Dr. Robert E. Lafon Profile

Dr. Robert E. Lafon

Optical Physicist at NASA Goddard Space Flight Ctr

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Author

Publications (22)

Proceedings Article | 12 March 2024 Presentation + Paper

Experimental demonstration of coherent receiver with photonic lantern and digital signal processing

Aaron Yevick, Robert Bayne, Rafael Garcia, Vladimir Grigoryan, Robert Lafon, Sarah Tedder, John Veselka, Brian Vyhnalek

Proceedings Volume 12877, 1287711 (2024) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3003080

KEYWORDS: Digital signal processing, Receivers, Signal processing, Adaptive optics, Single mode fibers, Optical coherence, Signal detection

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Proceedings Article | 17 March 2023 Presentation

Initial test results for NASA Goddard’s low-cost optical terminal adaptive optics system

Daniel Paulson, Predrag Sekulic, Robert Lafon, Patrick Thompson, Stephen Hall, Kristoffer Olsen, Nikki Desch, Haleh Safavi

Proceedings Volume 12413, 124130Y (2023) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2654236

KEYWORDS: Adaptive optics, Telescopes, Telecommunications, Optical communications, Atmospheric turbulence, Wavefront distortions, Turbulence, Speckle pattern, Space operations, Single mode fibers

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Proceedings Article | 15 March 2023 Presentation + Paper

NASA’s LCOT (low-cost optical terminal) FSOS (free-space optical subsystem): concept, design, build, and test

Patrick Thompson, Armen Caroglanian, Jeffrey Guzek, Stephen Hall, Robert Lafon, Kristoffer Olsen, Daniel Paulson, Haleh Safavi, Predrag Sekulic, Oscar Ta, Mark Wilson

Proceedings Volume 12413, 124130X (2023) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2653355

KEYWORDS: Adaptive optics, Design and modelling, Telescopes, Free space optics, Commercial off the shelf technology, Cameras, Interfaces, Mirrors, Tunable filters, Telecommunications

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Proceedings Article | 15 March 2023 Presentation + Paper

Current status of NASA’s Low-Cost Optical Terminal (LCOT) at Goddard Space Flight Center

Robert Lafon, Yingxin Bai, Armen Caroglanian, James Dailey, Nikki Desch, Howard Garon, Steve Hall, Ron Miller, Dan Paulson, Haleh Safavi, Predrag Sekulic, John Speer, Patrick Thompson, Victoria Wu

Proceedings Volume 12413, 124130V (2023) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2652103

KEYWORDS: Telescopes, Laser communication terminals, Adaptive optics, Quantum optical communication, Laser communications, Cameras

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Proceedings Article | 27 August 2022 Presentation + Paper

The Event Horizon Explorer mission concept

Peter Kurczynski, Michael Johnson, Sheperd Doeleman, Kari Haworth, Eliad Peretz, Tirupati Kumara Sridharan, Byran Bilyeu, Lindy Blackburn, Don Boroson, Alexandra Brosius, Richard Butler, Dave Caplan, Koushik Chatterjee, Peter Cheimets, Daniel D'Orazio, Thomas Essinger-Hileman, Peter Galison, Ronald Gamble, Shahar Hadar, Tiffany Hoerbelt, Hua Jiao, Jens Kauffmann, Robert Lafon, Chung-Pei Ma, Gary Melnick, Nathan Newbury, Scott Noble, Daniel Palumbo, Lenny Paritsky, Dominic Pesce, Leonid Petrov, Jeff Piepmeier, Christopher Roberts, Bryan Robinson, Curt Shieler, Jeffrey Small, Neal Spellmeyer, Paul Tiede, Jaye Verniero, Jade Wang, Maciek Wielgus, Ed Wollack, George Wong, Guangning Yang

Proceedings Volume 12180, 121800M (2022) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2630313

KEYWORDS: Space operations, Antennas, Spatial resolution, Astrophysics, Astronomical telescopes, Telescopes, Optical communications, Laser communications, Physics, Interferometry

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Proceedings Article | 24 August 2021 Presentation + Paper

