The Electro-Optics Seeker Sensor team is investigating a wide range of topics in support of compact, low-cost spectropolarimetric LiDAR sensors. LiDAR is a powerful tool to produce 3-D images, achieve foliage and netting penetration, and for machine vision for navigation, target detection and target ID. We are interested in integrating 3-D imaging and optical materials characterization to enable single pixel materials characterization. This may include spectral reflectivity and polarimetric reflectivity (Mueller matrix) as well as other sensing modalities. The requirement for small and low-cost drives the need for fundamentally new ways to design spectropolarimetric LiDAR systems and the need to improve target detection and ID drives new studies of light-material interactions and machine learning for contrast improvement and materials classification.

As laser sources are critical to LiDAR systems, our research program is developing new sources based on nonlinear fiber optics in solid core and hollow core fibers for development of multispectral lasers, wavelength-agile lasers, and multi-polarization lasers. In particular, we are studying processes such as Raman scattering, four-wave mixing, and optical parametric amplification/oscillation in gas/liquid filled fibers for spectral LiDAR. In addition, we are studying phase modulation in solid core PM fiber to develop multi-polarization lasers supporting polarimetric LiDAR.

We are leveraging the nonlinear fiber optics work for new photon sources for quantum technology. We are investigating new techniques to develop tunable entangled and unentangled photon pairs and are investigating Air Force relevant applications.

Research is highly collaborative and cuts across multiple disciplines including optics, lasers and nonlinear optics, chemistry, image processing, signal processing, and materials characterization. 

key words

Laser; Nonlinear optics; Fiber Optics; Laser radar; LiDAR; Automatic target detection; Imaging Processing; Spectropolarimetric imaging; Electro-optic sensor; quantum

Citizenship:  Open to U.S. citizens

Level:  Open to Postdoctoral and Senior applicants