• Journal of Space Technology and Applications
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.48-61
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• 2024

In this paper, we introduce the concept of the cube satellite Chungnam National University Laser Unity Bus (CLUB), which can provide an integrated infrastructure for various ground-space laser applications. With the advent of the new space era, the rapid expansion of space utilization has begun to reveal the limitations of conventional radio frequencies. As space missions diversify, lasers are garnering attention as a viable alternative. Between ground and space, lasers are applied in various fields including satellite laser ranging (SLR), laser weapons, and laser communication. However, laser used between the ground and space are significantly influenced by the Earth's atmosphere. Consequently, understanding the atmospheric effects on laser propagation is crucial. In particular, atmospheric turbulence, which refracts and distorts laser beams, intensifies closer to the Earth's surface, exerting a greater impact on the uplink than on the downlink. While downlink verification is facilitated by ground detection, verifying the uplink poses challenges due to the necessity of space-based detection. In response to these challenges, we propose the idea of cube satellite as a means to enhance understanding and verification of laser propagation in the uplink. Additionally, we present the results of conceptual design by analyzing requirements, focusing on mission design of the CLUB cube satellite, following the stages of systems engineering for systematic cube satellite development.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.45-54
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• 2016

This study developed an approach for improving Carrier-phase Differential Global Positioning System (CDGPS) based realtime satellite relative navigation by applying laser baseline measurement data. The robustness against the space operational environment was considered, and a Synthetic Wavelength Interferometer (SWI) algorithm based on a femtosecond laser measurement model was developed. The phase differences between two laser wavelengths were combined to measure precise distance. Generated laser data were used to improve estimation accuracy for the float ambiguity of CDGPS data. Relative navigation simulations in real-time were performed using the extended Kalman filter algorithm. The GPS and laser-combined relative navigation accuracy was compared with GPS-only relative navigation solutions to determine the impact of laser data on relative navigation. In numerical simulations, the success rate of integer ambiguity resolution increased when laser data was added to GPS data. The relative navigational errors also improved five-fold and two-fold, relative to the GPS-only error, for 250 m and 5 km initial relative distances, respectively. The methodology developed in this study is suitable for application to future satellite formation-flying missions.

• Journal of Space Technology and Applications
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.87-104
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• 2024

CubeSats are being utilized in various fields such as Earth observation, space exploration, and verification of space science and technology due to their low cost, short development period, enhanced mission-oriented performance, and ability to perform various missions through constellation and formation flights. Recently, as the availability of CubeSats has increased and their application areas have expanded, the demand for high-speed transmission of large amounts of data obtained by CubeSats has increased unprecedentedly. Laser-based free space optical communication technology is capable of transmitting large amounts of data at high speeds compared to the existing radio communication methods, and provides various advantages such as use of unlicensed spectrum, low cost, low power, high security characteristics, and of use a small communication platform. For this reason, it is suitable as a high-performance communication technology to support CubeSat missions. In this paper, we will present the core components and characteristics of CubeSat-based space laser communication system, and recent research trends, as well as representative technology development results.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.49 no.11
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• pp.953-960
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• 2021

Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute has been verifying the multipurpose laser tracking system with three functions of satellite laser tracking, adaptive optics and space debris laser tracking for not only scientific research but also national space missions. The system employs an optical telescope consisting of a 100 cm primary mirror and an altazimuth mount for fast and precise tracking. The precise pointing and tracking capability in a tracking mount is considered as one of important performance metrics in the fields of automatic tracking and precise application research. So it is required to analyze a mount model for investigating pointing error factors and compensating pointing error. In this study, we investigated various factors causing static pointing errors of tracking mount and analyzed the pointing accuracy of the tracking mount at Geochang observatory by estimating mount parameters based on the least square method.

• Current Optics and Photonics
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• v.3 no.5
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• pp.466-472
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• 2019

A system for continuous-wave coherent Doppler lidar (CW lidar), made up of all-fiber structures and a coaxial transmission telescope, was set up for wind measurement in Hefei (31.84 N, 117.27 E), Anhui province of China. The lidar uses a fiber laser as a light source at a wavelength of $1.55{\mu}m$, and focuses the laser beam on a location 80 m away from the telescope. Using the CW lidar, radial wind measurement was carried out. Subsequently, the spectra of the atmospheric backscattered signal were analyzed. We tested the noise and obtained the lower limit of wind velocity as 0.721 m/s, through the Rayleigh criterion. According to the number of Doppler peaks in the radial wind spectrum, a classification retrieval algorithm (CRA) combining a Gaussian fitting algorithm and a spectral centroid algorithm is designed to estimate wind velocity. Compared to calibrated pulsed coherent wind lidar, the correlation coefficient for the wind velocity is 0.979, with a standard deviation of 0.103 m/s. The results show that CW lidar offers satisfactory performance and the potential for application in wind measurement.

