Grant: Engage Grants Program

Lamda Guard Canada Inc., a New Brunswick advanced materials and systems engineering company has approached the Thin Films and Photonics Research Group (GCMP) at Université de Moncton with an interesting project that aims to develop high efficiency, narrowband , multiple wavelength thin film optical filters for the aviation industry. One of the major problems in the aviation industry in recent years is laser interference, whereby individuals intentionally shine lasers at airplanes while airborne, especially during landings (90%). With the proliferation of high-power handheld lasers (up to 1W) and their sharp drop in price, over 5,000 incidents have been reported in 2011, which are expected to increase to over 80,000 incidents per year worldwide by 2015. Such laser interference distracts, temporarily blinds or even damages the eyes of the pilots, risking many lives. Hence, the project in question seeks a solution that filters out the known and popular laser wavelengths. Optical filters are well known and have found many applications. Goggles for laser researchers and operators and windows for laser laboratories exist for single wavelength lasers. These traditional Laser Protection Systems cannot be adapted for the protection of pilots and airplanes because they provide broadband filtering, with a tinted/coloured optical effect which significantly impairs the pilot's vision. Thus, new solutions are sought to address the specific need for this application i.e. an optically transparent/colourless filter. Amongst the possible solutions are Bragg Mirrors, Photonic Crystals and Plasmonic Metamaterials. As a preliminary step, the current project for this proposal will focus on the development of Bragg mirror approach based interference filters capable of high and narrow band reflection for at least one wavelength. This will be carried out using naturally existing materials and/or refractive index adjusted materials in thin film forms. This initial development will be carried out using the physical vapour methods and eventually extended to a large scale deposition methodology suitable for aviation application. Testing of these mirrors under high power laser illumination will also be carried out.