Fast Electro-Optic Switch for Pulsed Space-Based Lidar Beam Steering

Lidar is a core technology in NASA's arsenal for science measurements from ground, air-borne and space based platforms. AdvR is proposing a beam steering mechanism for space-based Lidar based on AdvR's electro-optic deflector technology with no moving parts, making it favorable for space-based operation. The system operates on the principle of electro-optically controlled prisms engineered into a ferroelectric substrate, and is designed to have low loss, fast switching speed and settling time, good isolation and operation from the ultraviolet to the mid-infrared. AdvR has previously built and tested electro-optic switches and scanners and the demonstrated performance shows promising potential for use in discrete angle beam steering for Lidar. This Phase I SBIR will investigate the use of the EO deflector technology for a fast beam steering mechanism to improve the sampling density, coverage and signal to noise ratio of NASA's Space-based Lidar systems.