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Laser Interferometric Sensing
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The department Laser Interferometric Sensing develops optical measurement techniques for space applications, in particular for high-precision measurements of distance changes. Typical fields of application for these technologies are Earth observation and inertial sensing. The department is also opening up other fields of application and is thus promoting the technology transfer to other scientific and, in particular, industrial applications.
Laser interferometry is the most precise technique available for measuring distances and distance changes between two or more objects, e.g. test masses in inertial sensor technology or even entire satellites. The distances of these objects can be a few centimetres, several hundred or even several million kilometres. Laser interferometric measurement techniques allow the measurement of deviations of these baselines with an accuracy below the picometre scale, which corresponds to about one millionth of the diameter of a human hair. In addition, laser interferometers can also be used to measure angles down to the nanoradian / nanograd range (1 billionth of a degree).
The Laser Interferometric Sensing department develops quantum optical measurement techniques with a strong focus on the research field of laser interferometry, primarily for space applications.
Laser interferometric sensors have been demonstrated, for example, in the context of the GRACE Follow-On satellite mission. The objectives of this mission are to map the Earth's gravitational field for climate research and, in addition, to develop and demonstrate novel technologies. After these successful first demonstrations, laser interferometry and closely related technologies are now being further developed by the Laser Interferometric Sensing department for the next generations of satellites. More precise sensors will enable, for example in the context of geodesy missions, a higher sensitivity as well as an improved spatial and temporal resolution of the Earth's gravitational field, which in turn will allow more precise statements to be made about the Earth’s global water balance.
Durch hochpräzise laserinterferometrische Messungen von Abstandsänderungen zwischen zwei um mehrere hundert Kilometer voneinander getrennten Satelliten lassen sich Informationen über zeitliche Variationen des Erdschwerefelds und damit über globale Veränderungen des Klimas gewinnen.
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In the context of the research field of inertial sensor technology, the department Laser Interferometric Sensing is also advancing the current state of the art by adapting high-precision laser interferometric and related measurement techniques to the needs required for this purpose. In addition to the development of technologies for optically read inertial measurement units, special challenges currently lie in the hybridisation of different measurement techniques (sensor fusion) for measuring accelerations along linear and rotational degrees of freedom.
The department is also investigating further fields of application for these technologies and is thus advancing the technology transfer to other scientific, especially those that are industrial in nature.
Projects of the Institute
Kontakt
Dr. rer. nat. Alexander Koch
Commissary Head Laser Interferometric Sensing
German Aerospace Center (DLR)
Institute for Satellite Geodesy and Inertial Sensing
Laser Interferometric Sensing
Callinstrasse 30b, 30167 Hannover
Germany