BluGlass to provide chips for blue ocean LiDAR project
Semiconductor developer and maker BluGlass has announced a project with Macquarie University and defence contractor Aurizn aimed at commercialising a method of laser-based sensing for underwater environments.
In a statement to the ASX on Wednesday, BluGlass said the LIDAR sensing method would be used to measure subsurface water temperature and depth, with the project part-funded by an Australia’s Economic Accelerator (AEA) Seed Grant and led by Macquarie.
The sensing technique has applications in defence and environmental settings where satellites and marine buoys are currently used, according to BluGlass, which will provide what it described as “high-power multi-transverse-mode devices… targeting useable underwater wavelengths in the blue and aqua-marine ranges.”
BluGlass specialises in gallium nitride (GaN) compound semiconductors, with the project to exploit the benefits of these over current lower-power and solid-state lasers, such as compactness, wavelength tunability, cost to manufacture, and beam divergence control.
“The project leverages each partner’s unique development and commercial strengths to combine leading-edge photonic and detector technologies in novel applications with significant market potential,” said Jim Haden, BluGlass CEO.
“We are excited to see our BluGlass GaN lasers deployed in underwater environments for field testing and validation”.
Project lead Dr Ondrej Kitzler, a Research Fellow in the MQ Photonics Research Centre at Macquarie University, added: “Invisible infrared lasers are widely used in terrestrial remote sensing and communications, but their wavelengths are largely absorbed by water.
“To use lasers for remote sensing and communicating underwater, visible lasers at shorter wavelengths between the violet and green spectrum are needed. The unique semiconductor lasers developed by BluGlass operate between 420 to 520 nanometres, making them ideal for these demanding applications.”
Revenues from the project were “immaterial”, though it has “significant technological and commercial potential”, said BluGlass, and the partners “intend to enter formal negotiations to progress the blue ocean LiDAR prototype to commercialisation, production, and manufacturing.”
BluGlass has a long history with Macquarie University, and was established in 2005 to commercialise more than 15 years of R&D at at the university focussed on a low=temperature remote plasma vapour deposition (RPCVD) method for silicon wafers.
Picture: credit BluGlass
Further reading
BluGlass raises $4.3 million through placement, aims to raise another $9 million through SPP
@aumanufacturing Sections
Analysis and Commentary Awards Defence Manufacturing News Podcast Technology Videos