High-Precision Eye-Safe Doppler Wind LIDAR

In the response to the U.S. Army's request for a compact eye-safe lidar for high- precision, remote measurement of atmospheric turbulence caused by air vehicles or natural phenomena, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes development of afrequency-modulated light detection and ranging (LIDAR) based on a powerful continuous wave laser. Utilizing the possibility of direct modulation of the laser diode with a high frequency, such a system can provide both a high range resolution and a highaccuracy of Doppler shift measurements with a high speed azimuth scan. In Phase II, the system prototype will be built primarily from commercial off-the shelf (COTS) components, and the preliminary testing and evaluation of the system's performance willbe performed. POC will conduct market analysis and identify financial and other resources that will ensure successful commercialization of this new technology in Phase III.