TECHNOLOGY/BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY Geiger-Mode Laser Vibrometry Methods & Systems

Opportunity:

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), operated by the Lawrence Livermore National Security (LLNS), LLC under contract no. DE-AC52-07NA27344 (Contract 44) with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), is offering the opportunity to enter into a collaboration to further develop and commercialize its Geiger-Mode Laser Vibrometry Methods & Systems.

Background:

Traditional laser vibrometry is based on coherent detection where the signal of interest is a phase modulation of a carrier. Since the phase change is typically a small fraction of a wave, its amplitude is much lower than the carrier amplitude and as a result system performance is limited by Carrier-to-Noise (CNR) ratios. Direct detection would be better suited to extracting the smallest signals from background noise and the best single-photon level detectors are Geiger Mode Avalanche Photodiodes (GMAPDs). GMAPDs experience a transient dead time after an event detection rendering them unsuitable for this task.

Description:

This invention circumvents the GMAPD deadtime limitation by using an array of GMAPDs in a non-imaging configuration instead of a single element. By using an array, with sufficient number of elements, guarantees there is always at least one element available to detect an incoming photon even if others are in the deadtime zone.

Advantages/Benefits: 

• Allows direct linear detection of weak signals.
• Allows remote measurement of vibration signatures on buildings, vehicles and equipment at ranges more than an order of magnitude greater than previously possible.
• Not limited by low amplitude signals typical of traditional coherent detection.
• Sensitivity is arbitrarily large limited only by the number of GMAPD array elements.

Potential Applications: 

• Remote vibration sensing applications in aerospace, defense, automotive, electronics, NDE and the environment.

Development Status: 

Current stage of technology development:  TRL 2-3

LLNL has patent(s) on this invention.

U.S. Patent No. 11,693,117 Geiger-Mode Laser Vibrometry Methods & Systems published 7/4/2023

LLNL is seeking industry partners with a demonstrated ability to bring such inventions to the market. Moving critical technology beyond the Laboratory to the commercial world helps our licensees gain a competitive edge in the marketplace. All licensing activities are conducted under policies relating to the strict nondisclosure of company proprietary information. 

Please visit the IPO website at https://ipo.llnl.gov/resources for more information on working with LLNL and the industrial partnering and technology transfer process.

Note:  THIS IS NOT A PROCUREMENT.  Companies interested in commercializing LLNL's Geiger-Mode Laser Vibrometry Methods & Systems should provide an electronic OR written statement of interest, which includes the following:

1. Company Name and address.
2. The name, address, and telephone number of a point of contact.
3. A description of corporate expertise and/or facilities relevant to commercializing this technology.

Please provide a complete electronic OR written statement to ensure consideration of your interest in LLNL's Geiger-Mode Laser Vibrometry Methods & Systems.

The subject heading in an email response should include the Notice ID and/or the title of LLNL’s Technology/Business Opportunity and directed to the Primary and Secondary Point of Contacts listed below.

Written responses should be directed to:

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Innovation and Partnerships Office

P.O. Box 808, L-779

Livermore, CA  94551-0808

Attention:   IL-13402