Physical Optics Corporation — Department of Defense SBIR Phase I: N161-033

Description

To address the Navy need for a compact, fiber-based, low-power laser range finder (LRF) for submarine periscope masts, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new Covert Fiber-Coupled Periscope Laser Range Finder (COFIL) that achieves covertness by using a very low power eye safe laser remotely located below the water line using fiber optics, combined with covert waveforms. COFIL incorporates compact optical components including a low-power solid-state eye safe laser, fiber coupling optics, and high-efficiency receiver optics that will allow covert operation of a laser rangefinder for long (15 km) range. The use of a low-power covert laser is made possible by innovative optics that concentrates the return signal on the detector, and a novel pulse waveform; a non-periodic/short-pulse waveform that further improves covertness. In Phase I, POC will demonstrate the feasibility of COFIL by designing and assembling a breadboard prototype and testing it with various targets that demonstrate its performance. In Phase II, POC plans to develop a prototype and demonstrate methods to integrate it with Navy periscope masts.