NASA SBIR 2009 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 #1-1
Bozeman, MT 59715 - 6504
(406) 522-0388

Estimated Technology Readiness Level (TRL) at beginning and end of contract:
Begin: 3
End: 5

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (Limit 2000 characters, approximately 200 words)
The primary goal of this SBIR effort is delivery of a compact, robust, highly efficient, fiber-coupled UV module to provide the required 355nm light for integration into HSRL's UV interferometric-based measurement system. An additional goal of this effort is to prototype a compact, robust, fiber-coupled UV PLC module which produces the required spectrally formatted 355nm light for stabilization of the HSRL's UV interferometric filter, a component required for the accurate measurement of critical aerosol microphysical properties. This approach is enabled by AdvR's patented submount poling technique together with AdvR's integrated Planar Lightwave Circuit (PLC) technology. The UV PLC concept advances NASA's state-of-the-art lidar systems due to its compact, efficient, and reliable design, thus enabling use on small aircraft and future space-based platforms.

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. HSRL is targeted for the ACE Mission 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 UV technology will find uses in other NASA lidar remote sensing programs, such as UV DIAL lidar and Doppler lidar for 3D Winds where compact, low cost, UV stabilized sources are required. This technology also has potential application as a calibration source for visible to UV spectrometers (such as MODIS), as well as for multi-wavelength imaging for atmospheric correction.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words)
In addition to NASA's use in various lidar systems, the PLC technology in general 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, precision spectroscopy, high power pulse shaping, visible display applications, and for stabilizing laser sources and interferometric filters.

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.)

Cooling Laser Optical Optical & Photonic Materials Photonics RF Semi-Conductors/Solid State Device Materials Thermoelectric Conversion