NASA SBIR 00-1 SOLICITATION

FORM 9B - PROJECT SUMMARY

PROPOSAL NUMBER 00-1 17.03-9040 (Chron: 000961 )
PROJECT TITLE
Measuring Small Phase Perturbations

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Visidyne proposes to critically assess the requirements for a phase processor to detect miniscule phase bumps hidden in the beat frequency signal from a pair of interfering optical beams, e.g., used to link proof masses on free flying satellites. These phase bumps, the result of a cosmological event producing gravity waves affecting the local space time frame thereby causing small length changes or strains. These length changes maybe at the level of a few picometers or strains for a gage length of 5 x 10 E6 km of 4 x 10 E-22. The proposed effort would assess these requirements in light of the errors; random and systematic associated with doing ultra high resolution optical interferometry.

POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
The proposed effort and technology, length measurement on the picometer scale, are way in excess of any conceivable needs presently existing in the commercial marketplace. However, some of its spin-offs in the form detectors, chip sets may find use in such fields as nanometer metrology for semiconductor lithography and high resolution phase based optical sensors.

NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (Name, Organization Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Geert Wyntjes
Visidyne, Inc.
10 Corporate Place, South Bedford St.
Burlington , MA 01803 - 5168

NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Visidyne, Inc
10 Corporate Place, South Bedford St.
Burlington , MA 01803 - 5168