PROJECT TITLE: Efficient Wideband 2 Micron Coherent Lidar
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Lidar system efficiency is a critical factor in sensor performance. Furthermore, high-speed or targets can produce substantial Doppler shifts (6 to 7 GHz at 2 mm for a typical spaceborne global wind monitoring scenario). These Doppler shifts exceed current state-of-the-art 2 mm detector technology. A common proposed technique for coping with these large Doppler shifts is to utilize an offset-locked optical local oscillator. However, this approach is complex and may not be needed if high-efficiency wideband photoreceivers can be developed. In this Phase I/II effort we propose to develop high-efficiency wideband (~ 7 GHz) 2 mm heterodyne receiver technologies. To achieve the bandwidth goal, detector quantum efficiency (QE) may be compromised. We propose to recover much of this and other receiver-train losses using an optical preamplifier. For high QE detectors the amplifier would not be beneficial. Instead, efficiency gains will be achieved via the deployment of a dual-port balanced heterodyne receiver. The Phase I program will carry out a combined analysis and laboratory demonstration program to establish optimal and realizable receiver configurations applicable across a broad range of measurement scenarios. The Phase I/II program will significantly advance the coherent laser radar state-of-the-art and will result in commercial products with improved performance and lower power consumption.
POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
The high efficiency aspect of this technology development will result in substantial reductions in sensor size, weight and power consumption for virtually all coherent laser radar applications such as ground-based wind sensing, aircraft wake-vortex monitoring, hard target vibration sensing and coherent DIAL. Wideband coherent laser radar applications such as spaceborne global wind monitoring, high speed civil transport clear-air turbulence sensing, long-range high-speed target identification and tracking will also benefit significantly from this technology.
NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Dr. Philip Gatt
Research & Development
655 Aspen Ridge Drive
Lafayette , CO 80026
NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR
Coherent Technologies, Inc.
655 Aspen Ridge Drive
Lafayette , CO 80026