Orbiting configurable artificial star multi-wavelength laser payload

Eliad Peretz, Kyle McCormick, Ellouise Moehring, Christine Hamilton, John Mather, Kevin Hall, Douglas Hyland, Aaron Freeman, Tim Russin, Justin Nash, David Robie, Robert Lafon, Peter Wizinowich, Richard Slonaker, Matt Christina, Ian Barton

Proceedings Volume 11820, 118200F (2021) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2594805

KEYWORDS: Stars, Fiber lasers, Laser development, Free space optics, Optical amplifiers, Adaptive optics, Observatories, Telescopes, Second-harmonic generation, Fiber amplifiers

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Proceedings Article | 5 March 2021 Presentation + Paper

A flexible low-cost optical communications ground terminal at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

Robert Lafon, Armen Caroglanian, Haleh Safavi, Nikki Desch, Victoria Wu, Manuel Buenfil, Patrick Thompson, Scott Merritt, Steve Hall, Howard Garon, Daniel Paulson, John Speer, Mark Wilson, Ron Miller, Tom Haas, Bruce Trout, Richard Mason, Jerome Hengemihle, Jeffrey Guzek

Proceedings Volume 11678, 1167806 (2021) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2582869

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Proceedings Article | 21 February 2020 Presentation + Paper

Ultrafast laser bonding of glasses and crystals to metals for epoxy-free optical instruments

Robert Lafon, Steven Li, Frankie Micalizzi, Stephen Lebair

Proceedings Volume 11261, 1126103 (2020) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2551503

KEYWORDS: Glasses, Metals, Femtosecond phenomena, Polishing, Epoxies, Sapphire, Laser bonding, Laser welding

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Proceedings Article | 4 March 2019 Presentation + Paper

Single-mode fiber and few-mode fiber photonic lanterns performance evaluated for use in a scalable real-time photon counting ground receiver

Sarah Tedder, Brian Vyhnalek, Sergio Leon-Saval, Christopher Betters, Bert Floyd, Jeremy Staffa, Robert Lafon

Proceedings Volume 10910, 109100G (2019) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2507478

KEYWORDS: Single mode fibers, Receivers, Sensors, Telescopes, Digital micromirror devices, Fiber couplers, Spatial light modulators, Dispersion, Photon counting, Commercial off the shelf technology, Free space optical communications

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Photonic lanterns provide an efficient way of coupling light from a single large-core fiber to multiple small-core fibers. This capability is of interest for space to ground communication applications. In these applications, the optical ground receivers require high-efficiency coupling from an atmospherically distorted focus spot to multiple fiber coupled single pixel super-conducting nanowire detectors. This paper will explore the use of photonic lanterns in a real-time ground receiver that is scalable and constructed with commercial parts. The number of small-core fibers (i.e. an array of single or few-mode cores) that make a photonic lantern determines the number of spatial modes that they couple at the larger multimode fiber core end. For instance, lanterns made with n number of single-mode fibers can couple n number of spatial modes. Although the laser transmitted from a spacecraft originates as a Gaussian shape, the atmosphere distorts the beam profile by scrambling the phase and scattering energy into higher-order spatial modes. Therefore, if a ground receiver is sized for a target data rate with n number of detectors, the corresponding lantern made with single-mode fibers will couple n number of spatial modes. Most of the energy of the transmitted beam scattered into spatial modes higher than n will be lost. This paper shows this loss may be reduced by making lanterns with few-mode fibers instead of single-mode fibers, increasing the number of spatial modes that can be coupled and therefore increasing the coupling efficiency to single pixel, single photon detectors. The free space to fiber coupling efficiency of these two types of photonic lanterns are compared over a range of the free-space coupling numerical apertures and mode field diameters. Results indicate the few mode fiber lantern has higher coupling efficiency for telescopes with longer focal lengths under higher turbulent conditions. Also presented is analysis of the jitter added to the system by the lanterns, showing the few-mode fiber photonic lantern adds more jitter than the single-mode fiber lantern, but less than a multimode fiber.

