SBIR Phase I: Micro Pulse Lidar for Water Vapor Profiling

9860955小型企业创新研究第一阶段项目旨在满足对大气水蒸气进行可靠、低成本、高分辨率监测的需求。利用差动吸收激光雷达(DIAL)技术，研究了一种每脉冲50微焦耳、10千赫兹光学参量振荡器(OPO)的水汽分布。该OPO在532纳米(Nm)辐射的泵浦下，将使用一种新的非线性材料-周期极化锂钽氧化物(PPLT)。PPLT之所以被使用，是因为它在紫外线中具有很高的透明度。这被认为是第一次对532 nm和355 nm的PPLT OPO进行泵浦。在晶体工作温度在100到350摄氏度之间时，将在532 nm和355 nm测量光折变对OPO性能和光束质量的影响。这项研究的结果有望成为经过实验验证的拨号发射器设计。这项研究的商业应用包括分子成像和光学活检。高重复频率、低脉冲能量的激光器工作在400到700 nm之间(通过泵浦355 nm的PPLT OPO来实现)，作为荧光团的激发源，在分子成像中，以及在光学活组织检查中作为荧光返回信号。这些商业市场的大批量生产预计将大大降低拨号发射机的单位成本。

9860955 This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project addresses the need for reliable, low cost, high resolution monitoring of atmospheric water vapor. A 50-microjoule per pulse, 10-kilohertz optical parametric oscillator (OPO) will be investigated to profile water vapor using the differential absorption lidar (DIAL) technique. This OPO, pumped with 532-nanometer (nm) radiation, will use a new nonlinear material - periodically poled lithium tantalum oxide (PPLT). PPLT is used because of its high transparency in the ultraviolet . This is thought to be the first investigation of 532 nm and 355 nm pumping of PPLT OPOs. Photorefractive effects on OPO performance and beam quality will be measured at 532 nm and 355 nm for crystal operating temperatures between 100 and 350 degrees Celsius. The result of this research is expected to be an experimentally verified DIAL transmitter design. Commercial applications of this research include molecular imaging and optical biopsies. High repetition rate, low-pulse energy lasers operating between 400 and 700 nm (achieved by pumping a PPLT OPO with 355 nm) are needed as excitation sources for fluorophores, in molecular imaging, and for fluorescence return signatures, in optical biopsies. High volume production for these commercial markets is expected to lower the per unit cost of DIAL transmitters significantly.