SATPC0042394 Tab 06 RDSS..pdf

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NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

NASA SHARED SERVICES CENTER

RECOMMENDATION AND DETERMINATION TO SOLICIT FROM ONE SOURCE

OR BRAND NAME

PICK ONE

Sole Source:

☒I recommend that NASA, NASA Shared Services Center negotiate with Lumibird only for: Procurement and installation of a high-power, narrow-linewidth, injection-seeded Nd:YAG laser with fundamental, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th harmonic output that can be directly integrated with and a Dye Laser with a frequency conversion unit for sum-frequency-mixing.

OR

Brand Name Justification:

☐I recommend that NASA, NASA Shared Services Center negotiate with only with vendors who can provide the subject band name from Manufacture Name for Enter Supply or Service to be procured. The total estimated cost of this effort is Enter Dollar amount and the estimated period of performance or lead-time for delivery is Date.

This recommendation is for the acquisition of supplies or services determined to be reasonably available from only one source/only one manufacture. Competition is impractical for the following reasons (please answer the questions below):

1. What are the reasons for soliciting only the suggested source/suggested brand name? Please provide the unique characteristics of the items or services along with the supporting rationale and the market research performed to substantiate your reason for the suggested source/brand name.

NASA Langley has a need to purchase a combined Nd:YAG and Dye laser system. The Nd:YAG laser needed is a high-energy, nanosecond pulse duration, narrow linewidth, injection-seeded Nd:YAG laser with fundamental (1064 nm), second harmonic (532 nm), third harmonic (355 nm), and fourth harmonic (266 nm) outputs. This same Nd:YAG laser would also need to be integrated with a Dye laser system, which is also a current need. The Dye laser would generate tunable, high-energy, nanosecond pulse duration, laser light in the yellow and red wavelengths, which would then be converted to tunable, high-energy, nanosecond pulse duration, laser light in the UV using a frequency conversion unit with build-in capability such as sum-frequency-mixing and second-harmonic-generation. NASA projects are very interested in measurement techniques that require the Nd:YAG wavelengths with high energy and narrow linewidth, as well as the tunable, high-energy, nanosecond laser light in the ultraviolet (UV). Lumibird has brought to market a compact, high-energy, nanosecond duration pulse, narrow-linewidth Nd:YAG (1064 nm / 532 nm / 355 nm / 266 nm) laser system that can be directly integrated with a Dye laser system.

The Dye laser is tunable in the yellow-to-red wavelengths and also tunable in the UV with the associated frequency conversion unit. The characteristics of the Nd:YAG laser system are unique due to its relatively compact nature and low system weight for both the laser head (within 0.9 m x 0.6 m x 0.3 m and 45 kg), integrated cooling and electronics unit (within 0.9 m x 0.6 m x 0.6 m and 50 kg), and compact/integrated second/third/fourth harmonic generation modules (each within 0.15 m x 0.15 m x 0.15 m and 5 kg), while also delivering superior specifications in terms of the high pulse energy and narrow linewidth of the Nd:YAG laser with the SLM Single Longitudinal Mode option. The narrow linewidth of ≤ 0.005 cm-1 at 1064 nm, high pulse energy (1500 mJ at 1064 nm, 850 mJ at 532 nm, 520 mJ at 355 nm, and 130 mJ at 266 nm), and pulse duration < 10 ns make this product suitable for current NASA needs relating to the development of advanced measurement capabilities and their deployment at ground test facilities. These characteristics (along with additional characteristics of the Nd:YAG laser system such as the beam divergence, M2, spatial profile, polarization ratio, energy stability, and power drift) make this product

