G. Logan DesAutels, Ph.D.
Research Scientist
Optical Designer
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:
My experience spans over 12 years in the areas of optical design, research in Electro-Optics, research in physics, in addition to Army National Guard experience as a Stinger Missile crewmember. Other areas of expertise include high power (15kW) laser design/research/analysis, Fourier optical analysis, Super Conductivity, laser scanning micrometer metrology and lens design (using Zemax, Code V or Oslo).
MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
- Program Manager for the design and implementation of an unstable unobscured resonator for a large bore CO2 high power laser.
- Primary research scientist/engineer for the development of a high power (1kW to 10kW) portable Xe, CO, CO2 laser system.
- Program Manager/Principle Investigator for an Air Force SBIR contract. The SBIR involves the integration of a RF sensor with an EO sensor. This research involves wide knowledge on radio frequency wave propagation/antenna functionality (RF sensor) and liquid crystal spatial-light modulators/optical wave propagation (EO sensor). There is a patent pending on the work done in this project.
- Winner of a Phase II Air Force SBIR contract for the RF/EO integrated aperture. Designed a RF/EO integrated Cassegrain two mirror telescope to transmit and receive RF and EO communication signals simultaneously. It is intended for use on various aircraft, such as, the Global Hawk unmanned aircraft, as an example.
- Manager for the Ultrafast Materials Laboratory located at WPAFB and part of AFRL.
- Started Logan Optical Design company in 2004.
EDUCATION:
- BS, Physics/Mathematics St. Joseph’s College, 1993
- MS, Physics, Western Illinois University,1994
- MS, Electro-Optics, University of Dayton, 1998
- PhD, Electro-Optics, University of Dayton, 2008
ZEMAX PROFESSIONAL DESIGN COURSES (equivalent to one university semester):
1. Optical Design Using Zemax, 1998.
2. Advanced Optical Design Using Zemax, 2003.
3. Stray Light and Nonsequential Raytracing Using Zemax, 2007.
PUBLICATIONS:
- IOP, Journal of Optics A, titled “High Power Large Bore CO2 Laser Small Signal Gain Coefficient and Saturation Intensity Measurements”, 2003.
- IEEE, Aerospace Conference Proceedings SBIR Phase I program, titled “Research and Development of an Integrated Electro-Optical and Radio Frequency Aperture”, this paper was also accepted into the IEEE Aerospace 2003 conference.
- OSA, Optics Express, titled "Femtosecond Micromachining in Transparent Bulk Materials Using an Anamorphic Lens", 2007.
- OSA JOSA B, titled: "Femtosecond Laser Threshold and Nonlinear Characterization in Bulk Transparent SiC Materials", 2007.
- SPIE Great Lakes Conference: "Novel Materials Processing Using Ultrafast Laser Technology", 2006.
- SPIE Photonics West Conference: "Femtosecond Laser Damage Threshold and Nonlinear Characterization in Bulk Transparent SiC Materials", 2008.
- OSA Applied Optics: "Optical Temperature Sensor and Thermal Expansion Measurement Using a Femtosecond Micromachined Grating in 6H-SiC", 2008.
WORK EXPERIENCE SUMMARY:
LOGAN OPTICAL DESIGN (LOD), Co-Owner/Optical Designer, 2004 – Present:
1. Design and Implementation of a Wide Angle Hyper-spectral Lens (WAHL) for Defense Research Associates (DRA).
- Assist DRA in identifying optical and opto-mechanical specifications for the WAHL design.
- Procured the design for DRA.
2. Design of Intensifier tube (I2 tube) objective using a combination of off-shelf and custom optics for an Army SBIR.
3. Designed a wide angle lens for Auburn University using only off-shelf optics.
- Procured and purchased the optics and housing.
- Assembled and tested the optical performance of the lens.
4. Designed a wide angle diffracting lens for DRA.
- Performed tolerance analysis.
- Procured the design for DRA.
5. Designed a variable f-number (f5-f25) Cassegrain airborne telescope for the Air Force.
- Procured the design for the AF.
- Assembled telescope and successful field tested system integrated with CCD imager.
6. Design two relay imaging systems used in an Air Force damage test bed.
- Procured the designs for the AF.
- Assembled and tested successfully.
7. Design of three Peep-hole lenses used in industrial boilers for Burnham Hydronics, US Boiler Company.
- Procured the designs for Burnham.
- Assembled and tested successfully.
8. Designed a 110 degree wide angle lens for DRA to be used on an AF platform.
9. Run multiple optical analyses for the AF on various contracts in order to assist them in determining concept feasibility.
10. Run multiple optical analyses for Pacific Insight Corp. using Zemax CAD importing and non-sequential raytracing capabilities.
WPAFB Contracted Through AT&T GOVERNMENT SOLUTIONS, INC., Research Scientist, Dayton OH, 2003 – Present:
- Primary role is to support the Materials Laboratory at WPAFB researching various materials provided by ML. Also responsible for managing one of the laboratories for the day-to-day operations, scheduling, optical modeling (using Zemax or other optical design packages) and data analysis. Supervisor for a number of undergraduate and graduate students working and fulfilling their research requirements. Also working on my dissertation research project, which consist of micromachining photonic bandgap structures (submicron) inside optical waveguides.
