Expert Details

Optical Science and Engineering

ID: 724840 Nevada, USA

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Expert has applied his optical engineering expertise to designing, building, calibrating and testing pushbroom imaging spectrometers for remote sensing and surveillance applications. Wavelength ranges for the various instruments were visible and near infrared (400 nm to 1100 nm) and longwave infrared (8 um to 12 um). Applications were environmental monitoring (forest and coral reef health) and military surveillance. Aspects of the design process included end-to-end radiometric analysis of the complete optical train, from source through objective, slit, dispersive element (blazed grating), grating order filters, to detector, noise analysis of the complete system, including detector noise in the focal plane arrays, geometric layout of the optical train and aberration analysis, aspects of cooling for the longwave IR system using liquid nitrogen and peltier effect coolers, calibration of the completed systems using spectral line sources and integrating spheres, and flight testing of the systems and collection of ground truth data.

Expert has performed end-to-end radiometric analysis of optical imaging systems, from source to detector, at visible, near infrared, and longwave infrared (8-12 um) wavelength bands. Losses due to absorption and scattering were accounted for at each segment and surface of the optical path. Noise sources were identified and summed, including noise in the detectors (individual detectors or focal plane arrays) to yield an overall signal to noise ration for each spectral channel of the systems. In the longwave infrared, noise contributions due to emission from warm surfaces were minimized by analyzing alternate optical paths (e.g. ghost paths) to ensure that these unwanted sources were below thresh hold values. Calibration of imaging systems using integrating spheres was performed.

Expert has performed optical layout and testing of optical systems (imaging spectrometers) and individual optical surfaces (small astronomical mirrors) using geometrical optics principles. Aspects of layout included use of a y,y-bar diagram, chief and marginal ray layout using the small angle approximation, aberration analysis, and convolution of the resulting geometrical spot diagrams with physical optics point spread functions. Optical testing and manufacture of astronomical mirrors was performed for optical elements up to 12 inch aperture. Design of two-axis beam-steering systems using galvanometer-driven plane mirrors was performed as part of the design of airborne imaging spectrometer systems.

Expert designed, built, calibrated and tested airborne imaging spectroscopy systems in the visible, near infrared, and longwave infrared (8-12 um) wavelength bands. Completed instruments were flown in small aircraft (two engine Aztec) and on Navy Orion P-3 aircraft. Ground truth data were collected to correlate spectral signatures with unique substances on the ground or in or under the water. Expert worked with an electrical and electronic engineer and an environmental scientist to deliver complete data sets to the customer.

Expert has worked with cryogenic systems for use in infrared optics and for use in cryopreservation of biological samples. He has experience with liquid nitrogen and liquid helium cooled dewars, for both storing biological samples, and for cooling infrared optics and detector systems. He has specified and used liquid nitrogen cooled HgCdTe (MCT) infrared focal plane arrays, and liquid helium cooled germanium bolometers. He has cryopreserved biological cell samples using glycerol and DMSO cryoprotectant solutions. He understands how to read a phase diagram and how pressure affects boiling points. Expert has laboratory experience building and using cryogenic infrared detectors. He is familiar with the design and use of dewars for storage of biological samples, and also for housing infrared detector systems. Expert is familiar with cryofixation via high pressure freezing, for use in preparing samples for imaging in the electron microscope.

Expert has designed, tested, calibrated and used a variety of spectrometric systems, both imaging and non-imaging, covering wavelength bands from 400 nm to 12 um. Instruments have included laboratory spectrometers and spectrographs and airborne imaging spectrometer systems and instruments at the focal planes of large astronomical telecopes. Longwave IR systems usually required cooling to cryogenic temperatures using liquid nitrogen or liquid helium. Detectors have included visible and near IR focal plane arrays, HgCdTe (MCT) focal plane arrays, and single element bolometers running at less than 4 Kelvins temperature (vacuum pumped liquid helium cooling).

He consulted for Advanced Cell Technology as an expert in cell cryopreservation, under ACT's Chief Scientific Officer.

Education

Year Degree Subject Institution
Year: 1993 Degree: PhD Subject: Optical Science and Engineering Institution: University of Arizona
Year: 1981 Degree: MS Subject: Physics Institution: CalTech
Year: 1978 Degree: BS Subject: Physics Institution: California State University Long Beach

Work History

Years Employer Title Department
Years: 1999 to Present Employer: Undisclosed Title: Director of Bioengineering Department:
Responsibilities:
Responsible for design and conduct of experiments in cryopreservation of cells and tissues, and for design and construction of laboratory instrumentation
Years Employer Title Department
Years: 1998 to 1999 Employer: Nova-Sol, Inc. Title: Sr. Optical Engineer Department:
Responsibilities:
Responsible for design of optical instruments and for technical content of proposals responding to RFPs from government agency clients
Years Employer Title Department
Years: 1993 to 1998 Employer: SETS Technology/STI, Inc. Title: Optical Engineer Department:
Responsibilities:
Responsible for design, construction, bench testing, calibration and flight testing of optical imaging sensors for government agency clients, and for technical proposal preparation
Years Employer Title Department
Years: 1982 to 1993 Employer: University of Arizona Title: Graduate Research Associate Department: Optical Sciences
Responsibilities:
Responsible for conduct of experiments in radiometry, optical scattering (BRDF), scanning tunneling microscopy, and optical and infrared detector physics
Years Employer Title Department
Years: 1978 to 1981 Employer: California Institute of Technology Title: Graduate Research Assistant Department: Physics and Astronomy
Responsibilities:
Assisted in conducting infrared astronomical observations at the Mt. Wilson Observatory

Government Experience

Years Agency Role Description
Years: 1993 to 1998 Agency: DoD (Navy) Role: Optical Engineer, Flight Test Engineer Description: While working for SETS Technology (Honolulu), under contract to the Navy he designed and tested the AAHIS Imaging Spectrometer in aircraft including the P3 Orion. Held TS clearance.

Career Accomplishments

Professional Appointments
He is a Visiting Scholar, University of California, Berkeley and a past
Member of the Board of Directors of the non-profit Alcor Life Exetension Foundation (1992-1999).
Publications and Patents Summary
He has several publications in both optical science and engineering, and in hypothermic medical technology. He also has two published patent applications, in the fields of cryopreservation and optical microscopy.

Additional Experience

Vendor Selection
He is familiar with suppliers of optical equipment, optical instruments, optical and infrared detectors, cryogenic equipment, and high pressure laboratory equipment.
Other Relevant Experience
He has a knowledge base in optomechanical engineering and in component technologies of optical imaging systems. He has hands on familiarity with optical and optomechanical hardware development, with an emphasis on infrared (cryogenic) systems.

Fields of Expertise

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