Abstract: A process enables growing thick stoichiometric crystalline and preferably IR-transparent optical PCMO material on Si and other substrates. Sputter deposition is carried out in oxygen-free inert gas (e.g., Ar) environment, which helps to prevent decomposition of the PCMO material over the substrate. In the disclosed process, there is no need to add a seed layer prior to PCMO deposition. Moreover, no post-deposition annealing is needed in a high-temperature and high-pressure oxygen furnace, but an anneal provides certain additional benefits in terms of improved transparency at IR wavelengths. Over a long deposition time for a thick PCMO film on the high temperature (?450° C.) substrates, the PCMO deposition is made repeated cycles of deposition of the PCMO material at the high temperature, each deposition cycle being followed by cooling the PCMO-deposited substrate to a substantially lower temperature (<50° C.).

Abstract: A process enables growing thick stoichiometric crystalline and preferably IR-transparent optical PCMO material on Si and other substrates. Sputter deposition is carried out in oxygen-free inert gas (e.g., Ar) environment, which helps to prevent decomposition of the PCMO material over the substrate. In the disclosed process, there is no need to add a seed layer prior to PCMO deposition. Moreover, no post-deposition annealing is needed in a high-temperature and high-pressure oxygen furnace, but an anneal provides certain additional benefits in terms of improved transparency at IR wavelengths. Over a long deposition time for a thick PCMO film on the high temperature (?450° C.) substrates, the PCMO deposition is made repeated cycles of deposition of the PCMO material at the high temperature, each deposition cycle being followed by cooling the PCMO-deposited substrate to a substantially lower temperature (<50° C.).

Abstract: A spatial light modulator cell and arrays of spatial light modulator cells are disclosed. The spatial light modulator cells can comprise a phase change material (PCM) having a first side and a second side; an optical reflector configured to reflect an optical beam passing from the first side to the second side; and a PCM heater thermal conductively coupled to the PCM, wherein thermal modulation of the PCM modulates a phase of the PCM which varies light transmission through the PCM. Methods of making spatial light modulator cells and arrays are also disclosed.

Abstract: A process enables growing thick stoichiometric crystalline and preferably IR-transparent optical PCMO material on Si and other substrates. Sputter deposition is carried out in oxygen-free inert gas (e.g., Ar) environment, which helps to prevent decomposition of the PCMO material over the substrate. In the disclosed process, there is no need to add a seed layer prior to PCMO deposition. Moreover, no post-deposition annealing is needed in a high-temperature and high-pressure oxygen furnace, but an anneal provides certain additional benefits in terms of improved transparency at IR wavelengths. Over a long deposition time for a thick PCMO film on the high temperature (?450° C.) substrates, the PCMO deposition is made repeated cycles of deposition of the PCMO material at the high temperature, each deposition cycle being followed by cooling the PCMO-deposited substrate to a substantially lower temperature (<50° C.).

Abstract: A continuous wave (CW) heterodyne light detection and ranging (LIDAR) air velocity sensor system that comprises a first light emitting structure arranged to send a signal light in a first direction in space; a second light emitting structure arranged to produce a local oscillator light having a wavelength different from the wavelength of the signal light by a predetermined wavelength; a receiver arranged to receive light from said first direction in space; and a first optical mixer for mixing the received light with said local oscillator light.

Abstract: A sensor system including a spectrometer with a light source having a plurality of selectable wavelengths, a controller for controlling the sensor system, for selecting wavelengths of illumination light produced by the light source, and for controlling the light source to illuminate a spatial location, a photodetector aligned to detect light received from the spatial location, a blind demixer coupled to the photodetector for separating received spectra in the detected light into a set of sample spectra associated with different demixed or partially demixed chemical components, a memory having a plurality of stored reference spectra, a non-blind demixer coupled to the blind demixer and to the memory for non-blind demixing of the sample spectra using the reference spectra, and a classifier coupled to the non-blind demixer for classifying the set of demixed sample spectra into chemical components using the reference spectra.

Abstract: A continuous wave (CW) heterodyne light detection and ranging (LIDAR) air velocity sensor system that comprises a first light emitting structure arranged to send a signal light in a first direction in space; a second light emitting structure arranged to produce a local oscillator light having a wavelength different from the wavelength of the signal light by a predetermined wavelength; a receiver arranged to receive light from said first direction in space; and a first optical mixer for mixing the received light with said local oscillator light.

Abstract: Heliostats are utilized to direct solar energy to a target configured for collecting the solar energy. The heliostats include mirrors that are adjustable so as to track the position of the sun relative to the target as the position changes over time. The heliostats are configured for self-alignment without the need for external control or surveying.

Abstract: An spectrometer having a first lens, a perforated focal plane mask having a front surface and rear surface and a plurality of perforations, the first lens configured to focus incoming radiation onto a front surface of the focal plane mask, each of the perforations of the focal plane mask causing a radiation beam that is emitted from the rear surface of the focal plane mask, a dispersing element receiving the radiation beams and configured to disperse each of the radiation beams into dispersed radiation beams, a second lens, and a focal plane array, the second lens configured to focus the dispersed radiation beams onto the focal plane array.

Abstract: A laser radar system capable of measuring windspeed to within 1 m/s at distances in the range of 10 km. The system comprises two Faraday atomic line filter/detectors combinations, a first filter-detector which consist of a metal vapor cell located between crossed polarizers. A magnetic field is applied to the cell which Zeeman splits the energy levels resulting in different absorption lines for left and right circularly polarized light. Near these lines the filter acts as a Faraday rotator providing rotary power only in the vicinity of an absorption line, which provides the 90 degree rotation necessary to pass the second polarizer. At higher fields and vapor densities multiple rotations lead to rapid modulations in the transmission spectrum. Away from the absorption line the filter provides an out of band rejection that is determined by the extinction ratio of the crossed polarizers. By tuning the temperature and the magnetic field in each Faraday filter sharply crossing response curves can be produced.

Abstract: A laser radar system capable of measuring windspeed to within 1 m/s at distances in the range of 10 km. The system comprises two fast atomic line filter-detectors, a first filter-detector and a second filter-detector, in which a metal vapor is excited by signal light and further excited to a Rydberg level by a pump laser beam. An electric field is applied to the filters which ionizes the atoms. The filter-detectors operate at one of the resonance absorption peaks of the metal vapor. The second filter-detector is also subject to a magnetic field which splits the absorption peak of the vapor into two absorption peaks leaving a valley in the position of the original absorption peak. A preferred lasing frequency range is a frequency range covering a portion of one of the slopes of the peak of the first filter and a portion of one of the opposite direction slopes of one of the peaks of the second filter.