HIGH RESOLUTION WIDE BAND TUNABLE FABRY-PEROT OPTICAL FILTER WITH HOLOGRAPHICALL

High resolution tunable optical filters are critical for the Navy's free-space laser satellite communication systems for submarines. POC has developed a new Fabry-Perot (FP) technology based on holographic phase compensation of interferometrically formed FP mirrors. POC proposes to extend the tunable holographic Fabry-Perot technology to a double cavity monolithic polymer and liquid crystal overlay structure, which can be coated on any substrate regardless of profile (flat or curved). The device will be electronically tunable through the use of low-voltage liquid crystals, and will provide high resolution (1 Angstrom) filtering over the entire blue-green (450-550 nm) spectral region. Phase I objectives include: the design of the double cavity holographic Fabry-Perot filter; demonstrating the HFP LC polymer/sol-gel spacer coating; and fabricating a proof-of-concept filter. Performance goals are: size = 1-2 in. sq.; Finesse = 30-50, Pass Bandwidth = 1-4 Angstrom; Tuning Range = 50-100 nm; Speed = 50 ms-1sec. The Phase II effort will be to extend and optimize this device technology for the production of highly quality prototype filters with maximum bandpass of 1 Angstrom, and tunable over a spectral range from 450 to 550 nm.