NASA SBIR 2009 Solicitation

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Q-Peak, Inc.
135 South Road
Bedford, MA 01730 - 2307
(781) 275-9535

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Alex Dergachev
dergachev@qpeak.com
135 South Road
Bedford, MA 01730 - 2307
(781) 781-9535 Extension :617

Estimated Technology Readiness Level (TRL) at beginning and end of contract:
Begin: 4
End: 5

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (Limit 2000 characters, approximately 200 words)
The primary objective of the proposed Phase II effort is to develop and deliver a ruggedized, single-frequency, mJ-level, 2050-nm master oscillator – power amplifier system suitable for coherent LIDAR applications. The laser system is based on a low-average power, pulsed, single-frequency, 2-um Ho-laser source. Pulsed operation of the Ho-oscillator is achieved via passive Q-switching using robust Cr2+-doped saturable absorbers. Development of such pulsed seed sources enables the design of compact, rugged, reliable and efficient LIDAR transmitters based on all-amplifier architecture.
Direct diode-pumping using the latest 1.9-um diode laser technology provides improved oscillator reliability and compactness. Efficient, Tm:fiber laser pumped, bulk Ho:YLF single-stage amplifier provides energy scaling to mJ level. The choice of a 2-um Ho-laser material (as opposed to 1.5-um Er-lasers) enables efficient power/energy scaling of the pulsed seed oscillator output in high-gain Ho-amplifiers. This approach decreases the number of amplifying stages, simplifies the overall design and packaging, and improves the electrical efficiency of the complete laser system as compared to the current technology.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words)
The proposed work has direct application to NASA coherent, wind-sensing LIDAR programs based on the use of eyesafe, 2-um region lasers, as well as CO2 DIAL applications. The developed seed oscillator enables compact design, enhanced ruggedness and aids the overall all-amplifier system efficiency. Other use is as a front end of an all-amplifier-system to pump mid-IR parametric oscillators for application to DIAL sensors.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words)
Commercial uses are for ground- and aircraft-based wind sensors in commercial aviation for wind shear and turbulence detection , as well as monitoring of CO2 levels in the atmosphere . Low-power, pulsed oscillator can be offered as a stand-alone component.

TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING (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.)

Optical