Acquisition of Instruments for a Fiber-Optic Sensor and Communication Lab

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9413705 Daneshgaran The objective of the proposed project is to equip a fiber optics laboratory for R&D on sensors and communications. The funds requested will permit the equipping of a fiber optics facility that will make possible state of the art R&D as well as provide a good training facility for undergraduate and Masters students. Since CSULA is a minority institution, the laboratory is closely related to real industry needs and interests. Three economic technology-rich growth areas targeted by the Administration are addressed by the work to be conducted in the laboratory: manufacturing process monitoring and control, environmental monitoring, and fiber optics communication for the information superhighway. A dozen projects are identified in the proposal, with applications in areas including geophysical, manufacturing process control, automotive sensors and displays, communications, microwave remote control, and optical beam steering . Two--a geophysical strainmeter and a towed array-- that have garnered particular interest by funding agencies are described in more detail. A number of the projects are derivatives of patented Hughes technologies, that the company is interested in seeing reduced to practice. Student involvement will be through several vehicles. The laboratory will be used for engineering design clinic projects funded by industry. It will also provide an extension to a Senior Design Laboratory that was built with $350 K of funds from Hughes, and will be used by seniors to fulfill their design project requirements. In addition, R&D at the frontiers of fiber optics applications and funded by federal and state science and technology agencies will be conducted with student participation. The laboratory will help bridge the gap between undergraduate, masters, and traditional doctoral graduate education by provide hands-on research experience. In addition, the close collaboration with industry will help students make the transition to industry upon graduation. The principal scientist involved in the project have complementary skills in fiber optics, electro-optics signal processing, communications, and control. The project is to be codirected by Dr. Victor Vali, who has set up and conducted fiber optics research at three institutions, and Dr. Fred Daneshgaran, who specializes in signal processing and communication theory. It is felt that the industry-oriented, multidisciplinary approach proposed here is lacking in may of the existing fiber optics work conducted in institutions of higher education. The total project cost over a three year period are $315,468, of which $220,828 is requested form NSF. Dr. victor Vali is contributing his time to set up the laboratory and to instruct students, staff and faculty on its operation. Funding for the twelve research areas described in the proposal will be the subject of subsequent proposals to interested agencies.