Photonics, Optics and Lasers

Conventional military radio frequency (RF) antenna systems typically employ coaxial cable as the signal conduit between the aperture and the transmit/receive electronics. For long cable lengths, high RF frequencies and wide bandwidths, the cable itself is a key limiter of signal fidelity and link efficiency. Coaxial cable bundles are also large and heavy, a critical drawback for mobile platforms. Photonic technologies, however, may provide low loss, reduced size and weight, immunity to electromagnetic interference, broad bandwidth and overall ability to remote antennas over distances not possible with conventional electronic approaches.

Dr. Joseph Mangano serves as the program manager of the Excalibur program and oversees efforts designed to significantly enhance the mission set of airborne platforms through coherent optical phased array (OPA) technology. Fiber-based OPAs have near-term potential to achieve greater than 40% overall efficiency in a package compact enough for deployment on tactical airborne platforms. Successful integration of these systems would enable new and enhanced capabilities including laser radar (otherwise known as lidar), target designation, laser communications, power beaming, and aircraft self-protection.

Dr. Michael Fiddy joined DARPA as a program manager in the Defense Sciences Office in September 2016. His current interests include fundamental studies of wave-matter interactions from RF to visible light frequencies. Advancing scattering and inverse scattering methods for multiple scattering media leads to new imaging techniques and tools to synthesize 2-D and 3-D materials and structures, including those with sub-wavelength features.

Dr. Predrag Milojkovic joined DARPA as a program manager in November 2014.  His current interests include advanced imaging concepts and devices, computational imaging, novel optical materials, imaging through scattering media and non-line-of-sight imaging.

Dr. Robert Lutwak joined the Microsystems Technology Office (MTO) in September 2013 as a Program Manager for the miniature position, navigation, and timing (PNT) technology portfolio. His primary field of interest is the development of compact low-cost components and systems providing “PNT everywhere” for increased battlefield awareness and cooperative engagement.