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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 325 records · Page 18
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1982

Density measurement in air with a saturable absorbing seed gas

A method for making density measurements in a compressible flow by using off resonance laser induced fluorescence is studied. The seed molecule chosen for study is the iodine molecule which is excited with the 514.5 nm line of the argon ion laser whose output is frequency tuned, by as much as 3 GHz, relative to a strong iodine transition using an intracavity etalon. The theory which was developed to analyze the effect will be used in conjunction with two experiments being conducted to further study the method an acoustic resonance tube in which controlled perturbations about a uniform state are produced, and a small supersonic jet in which the conditions of the flow vary widely from point to point.

Baganoff, D.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Low temperature operation of an S2 laser using radio frequency simmer discharges

Technological problems stemming from high temperature operation of the sulfur resonator have hindered its development as a tunable, efficient, discharge pumped laser. The use of RF simmer discharges is shown to reduce previous temperature constraints by dissociating polyatomic sulfur molecules into the dimer, such that lasing is achieved when pumped by an XeCl excimer laser. The peak power output of the S2 laser and the transmission spectra through sulfur discharges are used to infer the effectiveness of the discharge in dissociating the vapor.

Killeen, K. P.↗
NASA NTRS1985

An advanced solid state pressure transducer for high reliability SSME application

New methods to advance the state-of-the-art of pressure sensors for the Space Shuttle Main Engine were demonstrated. The results of the feasibility and breadboard demonstration phase and the current status of the research development prototype follow-on phase are presented. A technology breakthrough utilizing silicon piezoresistive technology was achieved in the first phase. A transducer design concept for the SSME application utilizes packaging materials with similar thermal coefficients of expansion and maintains the transducer seals primarily in compression. The silicon chip design will provide dual sensing outputs with laser trimmable integrated compensating electronics. The silicon resistor ion implant dose was customized for the SSME temperature requirement. A basic acoustic modeling software program was developed to evaluate the frequency response characteristics for the package design.

Johnson, R. L.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Efficient, frequency-stable laser-diode-pumped Nd:YAG laser

One of the main goals of the study was to demonstrate a low-power efficient Nd:YAG laser oscillator for applications in remote coherent Doppler anemometry. An electrical-to-optical slope efficiency of 6.5 percent has been achieved by using commercially available CW laser diodes of up to 100 mW to pump monolithic Nd:YAG rod lasers. The observed Nd:YAG oscillation threshold is at 2.3 mW of laser-diode output power, i.e., a small fraction of the rated output power. The highest Nd:YAG CW output power reached is 4.4 mW at an overall electrical-to-optical efficiency of 1.5 percent. The frequency jitter is less than 10 kHz in 0.3 s.

Zhou, B.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Single-ended output GaAs/AlGaAs single quantum well laser with a dry-etched corner reflector

GaAs/AlGaAs single quantum well lasers with integrated corner reflectors have been fabricated using chemically assisted ion beam etching. The air-GaAs interface is internally totally reflecting, and no coherent radiation is transmitted through the corner reflector. The corner reflector laser was compared with a conventional Fabry-Perot laser cleaved from the same wafer. An 11-percent reduction in threshold current and a reduction of the far-field angle from 4.4 deg to 0.7 deg was measured.

Hagberg, M.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Solid-state lasers for coherent communication and remote sensing

Semiconductor-diode laser-pumped solid-state lasers have properties that are superior to other lasers for the applications of coherent communication and remote sensing. These properties include efficiency, reliability, stability, and capability to be scaled to higher powers. We have demonstrated that an optical phase-locked loop can be used to lock the frequency of two diode-pumped 1.06 micron Nd:YAG lasers to levels required for coherent communication. Monolithic nonplanar ring oscillators constructed from solid pieces of the laser material provide better than 10 kHz frequency stability over 0.1 sec intervals. We have used active feedback stabilization of the cavity length of these lasers to demonstrate 0.3 Hz frequency stabilization relative to a reference cavity. We have performed experiments and analysis to show that optical parametric oscillators (OPO's) reproduce the frequency stability of the pump laser in outputs that can be tuned to arbitrary wavelengths. Another measurement performed in this program has demonstrated the sub-shot-noise character of correlations of the fluctuations in the twin output of OPO's. Measurements of nonlinear optical coefficients by phase-matched second harmonic generation are helping to resolve inconsistency in these important parameters.