• Current Industrial and Technological Trends in Aerospace
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.76-85
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• 2010

This paper discusses recent development trends of fiber optic gyroscope (FOG) in space application. Fiber optic gyroscope utilizes Sagnac effect to measure the angular rate of a rotating object in space. Having a rather short development history compared to ring laser gyroscope (RLG), the fiber optic gyroscope, owing to the emerging technologies in fiber optic society and the digital signal processing technique, reveals itself as a noteworthy replacement of the ring laser gyroscope in the space mission. This paper summarizes the current trends of fiber optic gyroscope based on the actual products commercialized in the market over the last decades, while presenting the future development trends of the fiber optic gyroscope in the space exploration.

• Laser Solutions
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.52-61
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• 1999

The laser induced forward transfer(LIFT) technique employs a pulsed laser to transfer parts of a thin metal film from an optically transparent target onto an arbitrary substrate in close proximity to the metal film on the target. In this work, a two-step method, the combination of LIFT process, in which a Au film deposited on the $Al_2$O$_3$ substrate by Nd:YAG laser and subsequent Au electroless metal plating on the by LIFT process generated Au seed, was presented. The influence of laser parameters, wavelength, laser power, film thickness and overlap ratio of pulse tracks, on the shapes of deposit and conductor line after electroless plating is experimentally studied. As a results, the threshold power densities for ablation, deposition and metallization were determined and comparison of threshold value between the wave length 1064nm and the second harmonic generated 532nm. In odor to determine a possible application in the electronic industry, a smallest conduct spot size, line width and isolated line space were generated.

• Laser Solutions
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.27-31
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• 2013

To engrave high-density circuit-line patterns in IC substrates, we applied a projection ablation technique in which a dielectric ($ZrO_2/SiO_2$) mask, a DPSS UV laser instead of an excimer laser, a refractive beam shaping optics and a galvo scanner are used. The line/space dimension of line patterns of the dielectric mask is $10{\mu}m/10{\mu}m$. Using a ${\pi}$ -shaper and a square aperture, the Gaussian beam from the laser is shaped into a square flap-top beam; and a telecentric f-${\theta}$ lens focuses it to a $115{\mu}m{\times}105{\mu}m$ flat-top beam on the mask. The galvo scanner before the f-${\theta}$ lens moves the beam across the scan area of $40mm{\times}40mm$. An 1:1 projection lens was used. Experiments showed that the widths of the engraved patterns in a buildup film ranges from $8.1{\mu}m$ to $10.2{\mu}m$ and the depths from $8.8{\mu}m$ to $11.7{\mu}m$. Results indicates that it is required to increase the projection ratio to enhance profiles of the engraved patterns.

• Current Optics and Photonics
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.221-228
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• 2020

We developed an all-fiber RGB laser light source module for application in an automobile head-up display. It is based on laser diodes and an optical fiber combiner that substantially enhances the flexibility of configuration and stability against harsh working conditions for automobiles. We coupled 13 laser diodes with optical fibers and merged them into a single output with a beam combiner device. Red (R), green (G), and blue (B) laser sources were employed to produce primary colors that were mixed into a white light output. An optical output power of approximately 1.5 W was achieved, and the color balance of the output lights was assessed based on the CIE 1931 color space. The optical output power was shown to be stable for over 160 h within an optical fluctuation of less than 0.27%.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.294-299
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• 2019

Most previous studies on water repellent surfaces using lasers rely on the use of pico- or femtosecond lasers. However, in industrial application, these methods have the disadvantages of high cost and low efficiency. In this study, we implement a hydrophobic surface using a high-power general-purpose diode laser. We have fabricated the microsurface using laser groove processing technology, and we present the correlation of wettability characteristics with space and width. The metal material is stainless steel (SUS 304), and the groove height during laser processing is set to $30{\mu}m$ to evaluate the wettability based on the gap and width of various grooves. Results show that the contact angle of the groove-shaped surface is increased by $40^{\circ}$ or more as compared with the surface without patterning, and the contact angle in the parallel direction is greater than that in the perpendicular direction. Results from contact angle hysteresis measurement experiments show that the groove width has a greater influence on the contact angle history than does the gap between grooves. In addition, the coating reveals that the contact angle can be increased using a chemical method and that the laser grooving process can further improve the wetting properties of the surface.