulation formats, and a compatible high bandwidth (>GHz) optical receiver operating near photon-counting… More