Proceedings Article | 15 February 2018 Paper

High-peak power fiber amplifier for deep-space laser communications

Robert Lafon, Scott Merrit, Graham Allan, Jeff Nicholson, Anand Hariharan, Anthony DeSantolo, Armand Green-Wade

Proceedings Volume 10524, 105241C (2018) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2290864

KEYWORDS: Fiber amplifiers, Optical amplifiers, Laser communications, Fiber lasers, Amplifiers, Free space optical communications, Optical communications

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Proceedings Article | 6 March 2014 Paper

LLCD operations using the Lunar Lasercom Ground Terminal

Daniel Murphy, Jan Kansky, Matthew Grein, Robert Schulein, Matthew Willis, Robert Lafon

Proceedings Volume 8971, 89710V (2014) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2045509

KEYWORDS: Telescopes, Space telescopes, Receivers, Transceivers, Multimode fibers, Turbulence, Laser communications, Space operations, Sensors, Phase modulation

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Proceedings Article | 19 March 2013 Paper

Nonlinearity mitigation of a 40-Watt 1.55-micron uplink transmitter for lunar laser communications

R. Schulein, R. Lafon, M. Taylor, P. MacKoul, J. Carney, M. Stevens, B. Robinson, S. Constantine, M. Willis, D. Peckham, B. Zhu, J. Fini, David Caplan

Proceedings Volume 8610, 86100F (2013) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2010025

KEYWORDS: Polarization, Telescopes, Transmitters, Cameras, Single mode fibers, Space telescopes, Phase modulation, Scanning probe microscopy, Nonlinear optics, Laser communications

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Proceedings Article | 23 February 2012 Paper

Design of a 40-Watt 1.55µm uplink transmitter for Lunar Laser Communications

D. Caplan, J. Carney, R. Lafon, M. Stevens

Proceedings Volume 8246, 82460M (2012) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.915982

KEYWORDS: Transmitters, Modulation, Telescopes, Optical filters, Optical amplifiers, Nonlinear optics, Phase modulation, Laser communications, Space telescopes, Polarization

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Proceedings Article | 29 June 2006 Paper

LGS AO operations at the W.M. Keck Observatory

David Le Mignant, Randall Campbell, Antonin Bouchez, Jason Chin, Elizabeth Chock, Al Conrad, Marcos van Dam, Steve Doyle, Robert Goodrich, Erik Johansson, Robert Lafon, James Lyke, Christine Melcher, Ronald Mouser, Douglas Summers, Cynthia Wilburn, Peter Wizinowich

Proceedings Volume 6270, 62700C (2006) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.671837

KEYWORDS: Adaptive optics, Telescopes, Stars, Laser safety, Keck Observatory, Observatories, Space telescopes, Laser guide stars, Sodium, Cameras

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Proceedings Article | 28 June 2006 Paper

Angular anisoplanatism in laser guide star adaptive optics

Marcos van Dam, Richard Sasiela, Antonin Bouchez, David Le Mignant, Randy Campbell, Jason Chin, Scott Hartman, Erik Johansson, Robert Lafon, Paul Stomski, Douglas Summers, Peter Wizinowich

Proceedings Volume 6272, 627231 (2006) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.669737

KEYWORDS: Adaptive optics, Stars, Turbulence, Wavefronts, Laser guide stars, K band, Telescopes, Image quality, Keck Observatory, Error analysis

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Proceedings Article | 27 June 2006 Paper

LGS AO at W.M. Keck Observatory: routine operations and remaining challenges

David Le Mignant, Marcos van Dam, Antonin Bouchez, Jason Chin, Elizabeth Chock, Randall Campbell, Al Conrad, Steve Doyle, Robert Goodrich, Erik Johansson, Shui Kwok, Robert Lafon, James Lyke, Christine Melcher, Ronald Mouser, Douglas Summers, Paul Stomski, Cynthia Wilburn, Peter Wizinowich

Proceedings Volume 6272, 627201 (2006) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.671939

KEYWORDS: Adaptive optics, Stars, Telescopes, Laser guide stars, Sodium, Keck Observatory, Sensors, Laser safety, Calibration, Target acquisition

