Form 9.B Project Summary
Chron:
970132
Proposal
Number:
27.02-0005
Project Title:
Tunable, Single-Frequency, Fiber
Fabry-Perot Surface Emitting Lasers
Technical Abstract (Limit 200 words)
Micron Optics Inc. proposes a novel, compact,
tunable, and single- frequency semiconductor- fiber
laser that combines a semiconductor quantum-well
vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (SEL) within a
fiber Fabry-Perot (FFP) cavity. The "half-cavity"
SEL consists of one semiconductor Bragg reflector
as the bottom mirror and a multiple quantum well
(MQW) gain region. The top output mirror is
formed strictly by a direct fiber dielectric mirror or
a fiber waveguide dielectric mirror. The
combination of "half-cavity" SEL and fiber mirror
forms the fiber Fabry-Perot surface-emitting laser
(FFP-SEL). Wavelength tuning can be achieved by
air-gap tuning inside the FFP-SEL cavity.
FFP-SELs should enable (1) robust
single-frequency and thus narrow-line lasing in the
near-IR spectral region, (2) continuous wavelength
tuning, (3) wide frequency (wavelength) tuning
range >10,000 GHz, (4) moderate power levels
(>2mW), (5) small and compact device structure,
and (6) low power consumption. These laser
performance characteristics should provide elegant
and enabling solutions to NASA's need for
precision metrology, interferometry, and Doppler
measurement at a variety of near-IR wavelength
regions.
Potential Commercial Applications (Limit 200 words)
The proposed single-frequency tunable laser
sources are the basic building components in
fiber-optic communication systems, sensing, and
spectroscopy. The success of FFP-SELs should
enable (1) the exploitation of the vast bandwidth
potential of optical fibers that leads to subsequent
advances in Information Technology, (2) distributed
fiber grating sensing for structural health
monitoring and smart structures, and (3) advanced
applications in spectroscopic remote-sensing and
trace-level monitoring of a broad range of
chemicals such as those of critical interest in
manufacturing processes and traditional
environmental monitoring.
In general, hybrid tunable laser structures
incorporating discrete bulk optical compoenets
have complex mechanical requirements and
incompatible mode-field coupling between lasers
and tuning elements, and thus do not lead to rugged
and cost-effective implementations for
commercialization. The requirement for tunable
lasers that are fiber-compatible, robust, and
cost-effective makes the FFP-SEL an attractive
candidate.
Name and Address of Principal Investigator (Name,
Organization Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Kevin Hsu
Micron Optics Inc.
1900 Century Place, Suite 200
Atlanta , GA 30345
Name and Address of Offeror (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/Zip)
Calvin M. Miller
Micron Optics Inc.
1900 Century Place, Suite 200
Atlanta , GA 30345