99--TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER OPPORTUNITY - LASER LINEAR FREQUENCY MODULATION SYSTEM - IMPROVED ACCURACY IN LIGHT DETECTION AND RANGING AND OTHER OPTICAL MEASUREMENT ARRAYS:LAR-17800 -17801

NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, VA solicits inquiries from companies interested in obtaining license rights to commercialize, manufacture and market the following technology. License rights may be issued on an exclusive or nonexclusive basis and may include specific fields of use. NASA provides no funding in conjunction with these potential licenses. THE TECHNOLOGY: Scientists at NASA Langley Research Center have developed a breakthrough improvement in laser frequency modulation. Frequency modulation technology has been used for surface mapping and measurement in sonar, radar, and time-of-flight laser technologies for decades. Although adequate, the accuracy of distance measurements made by these technologies can be improved by using a high-frequency triangular-waveform laser instead of a sine waveform or lower frequency radio or microwaves. This new system generates a triangular modulation waveform with improved linearity that makes possible precision laser radar (light detection and ranging [lidar]) for a variety of applications.For decades, frequency modulation has been used to generate "chirps," the signals produced and interpreted by sonar and radar systems. Traditionally, a radio or microwave signal is transmitted toward the target and reflected back to a detector, which records the time elapsed and calculates the target's distance. Reflected signals can be heterodyned (combined) with output signals to determine the Doppler frequency shift and the target velocity. Accuracy of these systems can be enhanced by increasing the bandwidth of the chirp, but noise generated during heterodyning at high frequencies decreases the signal-to- noise ratio, increasing measurement error. Previous attempts at laser frequency modulation that relied on adjusting the laser cavity length have resulted in only sine wave or imperfect triangle waveforms. Heterodyning of imperfect, non-linear waveforms or sine waveforms will significantly degrade the effective signal-to-noise ratio, making such systems impractical. In contrast, the current technology produces a single, high frequency laser that is passed to an electro-optical modulator, which generates a series of harmonics. This range of frequencies is then passed through a band-pass optical filter so the desired harmonic frequency can be isolated and directed toward the target. By modulating the electrical signal applied to the electro-optical modulator, a near perfect triangular waveform laser beam can be produced. Transmission and detection of this highly linear triangular waveform facilitates optical heterodyning for the calculation of precise frequency and phase shifts between the output and reflected signals with a high signal-to-noise ratio. By combining this information with the time elapsed, the location and velocity of the target can be determined to within 1 mm or 1 mm/s. U.S. patent 8,897,654. To express interest in this opportunity, please respond to contact@example.gov with the title of this Technology Transfer Opportunity as listed in this FBO notice and your preferred contact information. Please also provide the nature of your interest in the technology along with a brief background of your company. For more information about licensing other NASA-developed technologies, please visit the NASA Technology Transfer Portal at http://technology.nasa.gov/ . These responses are provided to members of NASA Langley's Office of Strategic Analysis and Business Development "OSACB" for the purpose of promoting public awareness of NASA-developed technology products, and conducting preliminary market research to determine public interest in and potential for future licensing opportunities. If direct licensing interest results from this posting, OSACB will follow the required formal licensing process of posting in the Federal Register. No follow-on procurement is expected to result from responses to this Notice.