Byer, Robert L.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Use of microgravity to improve the efficiency and power output of Nd-doped laser glasses

The objectives of this research are to: (1) obtain further evidence and understand the science for the reported improvement in chemical homogeneity in glasses prepared in microgravity; and (2) study the feasibility of improving the optical and fluorescence properties, particularly, the limit for Nd(+3) concentration quenching and threshold energy for laser action for laser glasses prepared in microgravity. Attention was directed to ground based investigation whose primary purpose was to determine the suitability and conditions for processing these laser glasses in space. This report describes that the scientific and technical information required for planning flight experiments for these glasses have been obtained, and the preparation for handling and analyzing post flight samples have also been taken. Instruments required for measuring the fluorescence properties of interest have been constructed. The optical and fluorescence properties for the glasses have been measured and made available for comparative property analysis.

Ray, Chandra S.↗
NASA NTRS1994

More About Graded-Reflectance Optics For Coherent Lidar

Report presents theoretical study of energy-extraction and power-transmission efficiency of unstable-resonator laser cavity, output mirror of which has graded reflectance. Super-gaussian reflectance profile may optimize performance. Similar study reported in "Comparative Study of Resonator Optics for Lidar Applications" (NPO-17776).

Tratt, David M.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Long-pulse-length 2-micron diode-pumped YLiF4 laser

A diode-pumped Ho:Tm:YLiF4 laser at room temperature has achieved an optical efficiency of 5.9 percent under normal-mode operation. Long pulse lengths, of the order of 1 microsec, have been obtained by use of 4-m ring resonator, with laser energy output of 15 mJ in single Q-switched pulses for an input energy of 2.078 J.

Jani, Mahendra G.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Single Frequency, Pulsed Laser Diode Transmitter for Dial Water Vapor Measurements at 935nm

We report a tunable, single frequency, narrow linewidth, pulsed laser diode transmitter at 935.68nm for remote sensing of atmospheric water vapor. The transmitter consists of a CW, tunable, external cavity diode laser whose output is amplified 2OdB using a tapered diode amplifier. The output is pulsed for range resolved DIAL lidar by pulsing the drive current to the diode amplifier at 4kHz with a .5% duty cycle. The output from the transmitter is 36OnJ/pulse and is single spatial mode. It maintains a linewidth of less than 25MHz as its wavelength is tuned across the water vapor absorption line at 935.68nm. The transmitter design and its use in a water vapor measurement will be discussed.

Switzer, Gregg W.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Membrane Vibration Analysis Above the Nyquist Limit with Fluorescence Videogrammetry

A new method for generating photogrammetric targets by projecting an array of laser beams onto a membrane doped with fluorescent laser dye has recently been developed. In this paper we review this new fluorescence based technique, then proceed to show how it can be used for dynamic measurements, and how a short pulsed (10 ns) laser allows the measurement of vibration modes at frequencies several times the sampling frequency. In addition, we present experimental results showing the determination of fundamental and harmonic vibration modes of a drum style dye-doped polymer membrane tautly mounted on a 12-inch circular hoop and excited with 30 Hz and 62 Hz sinusoidal acoustic waves. The projected laser dot pattern was generated by passing the beam from a pulsed Nd:YAG laser though a diffractive optical element, and the resulting fluorescence was imaged with three digital video cameras, all of which were synchronized with a pulse and delay generator. Although the video cameras are capable of 240 Hz frame rates, the laser s output was limited to 30 Hz and below. Consequently, aliasing techniques were used to allow the measurement of vibration modes up to 186 Hz with a Nyquist limit of less than 15 Hz.

Dorrington, Adrian A.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Scanning Tunneling Optical Resonance Microscopy Developed

The ability to determine the in situ optoelectronic properties of semiconductor materials has become especially important as the size of device architectures has decreased and the development of complex microsystems has increased. Scanning Tunneling Optical Resonance Microscopy, or STORM, can interrogate the optical bandgap as a function of its position within a semiconductor micro-structure. This technique uses a tunable solidstate titanium-sapphire laser whose output is "chopped" using a spatial light modulator and is coupled by a fiber-optic connector to a scanning tunneling microscope in order to illuminate the tip-sample junction. The photoenhanced portion of the tunneling current is spectroscopically measured using a lock-in technique. The capabilities of this technique were verified using semiconductor microstructure calibration standards that were grown by organometallic vapor-phase epitaxy. Bandgaps characterized by STORM measurements were found to be in good agreement with the bulk values determined by transmission spectroscopy and photoluminescence and with the theoretical values that were based on x-ray diffraction results.

