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Microlaser pUmped tunable optical Source based on parameTric conversion in GaAs for Remote Detection of hazardous chemicals and explosives – MUSTARD

Novel infrared laser technologies to counter the chemical threat

The standoff detection of hazardous chemicals and explosives is an important issue to fight against intentional and accidental threats. MUSTARD project aims at developing new laser technologies to address this need that is currently poorly covered by existing technologies.

Development of a laser source for standoff detection of hazardous gases

Fast and reliable standoff detection and identification of hazardous substances and explosives are of utmost importance in for defence applications and for public security. In such a context, optical detection methods can be a real asset for situational awareness owing to their standoff detection capability and their ability to to discriminate prohibited or toxic species from ambient environment since almost all organic chemical compounds exhibit strong characteristic absorbance patterns in the mid-infrared spectral range. These absorption lines can be probed using the radiation emitted by a laser. To perform these standoff measurements, the most promising techniques are those based on differential absorption backscattering spectroscopy (Differential Absorption Lidar and multispectral backscatter absorption gas<br />imaging).<br />In practice, the successful implementation of these methods requires to have a compact laser source, widely tunable in the 6-14 µm spectral range with a narrow linewidth (<0.05 cm-1), in order to identify the gases in the presence of interferents. In addition, to enable standoff detection at a distance> 100 m, the source must operate in pulsed regime (ns) with a sufficient peak power (> 100 W). However, none of the<br />previously developed systems satisfactorily fulfills all the above-mentioned requirements.<br />MUSTARD project aims at developing a laser source able to meet the required specifications and performing an experimental demonstration of its capabilities.

The MUSTARD optical source is based on an original architecture: an optical parametric oscillator (OPO) based on an OP-GaAs non linear crystal pumped by a 2-µm microlaser. This device combines, for the first time, three key technologies. Namely, (1) a compact OPO based on the NesCOPO design patented and developed by ONERA allowing single-frequency operation in pulsed nanosecond regime, (2) an OP-GaAs nonlinear crystal developed by TRT allowing access to the 6 -14 µm range, (3) a fibered 2-µm microlaser designed and developed y TRT and Teem Photonics.
The original combination of these three key technologies will result in a pulsed narrow-linewidth laser source, tunable in the mid-infrared, which will clearly be far above the current international state of the art and will provide a breakthrough to develop backscattering spectroscopy systems
with real standoff capabilities. Such capabilities will be demonstrated through a preliminary laboratory experiment of standoff gas leak detection.

The project started for less than six months, the work has mostly concerned definition and design tasks. The first technical realizations are expected in the coming months.

This project paves the way for the development of systems for standoff detection of hazardous chemicals at medium range. Besides, an immediate outlook of this project would be to carry out additional technological developments to increase the output energy and thus enable measurements at longer ranges.

The kick-off of MUSTARD project is too recent to have already led to a publication.

There is an increasing demand for compact sensors able to early detect hazardous chemicals, explosives, their precursors and several toxic chemical compounds. Indeed, fast and reliable standoff detection of traces of hidden hazardous or prohibited substances in solid, liquid, or vapor phase is an important issue for defence, security (potential intentional harm), and safety (potential accidental harm) applications.

In this context, optical detection methods can be a real asset for situational awareness thanks to (1) their standoff, remote or at least contactless detection capability, (2) their ability to discriminate prohibited or toxic species from ambient environment since almost all organic chemical compounds exhibit strong characteristic absorbance patterns in the mid-infrared spectral range, especially in the so-called ‘fingerprint’ region between 6 and 14 µm.

Standoff detection and identification, that do not require collecting and bringing the sample to the sensor for detection, are among the most wanted capabilities, but it is also one of the greatest technical challenges. The most promising techniques to fulfil the above requirements with a limited interaction (non-contaminating, non-destructive, etc.) with the analytes are those based on differential absorption backscattering spectroscopy (differential absorption LIDAR and backscatter absorption gas imaging) that require to have access to versatile broadly tunable laser sources.

Since the return light decreases inversely with the distance squared, the operational needs in terms of laser energy or power strongly depend on the required detection range. In this way, in frequent scenarios where the safety distance for standoff detection and identification is typically of ~ 100 m or larger, pulsed operation, as provided by Q-switched lasers, is necessary to supply a sufficient peak power (> 100 W).

Compact, robust, eyesafe, and narrow-linewidth (< 0.05 cm–1) pulsed laser sources that can be broadly tuned in the 6–14 µm spectral range are thus highly desirable for early standoff detection of hazardous chemicals and explosives. However, none of the previously developed systems, including CO2 lasers and quantum cascade lasers, satisfactorily fulfils all the above-mentioned requirements.

The purpose of MUSTARD—Microlaser pUmped tunable optical Source based on parameTric conversion in GaAs for Remote Detection of hazardous chemicals and explosives—project is to develop an optical source able to provide the required specifications. MUSTARD optical source will consist of a compact optical parametric oscillator (OPO) based on a NesCOPO design patented and developed by ONERA/DMPH. In order to access the 6–14 µm spectral range, the OPO will be based on an OP-GaAs non linear crystal developed at TRT, which will result in the first association of these two technologies. The OPO will be pumped by a fibered 2-µm microlaser that will also be designed and realized during the project by TRT and Teem Photonics. The combination of these three key technologies will result in a narrow linewidth tuneable mid-IR pulsed laser sources which will clearly be far above the current international state of the art and will provide a breakthrough to develop backscattering spectroscopy systems with real standoff capabilities. Such capabilities will be demonstrated through a preliminary laboratory experiment of standoff gas leak detection.

The MUSTARD consortium is well balanced between a public laboratory (ONERA), a large company (Thales), and a small enterprise (Teem Photonics). This will thus help the dissemination of the knowledge and technology from the research laboratory towards the industry. It will develop the expertise of laboratories on critical laser systems, and increase the competitiveness of these two French companies on potentially large scale defence, civil security and safety markets, thus allowing the potential creation of new jobs.

Project coordination

Antoine GODARD (OFFICE NATIONAL D'ETUDES ET DE RECHERCHES AEROSPATIALES - ONERA CENTRE DE PALAISEAU) – Antoine.Godard@onera.fr

The author of this summary is the project coordinator, who is responsible for the content of this summary. The ANR declines any responsibility as for its contents.

Partner

ONERA/DMPH OFFICE NATIONAL D'ETUDES ET DE RECHERCHES AEROSPATIALES - ONERA CENTRE DE PALAISEAU
TRT THALES RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY
Teem Photonics Teem Photonics

Help of the ANR 291,315 euros
Beginning and duration of the scientific project: January 2012 - 30 Months

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