Notre Dame team lands $550K grant to continue laser research
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University of Notre Dame researchers have received a $550,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to further develop a laser technology that is expected to advance materials science and fiber optic networks, among other industries.
The two-year Partnerships for Innovation grant will help commercialize a laser diode invented by Doug Hall, an associate professor of electrical engineering, and two former graduate students, Di Liang and Jinyang Li, the university said.
Laser diodes generate a focused beam of light, but whereas most laser diodes produce elliptical beams, Hall’s diode produces a circular beam. Other technology exists to produce circular beams, but the approach yields low-output power, which prevents their use for long-distance fiber optic internet and industrial material processing, the university said.
“The circular beam our laser diode produces is easier to focus, requires less power, enhances data transfer rates and signal quality in fiber optic high-speed internet networks, and reduces energy loss, thereby boosting overall performance in systems that use laser beams,” Hall said in a news release.
Hall said his technology also could reduce the cost and complexity of systems using laser diodes by eliminating the need for additional optics and hardware required to shape and direct laser beams. Two areas in which the technology would be particularly beneficial, Hall said, is Raman spectroscopy, which is used in chemistry, materials science and biology to analyze molecular interactions, and optical communications, such as high-speed fiber optic internet.
“We believe our laser diode has the potential to transform multiple industries, and we’re eager to collaborate with partners who share our vision for its widespread application,” Hall said.