NASA SBIR 2005 Solicitation

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
ADVR Inc
2310 University Way, Building #1
Bozeman, MT 59715-6500
(406) 522-0388

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Christopher   Palassis
palassis@advr-inc.com
2310 University Way, Building #1
Bozeman, MT  59715-6500
(406) 522-0388

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (Limit 2000 characters, approximately 200 words)
ADVR, Inc. proposes the development of a fiber coupled, high power, electro-optically controlled, space qualified, phase modulator for the NASA Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA). The proposed device will be capable of phase modulating a 1 W or greater, continuous wave optical signal at multi-gigahertz rates at 1064 nm. The key innovation is the use of a waveguide embedded in a non-linear optical material suitable for high optical power handling. The phase modulators used for LISA must be rugged and must perform optimally in a radiation environment over the mission lifetime. To achieve this goal, the proposed phase modulator development will include a fiber-in-fiber-out design that will readily lend itself to future space qualification for mechanical stability of the package and radiation damage resistance of the non-linear optical material.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words)
The proposed high power, fiber coupled phase modulator enables the creation of a device that is not commercially available. There are several NASA applications that will benefit from this technology development. The modulator will find uses in high power lasers systems to provide sidebands onto a carrier signal and lidar systems which utilize high power fiber amplifiers. An additional application is a light modulator for locking a laser wavelength to a gas absorption reference.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words)
The high optical power capability of the proposed phase modulator provides the primary basis for ADVR to enter the commercial market with this product. The proposed fiber coupled phase modulator provides an alternative to currently available free space coupled phase modulators that can handle similar optical powers, but are bulky and require high drive voltage to operate. Additionally, the proposed fiber coupled modulator is capable of handling significantly higher optical powers than the leading manufacturer of fiber coupled lithium niobate waveguide phase modulators which are only capable of handling 100mW at 1064nm due to material limitations.

NASA's technology taxonomy has been developed by the SBIR-STTR program to disseminate awareness of proposed and awarded R/R&D in the agency. It is a listing of over 100 technologies, sorted into broad categories, of interest to NASA.

TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING

Laser Optical Optical & Photonic Materials Photonics RF