THIS PROPOSAL IS TO DETERMINE THE OPTIMUM FIBER OPTIC LINK (FOL) DESIGN BASED ON THE APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS IN AN ICBM, AND TO DEVISE WAYS OF INCREASING THE RADIATION TOLERANCE OF THIS SYSTEM.

THIS PROPOSAL IS TO DETERMINE THE OPTIMUM FIBER OPTIC LINK (FOL) DESIGN BASED ON THE APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS IN AN ICBM, AND TO DEVISE WAYS OF INCREASING THE RADIATION TOLERANCE OF THIS SYSTEM. OUR TENTATIVE CONCLUSION IS THAT FOL SYSTEM HARDNESS IS PRESENTLY LIMITED BY THE PHOTODETECTOR AND RECEIVER AMPLIFIER. A SPECIFIC SUGGESTION IS THAT REDUCING THE FOL OPERATING WAVELENGTH FROM NEAR IR TO ABOUT 550 + OR - 50 NM WILL PERMIT THE USE OF THINNER PHOTODETECTORS AND HENCE INCREASE THE DOSE RATE AT WHICH RADIATION INDUCED PHOTOCURRENTS OBSCURE THE OPTICAL PHOTOCURRENTS. THIS RESEARCH WILL RESULT IN SPECIFIC FOL DESIGNS, ESTIMATES OF RADIATION TOLERANCE, EXPLANATIONS FOR THESE DESIGNS, AND LIST OF DESIGN GUIDELINES FOR RADIATION HARD FOL'S.