Bailey, Sheila G.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Multiple-wavelength tunable laser

A tunable laser includes dispersion optics for separating generated laser pulses into first and second wavelength pulses directed along first and second optical paths. First and second reflective mirrors are disposed in the first and second optical paths, respectively. The laser's output mirror is partially reflective and partially transmissive with respect to the first wavelength and the second wavelength in accordance with provided criteria. A first resonator length is defined between the output mirror and the first mirror, while a second resonator length is defined between the output mirror and the second mirror. The second resonator length is a function of the first resonator length.

Barnes, Norman P.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Sequence Detection for PPM Optical Communication With ISI

A method of sequence detection has been proposed to mitigate the effects of inter-slot interference and inter-symbol interference (both denoted ISI) in the reception of M-ary pulse-position modulation (PPM) optical signals. The method would make it possible to reduce the error rate for a given slot duration, to use a shorter slot duration (and, hence, to communicate at a higher rate) without exceeding a given error rate, or to use a lower-bandwidth (and, hence, less-expensive) receiver to receive a signal of a given slot width without exceeding a given error rate. In M-ary PPM, a symbol period is divided into M time slots, each of duration T(sub s), and a symbol consists of a binary sequence ones and zeros represented by pulses or the absence of pulses, respectively, in the time slots. At the transmitter, the bit stream is used to modulate a laser, the output of which is constant (either full power or zero power, representing 1 or 0, respectively) during each time slot. However, the signal becomes attenuated (signal photons are lost) in propagation from the transmitter to the receiver and noise enters at the receiver, complicating the problem of determining the timing of the symbol periods and slots and identifying the symbols.

Moision, Bruce↗
NASA NTRS2005

Miniature Laser Doppler Velocimeter for Measuring Wall Shear

A miniature optoelectronic instrument has been invented as a nonintrusive means of measuring a velocity gradient proportional to a shear stress in a flow near a wall. The instrument, which can be mounted flush with the wall, is a variant of a basic laser Doppler velocimeter. The laser Doppler probe volume can be located close enough to the wall (as little as 100 micron from the surface) to lie within the viscosity-dominated sublayer of a turbulent boundary layer. The instrument includes a diode laser, the output of which is shaped by a diffractive optical element (DOE) into two beams that have elliptical cross sections with very high aspect ratios.

Gharib, Morteza↗
NASA NTRS2012

Dynamically variable spot size laser system

A Dynamically Variable Spot Size (DVSS) laser system for bonding metal components includes an elongated housing containing a light entry aperture coupled to a laser beam transmission cable and a light exit aperture. A plurality of lenses contained within the housing focus a laser beam from the light entry aperture through the light exit aperture. The lenses may be dynamically adjusted to vary the spot size of the laser. A plurality of interoperable safety devices, including a manually depressible interlock switch, an internal proximity sensor, a remotely operated potentiometer, a remotely activated toggle and a power supply interlock, prevent activation of the laser and DVSS laser system if each safety device does not provide a closed circuit. The remotely operated potentiometer also provides continuous variability in laser energy output.

Gradl, Paul R.↗
NASA NTRS2008

Polarization/Spatial Combining of Laser-Diode Pump Beams

A breadboard version of an optical beam combiner is depicted which make it possible to use the outputs of any or all of four multimode laser diodes to pump a non-planar ring oscillator (NPRO) laser. The output of each laser diode has a single-mode profile in the meridional plane containing an axis denoted the 'fast' axis and a narrower multimode profile in the orthogonal meridional plane, which contains an axis denoted the 'slow' axis and a narrower multimode profile in the orthogonal meridional plane, which contains an axis denoted the 'slow' axis. One of the purposes served by the beam-combining optics is to reduce the fast-axis numerical aperture (NA) of the laser-diode output to match the NA of the optical fiber. Along the slow axis, the unmodified laser-diode NA is already well matched to the fiber optic NA, so no further slow-axis beam shaping is needed. In this beam combiner, the laser-diode outputs are collimated by aspherical lenses, then half-wave plates and polarizing beam splitters are used to combine the four collimated beams into two beams. Spatial combination of the two beams and coupling into the optical fiber is effected by use of anamorphic prisms, mirrors, and a focusing lens. The anamorphic prisms are critical elements in the NA-matching scheme, in that they reduce the fast-axis beam width to 1/6 of its original values. Inasmuch as no slow-axis beam shaping is needed, the collimating and focusing lenses are matched for 1:1 iumaging. Because these lenses are well corrected for infinite conjugates the combiner offers diffraction-limited performance along both the fast and slow axes.

Gelsinger, Paul↗