Page 2 V2.0 3-15-2017 suitable for current and future ground test applications at NASA Langley. The power requirements of the Nd:YAG laser are 240 VAC, 16-20 A, 60 Hz, and single phase. The laser beam characteristics of the Nd:YAG laser allows for efficient Dye laser pumping, resulting in a high-energy and wavelength-tunable laser (up to 200 mJ at 620 nm), while providing a narrow-linewidth (0.06 cm-1) Dye laser output and a pulse duration of less than 10 ns. These characteristics (along with additional characteristics of the Dye laser system such as the beam divergence, beam pointing stability, absolute wavelength accuracy, wavelength reproducibility, and wavelength scan linearity, thermal stability, and limited ASE generated) make this product suitable for current and future measurement system development and deployment at NASA Langley. Furthermore, the size/weight requirements of the Dye laser (within 0.8 m x 0.6 m x 0.3 m and not to exceed 110 kg), power requirements (110 VAC, 60 Hz, single phase), and operating temperature range (at least 18 °C to 28 °C) are essential to install the system at the desired NASA ground test facilities without building modification. Required aspects of the frequency conversion unit include:

1) automatic adjustment of the non-linear crystal when scanning the laser wavelength, 2) integrated compensator optic to account for beam deviation when scanning laser wavelength, and 3) an integrated residual laser beam separation and dumping. The Nd:YAG and Dye lasers being from the same vendor to form a combined system is required to ensure that the same service personnel are trained and familiar with both laser systems, for example during a system installation at a different ground test facility, thereby ensuring an optimal overall system in a single service visit. Furthermore, for certain upcoming ground test entries, the proposed laser system from Lumibird would work in tandem with an existing Q-Smart Nd:YAG and Q-Scan Dye laser system previously purchased from Lumibird, thereby maintaining compatibility with existing control, calibration, and data acquisition software. Similar laser specifications as the existing system for parameters such as the laser linewidth would be essential when paired with the existing system for two-laser measurement techniques such as two-line thermometry, where measurement errors can be induced if the two lasers used do not have the same specification for parameters such as linewidth.

Furthermore, during system installation at a different ground test facility, having both laser systems from the same vendor would also allow a single service visit to optimize both laser systems for the two-laser measurement techniques.

2. What is the impact to the government if another vendor/brand was used? Include any dollar, schedule, or compatibility impacts if possible.

No other company has brought to market a combined Nd:YAG laser with a dye laser and frequency conversion system that meets the specifications listed. If another vendor is used here with inferior laser specifications, the impact and utility of the laser system would be significantly diminished. Key features of the Nd:YAG laser include the narrow laser linewidth, which is critical for one of the primary measurement techniques planned, while maintaining high pulsed energies crucial for many of the planned measurement techniques. Furthermore, the beam quality and ability to pump a widely tunable dye laser system is needed to access wavelengths required for many of the planned measurement techniques. A different laser system may also significantly reduce measurement quality due to larger linewidth, lower pulse energy, and/or worse laser beam quality in terms of beam divergence, M2, spatial profile, polarization ratio, energy stability, or power drift for the Nd:YAG laser and beam pointing stability, absolute wavelength accuracy, wavelength reproducibility, and wavelength scan linearity, thermal stability, and limited ASE for the Dye laser. The ability to robustly integrate and communicate with a frequency conversion unit to convert the Dye laser output to the ultraviolet is also essential for many of the planned measurement techniques. Key features of the frequency conversion system include computer control to rotate the non-linear crystal angle based on the wavelength of the Dye laser. The robust and relatively compact nature of this overall system is critical for the various applications at large-scale NASA ground test facilities. Not being able to do this in a robust manner would result in reduced performance of the measurement technique and a loss in potential data products for NASA projects. A different laser system may incur significant cost and schedule impacts due to additional burdens such as a larger optical table, building modifications for floor reinforcements to support the increased weight, electrical modifications to the building. Furthermore, vendor installation of the combined laser system by qualified personnel is a critical need. An additional important consideration is that NASA Langley already has one existing Q- Smart Nd:YAG and Q-Scan dye system in operation. This will enable maintaining compatibility with existing control, calibration, and data acquisition software. The proposed system would pair with the existing system to meet certain project needs that require a second laser system with similar specifications

Page 3 V2.0 3-15-2017 to the existing system for key parameters such as the laser linewidth. Furthermore, when using the two-laser techniques, a single service visit could optimize both systems if they were provided by the same vendor.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:

8/4/2026

Technical User Name Date

Title

Office