Timothy Stephens

A compact 3D imaging laser radar system using Geiger-mode APD arrays: system and measurements

MIT Lincoln Laboratory continues the development of novel high-resolution 3D imaging laser radar technology and sensor systems. The sensor system described in detail here uses a passively Q-switched solid-state frequency-doubled Nd:YAG laser to transmit short laser pulses (~ 700 ps FWHM) at 532 nm wavelength and derive the range to target surface element by measuring the time-of-flight for each pixel. The single photoelectron detection efficiency has been measured to be > 20 % using these Silicon Geiger-mode APDs at room temperature. The pulse out of the detector is used to stop a > 500 MHz digital clock integrated within the focal-plane array. With appropriate optics, the 32x32 array of digital time values represents a 3D spatial image frame of the scene. Successive image frames from the multi-kilohertz pulse repetition rate laser pulses are accumulated into range histograms to provide 3D volume and intensity information. In this paper, we report on a prototype sensor system, which has recently been developed using new 32x32 arrays of Geiger-mode APDs with 0.35 μm CMOS digital timing circuits at each pixel. Here we describe the sensor system development and present recent measurements of laboratory test data and field imagery.

Three-dimensional laser radar with APD arrays

MIT Lincoln Laboratory is actively developing laser and detector technologies that make it possible to build a 3D laser radar with several attractive features, including capture of an entire 3D image on a single laser pulse, tens of thousands of pixels, few-centimeter range resolution, and small size, weight, and power requirements. The laser technology is base don diode-pumped solid-state microchip lasers that are passively Q-switched. The detector technology is based on Lincoln-built arrays of avalanche photodiodes operating in the Geiger mode, with integrated timing circuitry for each pixel. The advantage of these technologies is that they offer the potential for small, compact, rugged, high-performance systems which are critical for many applications.

Maskless selective laser patterning of PEDOT:PSS on barrier/foil for organic electronics applications

Rapid developments in organic electronics promise low cost devices for applications such as OLED, organic transistors and organic photovoltaics on large-area glass or flexible substrates in the near future. The technology is very attractive as most device layers can be solution printed. But when directly patterned deposition is impossible, a post-patterning step is required and laser processing is gradually emerging as a key-enabling tool. DPSS lasers offer several advantages including maskless, non-contact, dry patterning, but also scalable large area processing, well suited to roll-to-roll manufacturing at μm resolutions. However, very few reports discuss in detail the merits of DPSS laser patterning technology, especially on flexible substrates. This paper describes the potential of ultrafast DPSS laser technology for OLED fabrication on foil and, specifically, picosecond laser ablation of PEDOT:PSS on multilayered barrier/foil or metal grids aimed as a synthetic alternative to inorganic transparent conductive electrodes. Key requirements include: (a) the complete removal of PEDOT layers without residue, (b) the complete absence of surface contamination from redeposited laser debris to avoid short circuiting and (c) no loss in performance of from laser exposure. We will demonstrate that with careful optimisation and appropriate choice of ultrafast laser, the above criteria can be fulfilled. A suitable process window exists resulting in clean laser structuring without damage to the underlying heat sensitive barrier layers whilst also containing laser debris. A low temperature ablation most likely proceeds via a stress-assisted (film fracture and ejection) process as opposed to vaporisation or other phase change commonly encountered with longer pulse lasers.

Full Aperture Mechanical Beam Steering

An effort is underway to develop a high acceleration beam steering system for rapid, sequential pointing to multiple targets. A generalized analysis is first presented relating mirror steering performance and residual vibration distortions. The analysis is further generalized to systems which use multiple, independently-targeted apertures to increase retargeting rates. Then the design of an agile, two-meter steering flat and drive system is discussed. Lightweight mirror structure designs are evaluated, drive system candidates are compared, and an experiment for characterizing hydraulic servovalves and actuators is described.

Compact optical gimbal as a conformal beam director for large field-of-regard lasercom applications

Laser communication offers advantages over traditional RF communication, including reduced size, weight, and power, higher data rates, and resistance to jamming. However, existing beam directors used for large field-of-regard lasercom terminals have limitations. Traditional gimbals require either domes or large conformal windows to achieve large fields of regard. Risley prism-based beam directors have temperature- and wavelength-dependent pointing necessitating tight temperature control and pointing correction techniques. Other methods, like liquid crystal optical phased array beam directors, have low transmittance and low technology readiness levels (TRLs). This paper presents a detailed design and preliminary performance results of a prototype Compact Optical Gimbal (COG) beam director that provides a 2 inch beam over a +/- 65o field-of-regard through a small (~12 inch) flat window. The COG differs from the traditional gimbal in that it includes three-axis steering with off-axis elevation and dither control, and a folded refractive afocal telescope incorporated into the body of the gimbal to minimize size. The COG’s optical system does not have the pointing challenges characteristic of Risley prisms, and it utilizes high TRL components, including many commercial off-theshelf parts, to simplify implementation. The compact size and performance support a variety of beam steering applications and platforms.

Environmental packaging of fiber-optic integrated circuits

This paper describes a novel packaging design for a lithium niobate Mach-Zehnder interferometric modulator. The modulator is mounted to the bottom of a miniature carrier using elastic supports to minimize transmission of bending, random vibration and shock loads. Optical fibers are threaded from the modulator ends to the outside world via tubular feed- throughs located to allow for thermal expansion of the carrier without inducing stress on the fibers. An electric current board is attached to the carrier, and wire bonds from the board to the modulator provide the required voltages. The total package envelope is less than 0.41 in3 in volume. A major design goal was to achieve a hermetically sealed package, using all-metallic seals wherever possible. The package cover is resistance-seam-welded over the carrier top. However, as an intermediate step in the development process, the optical fibers are sealed with epoxy at the feed-through locations, rather than with solder seals to metallized fibers, which would provide a true hermetic seal. The paper provides supporting analysis performed to demonstrate the effectiveness of the design, including the epoxy seals, as well as experimental test results which validate the design.