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This
research program involves subsystem and system level development
of spaceborne and ground receiver free-space laser-communication
terminals communicating to and from distant planetary and
Earth-orbiting spacecrafts. Optical (laser) communication
offers substantial enhancements to spacecraft data return
while reducing the size, mass, and power requirements for
the spacecraft.
Research
opportunities in this area include: development of laser
beam acquisition, tracking and pointing techniques and algorithms,
development of simulation and analysis algorithms, systems
engineering (analysis and design) of optical transmission
and reception systems, development of high efficiency flight
qualifiable solid-state lasers, fast fine-pointing mirrors,
high update-rate acquisition and tracking cameras and very
low noise high quantum efficiency receivers.
Additionally
there are a number of opportunities with the use of existing
ground lasercomm receiver telescope and definition of low-cost
large (~10m) aperture telescopes for future ground receiver
stations. Opportunities are available for both experimental
and theoretical research.
The
Optical Communications Group is continually recruiting talented
and motivated engineers and physicists with one or more
of the following areas of expertise:
- Free-space
optical communications
- Laser
beam acquisition, tracking and pointing
- Experimental
electro-optics
- High
efficiency opto-electronic receivers
- Diode-pumped
pulsed lasers
- Laser
beam propagation through atmosphere
- Large
telescope optics and operation and adaptive opticsG
- General
opto-mechanical, software, and high-speed electronics
electro-optical systems
In
addition, the following programs are available:
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