Solid State Electro-Optic Tunable Fabry-Perot Filters (SSET-FAB) Scientific Solutions, Inc. (SSI) North Chelmsford, MA

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Solid State Electro-Optic Tunable Fabry-Perot
Filters (SSET-FAB)Scientific Solutions, Inc.
(SSI)North Chelmsford, MA
Small Business Innovation Research
INNOVATION This tunable
optical filter utilizes a liquid crystal cell
within the resonant cavity of a next-generation,
custom-coated Fabry-Perot interferometer,
allowing for rapid and precise spectral selection
via simple low-voltage electric input. Compared
to other tunable FPIs, these Liquid Crystal
Fabry-Perot (LCFP) devices are completely solid
state and therefore virtually impervious to
mechanical shock and vibration.

• ACCOMPLISHMENTS
• Filter features millisecond spectral selection,
  wavelength stability to 1 part in 105,
  transmissions approaching 80 of polarized light,
  absolutely no moving parts, power requirements of
  less than 5 amps at 12V, insensitivity to LEO
  radiation, and miniaturization to 10mm in
  diameter.
• Filed patent application 09/775,970 entitled "An
  Optical Multiplexer and Cross-Switch Using Etched
  Liquid-Crystal Fabry-Perot Etalons."
• Won a Circle of Excellence Award in 2001
  distinguishing LCFP as one of the 25 most
  innovative products of the year.
• COMMERCIALIZATION
• Product is currently being sold, and as of March
  2003, related cumulative revenue totaled
  210,000.
• An outside investment of 150,000 was realized in
  2000 for adaptation of LCFP technology to
  telecommunications applications.

Commercial-Grade Liquid Crystal Fabry-Perot
(LCFP) Tunable Filter

• GOVERNMENT/SCIENCE APPLICATIONS
• NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) Optics
  Branch purchased an ultra-high resolution LCFP
  from SSI in 1999 for a Laser Velocimetry
  application.
• Two NSF-funded observatories use SSI LCFPs for
  scientific research applications Sonderstrom
  Observatory in Greenland performs daytime LIDAR
  measurements the MIT Haystack Observatory in
  Massachusetts performs nighttime LIDAR
  measurements.

Goddard Space Flight Center
Points of Contact NASA Anthony Martino (301)
286-8309 Scientific Solutions Michael Dorin
[phone]
1997 Phase II, SS5-081, 4/4/03