SBIR Phase II: Ultra-fast Broadband Imaging Spectroscopy for Geosciences Applications

This Small Business Research (SBIR) Phase II project is aimed to capitalize on our Phase I success of ultra-fast tunable optical filter technology for the applications of hyperspectral imaging, environmental monitoring and optical communication. During Phase I period, the feasibility of ultra-fast tunable filters based on electro-optical effect have been demonstrated through prototyping. State-of-the-art filter characteristics have been achieved, including ultra-fast response ( 80nm at 1550nm), narrow line width (< 0.1nm) and broad working spectral band (from visible to middle infrared continuously). Based on the successful Phase I execution, the major effort of Phase II will be developing an advanced tunable filter platform. At which several commercial products are expected to emerge. Such as ultra-fast hyperspectral imaging systems suitable for geosciences and medical diagnostics, high frequency wavelength modulators for high sensitivity spectroscopic detection of trace-gas and wide-range fast-tuning optical filters for spectroscopy and wavelength-division-multiplexing (WDM) optical communication Hyperspectral imagery has many existing and potential applications in agriculture, forestry, emergency response/disaster management, insurance, national security, oil and gas exploration, medical imaging, and military surveillance. The proposed components and system, featuring in lightweight, fast action, broad wavelength band, and low cost, is needed for airborne hyperspectral imagery. The tunable add/drop is promise to reduce network complexity and cost by eliminating expensive optical-electrical-optical conversion and reducing inventory of fixed-wavelength devices. A fast wavelength modulation, combined with synchronized detection, can form a very sensitive spectroscopic analytic instrument for trace-gas sensing. These gases usually have characteristic absorption lines in infrared (IR) band, where no other fast tunable filter existed. It has seen a growing demand from the largest application areas, such as chemicals, petrochemicals, power generation, national security and environmental monitoring.