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Rectangular Relief Diffraction Gratings for Coherent Lidar Beam DeflectionLIDAR systems require a light transmitting system for sending a laser light pulse into space and a receiving system for collecting the retro-scattered light, separating it from the outgoing beam and analyzing the received signal for calculating wind velocities. Currently, a shuttle manifested coherent LIDAR experiment called SPARCLE (SPAce Readiness Coherent Lidar Experiment) includes a silicon wedge (or prism) in its design in order to deflect the outgoing beam 30 degrees relative to the incident direction. The intent of this paper is to present two optical design approaches that may enable the replacement of the optical wedge component (in future, larger aperture, post-SPARCLE missions) with a surface relief transmission diffraction grating. Such a grating could be etched into a lightweight, flat, fused quartz substrate. The potential advantages of a diffractive beam deflector include reduced weight, reduced power requirements for the driving scanning motor, reduced optical sensitivity to thermal gradients, and increased dynamic stability.
Document ID
20000012975
Acquisition Source
Marshall Space Flight Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Cole, H. J.
(NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL United States)
Dixit, S. N.
(Lawrence Livermore National Lab. Livermore, CA United States)
Shore, B. W.
(Lawrence Livermore National Lab. Livermore, CA United States)
Chambers, D. M.
(Alabama Univ. Huntsville, AL United States)
Britten, J. A.
(Lawrence Livermore National Lab. Livermore, CA United States)
Kavaya, M. J.
(NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL United States)
Date Acquired
August 19, 2013
Publication Date
November 1, 1999
Publication Information
Publication: Tenth Biennial Coherent Laser Radar Technology and Applications Conference
Subject Category
Instrumentation And Photography
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: W-7405-eng-48
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.
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