Nonlinear Optical Up-Converter for Eye-Safe Imaging

This project will be devoted to the development of an illuminator technology suitable for use in underwater imaging applications. While there are a number of extant technologies, we will focus on new technologies that may provide higher efficiency, lowercost, and reduced size and weight. A variety of illuminator technologies will be investigated, and compared to requirements derived from analyses of the underwater imaging application, and from platform properties. The illuminator technologies to beinvestigated include emitter technology, pulse power technology, and optical beam projection technology including the capabilities for varying the beam divergence (zoom). We will focus on new and emerging technologies such as Frequency Doubled DiodePumped Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Lasers (SHG DP-VCELS), and Electrically Pumped Two Triode Organic Lasers (TTOLs) such as the Tetracence TTOL (TcubedOL). Other candidates will be sought as well.The major advantage of this approach is to be able toilluminate underwater objects from unmanned platforms. A secondary advantage is that the sources will be low cost. A tertiary advantage is that the beam will be zoomable, allowing adaptation of the illumination to allow deeper water penetration. The useon unmanned platforms allows these systems to used in a RPV, the low cost feature allows the imaging to be performed from expendable platforms, and zoom is an additional feature that allows the platform altitude or water penetration depth to be adjusted asnecessary. Thus applications such as search and rescue, airborne reconnaissance, imaging for surveillance and security, (coastal through fog), and many others would be feasible.