Radiation Pressure - Using the Momentum of Light to Measure its Power
This grant seeks collaboration on using light's momentum (radiation pressure) for highly accurate laser power measurement, improving force sensing and laser manufacturing.
This grant is no longer accepting proposals
NRC Research Associateship Programs has archived this opportunity.
Funder: NRC Research Associateship Programs
Due Dates: February 1, 2025 | May 1, 2025 | August 1, 2025 | November 1, 2025
Funding Amounts: Stipend approximately $82,764 per year with $3,000 travel allowance; typical appointment duration 2 years.
Summary: Supports postdoctoral research collaborations at NIST on radiation-pressure-based laser power metrology, aiming to improve laser power measurement accuracy and force sensing technologies.
Key Information: Open to U.S. citizens holding a recent doctoral degree; research spans single photon sensing to high-power laser applications; requires contacting a Research Adviser prior to applying.
Description
This fellowship opportunity, offered through the NRC Research Associateship Programs at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), focuses on advancing laser power measurement using the momentum of light—radiation pressure. The core concept leverages the force exerted by a laser beam reflecting off a mirror to directly relate to its optical power, enabling highly accurate, non-absorptive power measurements especially valuable for high-power continuous wave (CW) lasers.
Traditional laser power measurement methods rely on absorbing the laser energy, which can be cumbersome, slow, and impractical at very high power levels. Radiation pressure measurement allows the laser beam to remain available for its intended industrial applications (e.g., welding, cutting, additive manufacturing) while simultaneously measuring its power with high accuracy. This capability has the potential to improve manufacturing quality by enabling real-time power monitoring during laser operation.
The program also explores the fundamental relationship between optical power and force, aiming to reduce measurement uncertainties by factors of 10 to 100 through innovations such as passive optical force amplification. Research interests include all aspects of radiation-pressure-based metrology, from single photon detection to lasers operating at hundreds of kilowatts, and both CW and pulsed laser sources. Additionally, the development of novel force sensing technologies—such as improved sensitivity, noise reduction, and active isolation—is encouraged.
Keywords
Radiation pressure, high-power laser, laser energy, CO2 lasers, laser manufacturing, laser welding, laser cutting, Yb doped fiber laser, photon momentum, force sensing, laser radiometry.
