SBIR Phase I: Compact, Tunable, GaN Diode Lasers

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I Project proposes to develop a novel, monolithic external-cavity to tune near-UV laser diodes now commercially available between 375 and 440 nm. The external cavity will provide electro-optic control over both the lasing wavelength and the cavity optical path enabling single-mode, mode-hop-free tuning over 5-10 nm sections. The entire optical package will be centimeter sized, environmentally robust, and deliver 2-10 mW of optical power. Tuning speeds are proposed to be in millisecond time scales. Tunable blue and visible laser diodes with these tuning characteristics would be useful for spectroscopy-based sensors of many light molecules, elements, and biogenic materials. Tunable diode lasers from the violet to the IR would have broader impacts to scientific education, the research community, and to the economy. Educators should welcome low-cost alternatives to dye lasers allowing sophisticated atomic and molecular spectroscopy experiments to be performed with modest budgets. Researchers should be able to use a wider variety of wavelengths in their experiments. Tunable blue and visible laser diodes would find early commercial success in the scientific research markets where they would replace troublesome dye-laser systems and expensive frequency-doubled Ti-Sapphire lasers. The robust and compact form factor of our laser, combined with decisive control over the output wavelength should enable a wide variety of in-situ spectroscopy-based sensors for hand-held devices, engine exhaust sensors, and combustion monitoring,