News: Optoelectronics
2 October 2024
BluGlass partners with Macquarie University and Aurizn on blue ocean subsurface temperature and depth mapping LiDAR project
BluGlass Ltd of Silverwater, Australia — which develops and manufactures gallium nitride (GaN) blue laser diodes based on its proprietary low-temperature, low-hydrogen remote-plasma chemical vapor deposition (RPCVD) technology — has signed an agreement with Macquarie University (project lead) and defence company Aurizn to develop and test a new laser-based method to measure subsurface water temperature and depth. BluGlass will provide visible GaN lasers, partially funded by an Australia's Economic Accelerator (AEA) seed grant to support the commercialization of visible lasers in maritime applications.
The 12-month project will develop and run commercial trials of fully functional blue ocean LiDAR (light detection and ranging) technology to improve maritime situational awareness in defence and environmental settings where satellites and marine buoys are currently used. Blue ocean LiDAR will improve detection of underwater objects, provide increased accuracy in predicting coral bleaching events, and refinement of climate modelling technology.
While invisible infrared (IR) lasers have gained mass adoption in fiber-optic and space communications, they are ineffective in sub-marine applications, as their wavelengths are almost entirely absorbed by water. Underwater laser communication and remote sensing require visible lasers in shorter wavelengths, typically between violet and green.
“The unique semiconductor lasers developed by BluGlass operate between 420nm to 520nm, making them ideal for these demanding applications,” says project lead Dr Ondrej Kitzler, a research fellow in the MQ Photonics Research Centre at Macquarie University.
Specifically, BluGlass will provide high-power multi-transverse-mode devices for the ocean LiDAR, targeting usable underwater wavelengths in the blue and aqua-marine ranges. The project will harness the advantages that visible GaN lasers have over existing lower-power and solid-state lasers, such as compact size, high power conversion efficiency, low manufacturing cost, wavelength tunability, beam divergence control, lifetime, and ability to shift wavelength rapidly.
“The project leverages each partner's unique development and commercial strengths to combine leading-edge photonic and detector technologies in novel applications with significant market potential,” says BluGlass CEO Jim Haden. “We are excited to see our BluGlass GaN lasers deployed in underwater environments for field testing and validation,” he adds.
“This project builds on the development of remote electro-optical sensing systems that Aurizn has spearheaded in partnership with Defence,” notes Aurizn’s chief scientist Dr Peter Amerl. “We look forward to applying our expertise to help guide the project to ensure suitable outcomes for both defence and national security use”.
While BluGlass’ revenue from the partnership is immaterial, the project has significant technological and commercial potential. Following completion of the project, the parties intend to enter formal negotiations to progress the blue ocean LiDAR prototype to commercialization, production and manufacturing.
BluGlass says that the project aligns with its target markets and technology development roadmaps, including development collaborations that it is working on with University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) as well as the CLAWS Hub led by North Carolina State University (NCSU), as part of the Microelectronics Commons program for defence and dual-use technologies run by the US Department of Defence.
BluGlass gains US$1.775m contract with NCSU for laser development
BluGlass a commercial partner in US Microelectronics Commons regional innovation hub CLAWS
BluGlass joins UCSB’s Solid-State Lighting & Energy Electronics Center consortium
