SBIR Phase I: Affordable Optically Pumped Semiconductor Lasers for Polychromatic Guide Star Systems

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This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will develop a novel, compact, low cost, semiconductor transmitter to serve as a guide star source. The same technology will be extended in a very straightforward fashion to produce a polychromatic guide star (PGS) source. This program addresses research and development of a unique laser technology that simultaneously provides a compact and low-cost alternative to dye lasers as Laser guide stars (LGS) and PGS sources. The objective of the Phase I effort is to demonstrate that the required multi-watt average power levels can be obtained with high spectral fidelity and control. From a broader perspective, successful completion of the Phase I effort and a potential Phase II follow-on will provide a complete demonstration of the ability of the proposed technology to meet commercial observatory requirements in both LGS and PGS applications. The technology proposed in this program adaptive optics (AO) targets the astronomical community. There are a large number of telescopes world-wide that would benefit from affordable guide star AO systems. An initial preliminary survey has shown that hundreds of transmitters would be required for systems that currently exist, are under construction or in the planning phase. Large telescopes will require multiple 10- 25 watt laser guide stars.