NASA SBIR 2008 Solicitation

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
ADVR, Inc.
2310 University Way, Building 1
Bozeman, MT 59715 - 6504
(406) 522-0388

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Shirley McNeil
mcneil@advr-inc.com
2310 University Way, Building 1
Bozeman, MT 59715 - 6504
(406) 522-0388

Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 4

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (Limit 2000 characters, approximately 200 words)
This SBIR Phase I effort proposes to establish the feasibility of developing a compact, high performance laser source for integration into the next generation seed laser system for high stability, multi-wavelength lidar applications such as NASA Langley's HSRL program. Combination of the high performance laser source together with ADVR's integrated Planar Lightwave Circuit (PLC) technology will provide the electro-optic control signals required for precise locking of the seed source to a reference wavelength. A next generation seed laser system which incorporates the PLC concept, together with improvements in the source laser technology will advance NASA's lidar systems due to its compact, efficient, and reliable design, thus enabling use on small aircraft and space based platforms. The focus of the Phase II effort will be the optimization and integration of this technology into the next generation HSLR seed laser system with > a 50% reduction in weight, size and cost.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words)
The primary customer is NASA Langley's High Spectral Resolution Lidar (HSRL) program for aerosol and cloud characterization. This system is being considered for the ACE lidar by NASA's ACE Science Working Group because of the higher information content it provides over backscatter lidar on key aerosol optical and microphysical properties. The proposed technology will find multiple uses in other NASA lidar remote sensing programs, such in altimetry and DIAL lidar where compact, low cost, stabilized single lasers are required, and also has potential application in spectroscopic measurement techniques.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words)
In addition to NASA's use in various lidar systems, the combination of a compact, low cost, single wavelength laser, together with PLC technology will find use in fiber and free-space communications where rapid, moderate power phase modulation is required. This technology can also be applied for systems used for environmental and pollution monitoring and in stabilizing laser sources used for precision metrology.

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

Cooling Laser Optical Optical & Photonic Materials Photonics Simulation Modeling Environment