STTR Phase I: Micro-Discharge Based Micro-Lasers for Sensing

这个小企业技术转让第一阶段项目旨在应用新型微放电结构和技术来激发微激光器。提议者将针对其他紧凑型激光器无法访问的波长区域，强调二极管泵浦固态激光器方法比拟议技术复杂得多的光谱区域中的输出波长。第一阶段的目标包括发展的对齐和建设所需的方法，使一个堆栈的微放电适合激光行动。提出者将在中红外氙原子激光器和紫外KrF激光器的试金石系统中展示激光作用。使用最先进的多维放电模型的分析工作将支持实验并指导第二阶段原型设计。 投标人还将确定在第二阶段生产有用的传感器系统所需的风险降低测试。 这些非常紧凑的光源将用于痕量物质检测、过程控制以及医疗和食品工业应用的传感器。小尺寸和低电压操作将导致廉价的手持用途和非常紧凑的自动化工业系统。基于半导体的制造技术是廉价的，基于这种技术的系统可以显着提高市场潜力。具体的商业应用包括：用于短距离的痕量气体传感器，筛选固体表面和食品中的病原体，过程控制和用于医学的光纤耦合探针。

This Small Business Technology Transfer Phase I project aims to apply novel micro-discharge structures and techniques for exciting micro-lasers. The proposer will target wavelength regions not accessed by other compact lasers, emphasizing output wavelengths in spectral regions where diode pumped solid state laser approaches are considerably more complex than the proposed technology. The Phase I objectives include the development of the alignment and construction methods needed to make a stack of micro-discharges appropriate for laser action. The proposer will show laser action in the touchstone systems of the Mid-IR Xenon atom laser and the KrF laser in the ultraviolet. An analytical effort using state of the art, multi-dimensional discharge models will support experiments and guide the Phase II prototype design. The proposer will also define the needed risk reduction tests to produce a useful sensor system in Phase II. These very compact sources will be used in sensors for trace species detection, process control, and medical and food industry applications. The small size and low voltage operation will lead to inexpensive hand held uses and very compact automated industrial systems. The semi-conductor based fabrication techniques are inexpensive and systems based on this technology can significantly enhance the market potential. Specific commercial applications include: trace gas sensors for short ranges, screening solid surfaces and foods for pathogens, process controls, and fiber coupled probes for medicine.