Applied Energetics, Inc.

Arete Associates

Other

Ionatron

Paul Bryan Lundquist

Stephen William McCahon

Samvel Sarkisyan

Eric A Wilson

Joseph C Hayden

Michael Francis Marnon

Richard Adler

Gregory J Fetzer

Richard Vercillo

Eric Lau

Thomas Laurence Kraus

Hector Martin

Jiamin (Jim) Zhang

James T Murray

Micah Boyd

Rudolf Heinrich Binder

Kyle Christian Heideman

Nai-Hang Kwong

Raymond M Copenhaver

Steven McCahon

Charles Patterson Forsyth

Eric Nelson-Melby

Jason Seely

Steve Rako

Lidar systems and methods are presented herein. In one embodiment, a lidar system includes a laser operable to propagate ultrashort laser pulses to a target during a plurality of scanning periods. The lidar system also includes a streak tube imaging system operable to collect returns of the ultrashort laser pulses from the target during each scanning period, and to generate a two-dimensional image of the returns during each scanning period. The lidar system also includes a processor operable to generate a representation of the target based on the 2D images from the streak tube imaging system.

High range resolution light detection and ranging

Systems and methods herein provide for Laser Detection and Ranging (Lidar). One Lidar system includes a laser operable to generate laser light. The system also includes a transmitter operable to rotate at a first rate, and to transmit the laser light along a first path from the Lidar system to a target. The system also includes a receiver operable to rotate at the first rate, and to receive at least a portion of the laser light along a second path from the target. The first and second paths are different. The system also includes a processor operable to calculate a range and an angle to the target using an angular displacement between the second path and the receiver that arises from the first rate of rotation for the transmitter and the receiver.

Laser detection and ranging

Embodiments herein provide for improved range response in lidar systems. In one embodiment, a lidar system includes a laser, and a detector. First optics direct light from the laser on a beam path along a first optical axis of the first optics. Second optics image the light from the beam path onto a second plane that is substantially normal to the first plane. The second optics have a second optical axis that differs from the first optical axis. The first and the second optical axes lie in a same first plane. A first line in the first plane intersects a second line in the second plane at an acute angle. The first line is perpendicular to the first optical axis. A spatial filter configured in or near the second plane filters the light from the second optics onto the detector.

Tilted image plane lidar

Systems and methods herein provide for Laser Detection and Ranging (Lidar). In one embodiment, a Lidar system includes a laser operable to propagate continuous wave (CW) laser light and a scanner operable as a transmitter and a receiver for the CW laser light. The Lidar system also includes a detector for determining a range to a target based on displacement of the CW laser light received by the receiver. The displacement of the CW laser light is proportional to an angular velocity of the scanner.

Continuous wave laser detection and ranging

Provided herein are systems and methods for an active sensing instrument actively utilizing the Christiansen effect to sense and adapt to suspended scatterers such as dust. The instrument enhances detection of remote surfaces that are partially or fully obscured at visual wavelengths due to those suspended scatterers. The system also may be used to measure properties and spatial distributions of the suspended scatterers themselves. Though the system is broadly applicable to remote detection through scattering media, it is particularly drawn to remote sensing through dust particles in the atmosphere as may be produced from helicopter fly-overs, dust storms, or other events that draw up substantial concentrations of mineral-based dust particles into the air.

Active christiansen effect LIDAR system and method

Provided herein are systems and methods for switching the generation of light emissions using charge separation in a gain medium to manipulate carrier lifetimes. For a given output pulse energy, extended carrier lifetimes may allow carrier generation powers to be reduced and/or carrier generation times to be extended. L-switching of light output from a gain medium may be combined with other switching schemes utilizing different approaches to control lasing, such as Q-switching.

Systems and methods of an L-switched light emission

Provided herein are systems and methods for scanning an optical sensor on a platform required to operate within a medium having a different pressure than the internal pressure of the sensor, including both underwater and high-altitude applications. For the case of underwater platforms, portions of the vehicle may be pulled or driven by propulsive forces through the water, whereas other portions of the vehicle may carry the platform for optical scanning, attached and rotationally controlled with respect to the driven portion of the vehicle. The platform may be rotated with respect to the portion that is pulled or driven through the water or other fluid. In some embodiments, that driven portion remains rotationally fixed with respect to the water. Other embodiments of vehicles in different environments may interface with different fluids or gasses and may be driven through the fluids or gases in similar manners.

Optical sensor scanning platform

Systems and methods presented herein provide for optical surveillance using modulated lasers, or other forms of light, and optical detection. In one embodiment, an optical surveillance system includes a light source, such as a laser or light emitting diode, and a signal generator operable to modulate the light source. The system also includes a detector operable to detect the modulated light source and a processor communicatively coupled to the detector to distinguish the modulated light source from other detected light based on the modulating waveform of the modulated light source. The processor is also operable to determine a presence of an object between the laser and the detector based on an obscuration of the laser pulses on the detector.

Optical surveillance systems and methods

The various laser architectures described herein provide increased gain of optical energy as well as compensation of optical phase distortions in a thin disk gain medium. An optical amplifier presented herein provides for scalable high energy extraction and gains based on a number of passes of the signal beam through a gain medium. Multiple, spatially separate, optical paths may also be passed through the same gain region to provide gain clearing by splitting off a small percentage of an output pulse and sending it back through the amplifier along a slightly different path. By clearing out the residual gain, uniform signal amplitudes can be obtained.

Axial walk off multi-pass amplifiers

A laser amplifier system is presented including a pump regenerative amplifier. The amplifier generally has a cavity defined by a pair of end cavity mirrors between which an amplified pump pulse oscillates. The amplifier also includes an interaction cell with a tunable gain medium amplifies laser pulses (e.g., Raman gain). The interaction cell may be positioned within the pump amplifier cavity and an input pulse may be injected into the cavity of the amplifier to transit through the tunable gain medium of the interaction cell. A pump pulse transfers energy via interaction with the input pulse (e.g., Raman interaction) as the pulses counter-propagate through the gain medium of the interaction cell. Amplification of output laser pulses, however, is generally achieved according to the wavelength of the pump laser pulses thereby providing a wavelength dependent, or 'tunable', means for amplifying laser pulses.

Regenerative laser amplifier

Off axis walk off multi-pass amplifiers

Multi-pass optical system for a pump laser

Presented herein is a multipass optical amplifier including a thin-disk gain medium, a first reflective element optically coupled to the gain medium, a first parabolic reflector in optical communication with the gain medium and the first reflective element, a second parabolic reflector in optical communication with the first parabolic reflector, and a second reflective element in optical communication with the second parabolic reflector. The amplifier also includes a pump source, a signal beam source, and a chamber having first and second regions configured about the multipass optical amplifier with a port that extracts gas from the chamber. The first region includes the first parabolic reflector, the gain medium, and the first reflective element. The second region of the chamber includes the second reflective element and the second parabolic reflector. An input optic propagates the signal beam through the amplifier to impinge the gain medium multiple times for gain.

Growing community of inventors

Tucson, AZ, United States of America

Paul Bryan Lundquist