SBIR-STTR Award

This SBIR Phase I project builds upon Digital Optics Corporation's experience in the design, fabrication, and integration of micro-optics with lasers, detectors, and fibers to provide an innovative multiplexing approach for fly-by-light (FBL), fiber-based control of airborne actuator systems. This work will be performed in partnership with Optical Crosslinks and HR Textron. The proposed method uses a combination of Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) and Time Division Multiplexing (TDM) to provide fiber-based sensor and motor drive systems. Use of the proposed architectures offers substantial fiber count reduction over existing solutions. For one proposed architecture, the number of fibers is reduced by more than 70% compared to a typical non-WDM military fly-by-light system. This Phase I effort will demonstrate the application of this WDM/TDM architecture to airborne fiber-based controls. Both analytical and experimental work will be performed to verify the objectives of the proposed project. This will include a demonstration lab prototype of the multiplexer and demultiplexer optics for routing to the sensors The proposed fiber architectures can provide viable fiber-based control for military and commercial aircraft resulting in both EMI immunity and reduced weight and cost. Commercial applications include sensor networks, with or without fly-by-light actuator drive systems, where this architecture would significantly reduce the size, weight and cost. Weight and cost reductions would also prove valuable to many commercial distributed sensor systems, including security systems, marine, and automotive platforms

The objectives of this proposed Phase II project are to develop the appropriate optics for an 8 wavelength CWDM system and demonstrate both the multiplexed data link and the integration of the link with an aircraft actuator. Fly-by-light (FBL) systems have been the subject of research for many years; however, there are still several hurdles to overcome before FBL systems can provide the next advance in flight control technology. One of the main difficulties with current proposed FBL systems is the large number of fibers required. In order to reduce the number of fibers, coarse wavelength division multiplexing (CWDM) can be used to increase the signal capacity of individual fibers. The Phase I effort resulted in an architecture design capable of decreasing the number of fibers from 1190 to 210 when using a CWDM system with 8 wavelengths. Digital Optics Corporation will develop and demonstrate the necessary components for a CWDM based sensor network for FBL applications. New CWDM modules will be designed and fabricated and assembled with the necessary active components and optical sensors in order to demonstrate a complete optical data link. Partnering with HR Textron, this CWDM data link will be integrated with an aircraft actuator.

Benefits:
The proposed CWDM/TDM architecture will enable FBL systems by reducing the fiber count significantly and helping to eliminate EMI difficulties at the VMSC as well as providing weight and cost savings for the overall system. These benefits can also help extend the use of photonics to sensor networks in other applications. In addition, the CWDM modules developed under this program can provide performance enhancements to data communications systems.

Keywords:
Coarse wavelength division multiplexing (CWDM), time division multiplexing (TDM), fly-by-light (FBL), multimode, vehicle management system, photonic sensor