Raman Image Amplifier for Marine LIDAR Applications

This project will focus on the development of a compact, rugged, low-maintenance, cost-effective, all solid-state Marine Raman Image Amplifier (MARIA) capable of amplifying low-level ocean LIDAR images and producing gated images with potential gate times of tens of picoseconds. The innovative technology to be implemented is based on a solid-state stimulated Raman scattering technique developed by our team. This proposal describes the unique features of this new technique for producing gated images and shows how this device can substantially improve underwater image resolution and reject interfering sunlight in bright daylight conditions. Integration of this device into an imaging marine LIDAR system has the potential to greatly improve classification and identification of sea mines and submarines. The MARIA can be seen as a technology alternative to microchannel plate image intensifiers that are limited in terms of spatial and temporal resolution and require complicated, bulky, and expensive high voltage electronics modules for operation.