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Proceedings Article | 27 June 2006 Paper

Adaptive optics developments at Keck Observatory

Peter Wizinowich, Jason Chin, Erik Johansson, Stephan Kellner, Robert Lafon, David Le Mignant, Chris Neyman, Paul Stomski, Doug Summers, Roger Sumner, Marcos van Dam

Proceedings Volume 6272, 627209 (2006) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.672104

KEYWORDS: Adaptive optics, Wavefronts, Cameras, Telescopes, Wavefront sensors, Keck Observatory, Stars, Imaging systems, Mirrors, Control systems

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Proceedings Article | 25 October 2004 Paper

Keck laser guide star adaptive optics: science verification results

Antonin Bouchez, David Le Mignant, Marcos van Dam, Jason Chin, Scott Hartman, Erik Johansson, Robert Lafon, Paul Stomski, Douglas Summers, Peter Wizinowich

Proceedings Volume 5490, (2004) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.552503

KEYWORDS: Adaptive optics, Stars, Laser guide stars, Telescopes, Sodium, Cameras, Image processing, Wavefronts, Imaging systems, Sensors

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Proceedings Article | 25 October 2004 Paper

Focus and pointing adjustments necessary for laser guide star adaptive optics at the W.M. Keck Observatory

Douglas Summers, Antonin Bouchez, Jason Chin, Adam Contos, Scott Hartman, Erik Johansson, Robert Lafon, David Le Mignant, Paul Stomski, Marcos van Dam, Peter Wizinowich

Proceedings Volume 5490, (2004) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.553060

KEYWORDS: Sodium, Adaptive optics, Telescopes, Mirrors, Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy, Control systems, Keck Observatory, Cameras, Wavefronts, Projection systems

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Proceedings Article | 25 October 2004 Paper

Adaptive optics developments at Keck Observatory

Peter Wizinowich, David Le Mignant, Antonin Bouchez, Jason Chin, Adam Contos, Scott Hartman, Erik Johansson, Robert Lafon, Chris Neyman, Paul Stomski, Doug Summers, Marcos van Dam

Proceedings Volume 5490, (2004) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.552489

KEYWORDS: Adaptive optics, Wavefronts, Telescopes, Keck Observatory, Cameras, Image segmentation, Stars, Sodium, Mirrors, Projection systems

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Proceedings Article | 16 June 2003 Paper

System and process learning in a full-field high-power EUVL alpha tool

William Ballard, Daniel Tichenor, Donna O'Connell, Luis Bernardez, Robert Lafon, Richard Anderson, Alvin Leung, Kenneth Williams, Steven Haney, Yon Perras, Karen Jefferson, Therese Porter, Daniel Knight, Pamela Barr, James Van de Vreugde, Richard Campiotti, Mark Zimmerman, Terry Johnson, Leonard Klebanoff, Philip Grunow, Samuel Graham, Dean Buchenauer, William Replogle, Tony Smith, John Wronosky, Joel Darnold, Kenneth Blaedel, Henry Chapman, John Taylor, Layton Hale, Gary Sommargren, Eric Gullikson, Patrick Naulleau, Kenneth Goldberg, Sang Hun Lee, Harry Shields, Randall St. Pierre, Samuel Ponti

Proceedings Volume 5037, (2003) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.482791

KEYWORDS: Semiconducting wafers, Reticles, Extreme ultraviolet, Sensors, Extreme ultraviolet lithography, Lithography, Projection systems, Xenon, EUV optics, Fiber optic illuminators

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Proceedings Article | 1 July 2002 Paper

High-power laser-produced-plasma EUV source

William Ballard, Luis Bernardez, Robert Lafon, Richard Anderson, Yon Perras, Alvin Leung, Harry Shields, Michael Petach, Randall St. Pierre, Robert Bristol

Proceedings Volume 4688, (2002) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.472303

KEYWORDS: Extreme ultraviolet, Xenon, Liquids, Plasma, Lithography, Extreme ultraviolet lithography, Mirrors, High power lasers, Laser energy, Sensors

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Showing 5 of 22 publications

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