- Using Zemax, designed 20 8-inch telescopes of varying f-numbers, f5-f25.
- Using Zemax designed a 7.5-inch achromatic doublet used in a laser beam expander to make a 6.0 mm beam into a 6.0” beam.
- Constructed a damage test bed experiment using a reference and transmit detector, an automated xyz stage and automated high speed shutter and half-wave plate to very precisely damage a given material using a single pulse for a femtosecond laser system.
- Performed other analyses using Mathcad, Matlab and Zemax.
MISSION RESEARCH CORP., Research Engineer, Dayton OH, 2001 – 2003:
- Primary role was to strengthen the Electro-Optics department at Mission Research Corporation. The projects he is and has been involved in are listed below.
- Beam steering STTR Project: primarily involved in setting up optical train and taking all the data for this project, which consist of a Spatial Light Modulator (SLM) to steer a TEM00 coherent beam by Electro-optically changing the phase front of the coherent beam.
- Assisted in the research and development of a multi-channel UHF antenna. This work mainly involved researching different types of monopole geometry and their locations in the antenna cavity to determine the optimal impedance matching and VSWR.
- Team member for the MASINT ground truth program, in which I have experience with various types of spectrometers, radiometers and IR camera equipment to gather explosion data.
- Awarded an Air Force SBIR proposal involving coupling an Electro-Optical aperture with a RF antenna.
- Co-authored and won an Air Force SBIR phase II proposal for the RF/EO sensor integrated aperture.
- Designed an integrated RF/EO telescope to be mounted onboard various aircraft including the UAV. The telescope consists of an f/0.35 system that uses a 9” parabolic mirror and a parabolic convex secondary mirror. The dual aperture telescope will transmit and receive RF and EO signals. The telescope will transmit and receive an 85% efficient 4” EO beam and a 100% efficient 9” RF beam simultaneously.
- Contracted out by the Air Force and working on base at WPAFB in the Sensors directorate as a research scientist. Investigations include wavefront control and damage threshold experiments for TCO (Transparent Conducting Oxides) samples, which are to be used on a spatial light modulator to control high power 1550nm laser beams.
ANTEON CORP. -- WPAFB LHMEL (Laser Materials Evaluation Laboratory) FACILITY (high power laser facility), Scientist/Engineer, Dayton OH, 2000 – 2001:
- Primary research scientist/engineer for the development of a high power portable Xe, CO, CO2 laser system. This laser has the capability of operating from 1-11 microns at 1-10 kW of power. I was in charge of procurement, assembly, data analysis and lead researcher. Further responsibilities included optic and optical resonator design, and co-designer of the transmission line feed-through plate.
- Other duties at the facility included optical support for the facility and for the Infrared Laboratory, which researches optical limiting materials for the Air Force.
- For the IR lab: main task was to characterize (transmission spectrums) and preparation of some specific optical limiting samples for space (new space station) for testing in a space environment (exposure to cosmic radiation).
- For the LHMEL facility: co-designer of a 4-color radiometer, which included black body and optical layout analysis. Also designed, implemented and characterized a high power spatial filter for a pulsed Nd:Yag laser system being used as a master oscillator for a large Nd:Yag 20 kW power amplifier.
BETA LASERMIKE, Optical Engineer, Dayton, OH 1997 – 2000:
- Primary tasks consist of optical design and analyses of existing and new products.
- Optical engineer for the design and development of various scanning laser micrometers. Co-designer of a 1-inch and 4-inch single axis scanner.
- Lead engineer for the research and development of circular and annular apertures used in a fiber optic flaw detection device. This device imaged the flaws of the fiber as it is being manufactured. The fiber moved in and out of focus, thus the need for a depth of focus invariant aperture – circular and annular.
- Designer of a telescope used, in conjunction with a telecentric lens, to reduce the spot size of a laser beam to a 0.001” spot. Duties included the optical design of the telescope, procurement and alteration of the scanner electronics to “see” a 1-mil wire.
UNIVERSITY of DAYTON at WPAFB LHMEL FACILITY, Research Assistant, Dayton OH, 1995 – 1997:
- Taught physics laboratory – three separate labs with each including a lecture for approximately 50 students. Duties included a lecture before each lab, setting up each lab, assisting during each lab and grading labs and tests.
- Program Manager for the design and implementation of an unstable unobscured resonator for a large bore CO2 high power laser. Task included: research previous topics, design of three laser resonators, procurement, selection of best design, implementation and characterization.
WESTERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY, Research Assistant, Macomb IL, 1993 – 1995:
- Taught electronics laboratory for physics/engineering students. Duties included lecturing and assisting students during and after class.
- Researched High Critical Temperature Superconductors, under Dr. Mark Boley. Research duties involved making the superconductors from rare-earth elements, preparing samples for testing and taking experimental data on each sample.
ARMY NATIONAL GUARD, Stinger Missile Crew Member (16-S), 1992 – 2000:
- Trained as a Stinger Missile Crew Member (Man-Portable) and participated in the Army National Guard for 6 years. Elected to participate in "live-fire" activities in White Sands, New Mexico and launched a Stinger at a drone missile. Was deployed to the 1996 Olympics to guard the women's soccer teams.
- Also was trained as an Army Scout in 1995. Fulfilled Army obligations and was honorably discharged in 2000.