Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Tech Transfer
Compact Laser for In-Situ Compositional Analysis
Project Description
In response to NASA's solicitation for light-weight and power efficient instruments that enable in situ compositional analysis, Q-Peak in partnership with the University of Hawaii proposes to develop a compact, robust, and efficient instrument to combine all laser based spectroscopies capable of performing imaging, Raman, Laser Induced Breakdown, Laser Induced Fluorescence and LIDAR The main advantage in using this suite of instruments is the collection of information from imaging to elemental composition of rock samples by simply directing a laser beam on remote targets of interest. Based on the success of the current Mars Science Laboratory rover instrument ChemCam, the first ever laser-based spectrographic system to be selected as an instrument on a NASA spacecraft, the Hawaii Institute of Geophysics and Planetology (HIGP) has developed and tested a prototype instrument. This new instrument is capable of at least 10,000 times greater sensitivity than the ChemCam instrument, allowing faster measurements up to 8 m away with a focused laser beam. This integrated, compact remote instrument is called the Compact integrated instrument for Remote Spectroscopy Analysis (CiiRSA). Replacing the existing laser with the Q-Peak proposed laser will reduce CiiRSA's weight by 30 % and volume by 20 %. In Phase I, Q-Peak will design, develop and build a laser that will produce 1-2 mJ of energy in 5 mJ, < 2 ns duration pulses at 523 nm at repetition rates from single-shot to 100 Hz. The entire laser system will be integrated into a suite of instruments that our partner at HIGP has developed to reduce the overall SWaP of the CiiRSA system.
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Anticipated Benefits
NASA applications are in systems requiring compact, efficient, reliable, moderate-energy, nanosecond-pulsed lasers. For planetary exploration, these applications are in LIBS/Raman/LIF systems used for planetary surface characterization and in lidar systems for atmospheric measurements of aerosol concentrations and distributions, as well as precision ranging for planetary surface mapping from satellites and other spacecraft. The laser we propose to develop is compact, efficient, rugged and reliable, making it ideal for planetary missions. Given the high sensitivity of launch requirements to SWaP considerations and to reliability, we feel that the proposed laser source is uniquely positioned for standoff LIBS based missions. Other NASA mission profiles or applications that would benefit from generically small, light- weight, low power laser sources would be equally well served.
Commercial applications are in portable LIBS systems to replace the current bulky, inefficient, and less reliable lamp-pumped lasers now employed. LIBS, besides having numerous scientific applications in materials characterization, can also be used in industrial applications for process control through monitoring of exhaust streams, analysis of pharmaceuticals, profiling of metals, composition determinations of minerals in mining and detection of contamination in the environment. There are numerous applications for green lasers besides LIBS that require minimized SWaP. Green Illuminators with sufficiently high beam quality to enable long atmospheric transmission suffer from excess size and weight. The proposed laser would produce the required beam quality with a SWaP advantage of near factor 2. Green lasers can be use in the Non-Lethal Laser Dazzler field. Dazzlers, are most effective in green due to the eye's high sensitivity in the green spectral region but also require the most careful spatial beam profile control to insure that both spatially and temporally, the laser energy never reaches or exceeds the damage threshold of the eye. Q-Peak's advantage would be in having developed an extremely small, compact, simple, and rugged technology for generation of single mode laser pulse. This laser device will be much better suited for fieldable systems than present products both on SWaP, mode profile, and affordability considerations. More »
Commercial applications are in portable LIBS systems to replace the current bulky, inefficient, and less reliable lamp-pumped lasers now employed. LIBS, besides having numerous scientific applications in materials characterization, can also be used in industrial applications for process control through monitoring of exhaust streams, analysis of pharmaceuticals, profiling of metals, composition determinations of minerals in mining and detection of contamination in the environment. There are numerous applications for green lasers besides LIBS that require minimized SWaP. Green Illuminators with sufficiently high beam quality to enable long atmospheric transmission suffer from excess size and weight. The proposed laser would produce the required beam quality with a SWaP advantage of near factor 2. Green lasers can be use in the Non-Lethal Laser Dazzler field. Dazzlers, are most effective in green due to the eye's high sensitivity in the green spectral region but also require the most careful spatial beam profile control to insure that both spatially and temporally, the laser energy never reaches or exceeds the damage threshold of the eye. Q-Peak's advantage would be in having developed an extremely small, compact, simple, and rugged technology for generation of single mode laser pulse. This laser device will be much better suited for fieldable systems than present products both on SWaP, mode profile, and affordability considerations. More »
Project Library
Primary U.S. Work Locations and Key Partners
| Organizations Performing Work | Role | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q-Peak, Inc. | Lead Organization | Industry | Bedford, Massachusetts |
Goddard Space Flight Center
(GSFC)
|
Supporting Organization | NASA Center | Greenbelt, Maryland |
| University of Hawaii | Supporting Organization | Academia | Hilo, Hawaii |
Primary U.S. Work Locations
-
Hawaii
-
Maryland
-
Massachusetts
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