INNOVATIVE METHODS FOR FABRICATION AND POLISHING ON CONICAL FIBER OPTIC ARRAYS

OPTICAL PHASED-ARRAY USING SEMICONDUCTOR LASERS PROVIDES EXCELLENT AIR-TO-AIR, AIR-TO-SURFACE AND SPACE TARGET DETECTION/TRACKING/POINT SYSTEMS. THE DOME ARRAY USING OPTIC FIBERS AND LASER DIODES HAS HEMISPERICAL FIELD-OF-VIEW, NANOSECOND BEAM STEERING SPEED, 0.02 METER RANGE RESOLUTION, AND TRACKING/POINTING/DETECTION DISTANCE UP TO SEVERAL THOUSAND KILOMETER. IN PHASE I, E-TEK WILL PROVIDE AN OPTIMAL POLISHING AND ASSEMBLING TECHNIQUE TO CONSTRUCT FIBER OPTIC DOME OR CONICAL ARRAY USING THE SUBARRAY APPROACH. E-TEK WILL ALSO DEVELOP FIBER MICROLENS FABRICATION AND ANTI-REFLECTION COATING TECHNIQUES TO IMPROVE COUPLING EFFICIENCY AND REDUCE INTERNAL REFLECTION. LOW COST 1XN FIBER COUPLERS (N UP TO 200) PERFORMANCE WILL BE IMPROVED FOR MASTER LASER AND SLAVE LASERS INJECTION-LOCKING. THE PHASE I R&D RESULTS WILL DIRECTLY LEAD TO OPTICAL DOME PHASED-ARRAY FABRICATION, INTEGRATION, EVALUATION AND DEMONSTRATION FOR TARGET DETECTION.