Development of a High-Efficiency Ultra-Narrowband Volume Holographic Optical Filter

RL Associates plans to study the feasability in phase I and build in phase II an optical filter based upon volume holographic diffraction gratings permanently written in thick photopolymeric materials. We hope to demonstrate in this study that this typeof filter is feasible to build and will be able to withstand the harsh operating environment of a spaced-based or airborne military platform. the filter will have the following characteristics: Operating Wavelength: Visible (currently 514.7 nm), FilterLinewidth: 75%, Aperture:~ 1.5". WE believe that the ultra-narrowbandpass optical filter based on volume holographic diffraction gratings in thick polymeric materials has numerous commercial applications and benefits. It will clearly increase the S/N of military systems employing lightdetection and ranging during daytime operations. It will also benefit the netwrok communications industry as it can be used as a wavelength division muliptlexer as well as sattelite and spaced-based communications.