Rapid monolith development at scale is achieved through use of a functionally equivalent optic simulant made from a low-cost material to substitute the functional optic. Monolith optical performance is affected not only by thermal expansion but also by temperature inhomogeneity due to the temperature dependence of refractive index.
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- Imaging Systems (9)
- Photoconductive Semiconductor Switches (PCSS) (9)
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Technology Portfolios
![MonoTel Compact Monolithic Space Telescope](/sites/default/files/styles/scale_exact_400x400_/public/2024-01/MonoTel%20Compact%20Monolithic%20Space%20Telescope.png?itok=G-ETi6O8)
Aeroptics are a proposed new class of monolithic optical system in aerogel fabricated by molding around a master mandrel. This approach combines the intrinsic stability of proven monolithic telescopes, with the ultralow density of silica aerogels. In Aeroptics, the monolith is hollow with an aerogel substrate providing a supporting structure. Theoretically, Aeroptics could enable 1-m aperture…
![OALV design with High-k Photoconductor and High-k Optical Window](/sites/default/files/styles/scale_exact_400x400_/public/2024-01/OALV%20design.png?itok=xMV74hXb)
LLNL researchers has developed designs to augment WBG/UWBG-based OALVs to improve their power handling capability under CW operational environments. These designs include:
![MonoTel Compact Monolithic Space Telescope](/sites/default/files/styles/scale_exact_400x400_/public/2024-01/MonoTel%20Compact%20Monolithic%20Space%20Telescope.png?itok=G-ETi6O8)
This invention achieves both a wider field of view and faster f-number within a monolithic substrate by incorporating an aspheric convex refractive first surface and a planar aspheric field corrector surface on the final refractive surface. These two refractive surfaces work in conjunction with a concave aspheric primary and convex aspheric secondary mirror (e.g. Cassegrain type) to improve…
![SEM image of a prototype for a neural implant shuttle etched into a non-SOI wafer. The 7:1 (Si:Photoresist) etch selectivity used here allowed for a maximum structure height of 32 μm, with up to 75 steps of 0.4 μm height each. Scale bar 100 μm.](/sites/default/files/styles/scale_exact_400x400_/public/2023-05/SEM%20image%20prototype%20neural%20implant%20shuttle.png?itok=fpnfB5Yr)
For this method, a Silicon on Insulator (SOI) wafer is used to tailor etch rates and thickness in initial steps of the process. The simple three step process approach is comprised of grayscale lithography, deep reactive-ion etch (DRIE) and liftoff of the SOI wafer. The liftoff process is used to dissolve the insulating layer, thus separating sections of the wafer as individual silicon…
![Segments of transmission line lengths can be switched to open circuit (as shown) or shorted to the ground (not shown)](/sites/default/files/styles/scale_exact_400x400_/public/2023-05/Segments%20of%20tranmission%20line%20lengths.png?itok=FF0qaBGw)
Design and construction of a photoconductive switch requires a diamond photoconductor illuminated by light of a certain excitation wavelength. The diamond material is specifically doped with substitutional nitrogen, which act as a source of electrons. The device architecture allows maximum light entering the aperture. The top and bottom electrodes are made of ultra wide band gap (UWBG)…
![Annular illumination on photo conductor by Conical Total Internal Reflection “CTIR” endcap](/sites/default/files/styles/scale_exact_400x400_/public/2023-05/CONIFR.png?itok=L4wSanXF)
The approach is to use a custom-designed frustrum and attach it to the optical fiber that connects to the PCSS. Light from the fiber enters the frustrum, spreads out, and enters the PCSS. Any unabsorbed light re-enters the frustrum and, because of its geometry, reflects back into the PCSS itself with only a negligible fraction escaping from the fiber. The shape of the novel frustrum is…
![monolithic_telescope.png monolithic_telescope](/sites/default/files/styles/scale_exact_400x400_/public/2019-08/monolithic_telescope.png?itok=s7ZajArc)
Monolithic Telescopes are a novel implementation of a solid catadioptric design form, instantiated in a monolithic block of fused silica.
![OTV Image](/sites/default/files/styles/scale_exact_400x400_/public/2022-02/OTV%20Image.png?itok=KEAmHqpM)
The Optical Transconductance Varistor (OTV, formerly Opticondistor) overcomes depletion region voltage limitations by optically exciting wide bandgap materials in a compact package. A 100μm thick crystal could have the capability approaching 40kV and would replace numerous equivalent junction devices. Thus, unlike present junction transistors or diodes, this wide bandgap device can be stacked…
![Space-based Telescopes for Actionable Refinement of Ephemeris (STARE)](/sites/default/files/styles/scale_exact_400x400_/public/2022-06/STARE.jpg?itok=nUdNYjfG)
LLNL is developing the Space-based Telescopes for Actionable Refinement of Ephemeris (STARE). STARE is a constellation of low cost nano-satellites (less than 5Kg) in low-earth orbit dedicated to the observation of space debris in conjunction with a ground-based infrastructure for maintenance, coordination and data processing. Each nano-satellite in the constellation is capable of recording an…
![microcantilever3.jpg microcantilever3](/sites/default/files/styles/scale_exact_400x400_/public/2019-08/microcantilever3.jpg?itok=NKaBhMlG)
LLNL has developed a compact and low-power cantilever-based sensor array, which has been used to detect various vapor-phase analytes. For further information on the latest developments, see the article "Sniffing the Air with an Electronic Nose."