Feb 14 2008
Structured Materials Industries, Inc. (SMI) reports that it has received Phase I SBIR funding to investigate and develop lens coatings. Remote detection of chemical threats is an important part of the Proliferation Detection Program (PDP), focused on inhibiting proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD).
As part of the PDP, miniature spherical lenses are sought for remote chemical detection using LIDAR, typically utilizing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). These miniature lenses can serve as enhancers for the atmospheric detection of chemical threat agents. In this SBIR program, Structured Materials Industries, Inc. (SMI) will develop miniature lenses with controlled refractive index using an advanced processing technology for a new application. Importantly, the selected technique is capable of producing very large quantities of lenses per batch (several hundred thousand – depending on the size), making it extremely cost effective. In Phase I we will demonstrate proof-of-concept by fabricating millimeter-sized lenses with a defined and controllable index profile, and characterize their optical properties and quality. In Phase II, we may expand the technology to include other material compositions, including chalcogenide glasses, to extend the transmission wavelength, tune index profiles, refine optical quality, and scale up for economical Phase III production.
In LIDAR methods of remote chemical detection, typically cube retro-reflectors are used to return the optical beam to the laser transceiver after it has traversed the atmosphere. The returned beam is analyzed spectroscopically to evaluate chemical species in the air. However, in many cases, it is difficult to locate and orient the retro-reflector for this purpose. A spherical lens with a proper index profile will be able to efficiently reflect light back to its source without the need for angular orientation. The ideal size for these spherical lenses is in the 1 – 5 mm range. Miniature lenses like these could be easily deployed in large numbers and yet be indistinguishable from their background and thus would be unobtrusive. Thus, such miniature lenses would be very valuable for remote detection purposes.