A research team at the University of Notre Dame recently secured a $550,000 grant from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) to develop promising new laser technology developed at the University. The two-year Partnerships for Innovation (PFI) grant will help fund the commercialization of a novel laser diode invented by Doug Hall, an associate professor of electrical engineering at Notre Dame, and two former electrical engineering graduate students, Di Liang and Jinyang Li.

Laser diodes are small devices made from semiconductor materials that generate a focused beam of light, known as laser light, when electricity passes through them. They are widely used across various industries, including high-speed internet, medical devices, manufacturing, and material identification, for applications such as data transmission, cutting, sensing, measuring, welding, engraving, marking, and drilling. Hall and his team were awarded the PFI grant–which are only given to research discoveries with the potential for significant societal and economic impacts if commercialized–in recognition of the potential effect Hall’s laser diode could have on these industries.

A key advantage of Hall’s laser diode is its ability to produce a precise, evenly shaped circular beam, a notable improvement over the less effective elliptical beams commonly produced by most laser diodes today. “The circular beam our laser diode produces is easier to focus, requires less power, enhances data transfer rates and signal quality in fiber optic high-speed internet networks, and reduces energy loss, thereby boosting overall performance in systems that use laser beams,” Hall said.

He estimates that his laser diode is 40 to 50 times more powerful than vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs), a type of laser diode commonly used to achieve circular beams but that suffer from low output power. This limitation, Hall said, restricts the use of VCSELs in high-power applications such as long-distance fiber optic internet and industrial material processing.

He also noted that his laser diode could reduce the cost and complexity of systems using laser diodes by eliminating the need for additional optics and hardware typically required to shape and direct laser beams.

Hall is confident that if his technology is widely adopted, it could significantly benefit various industries, but particularly Raman spectroscopy, an analytical technique widely used in chemistry, materials science, and biology to identify substances, study molecular interactions, and characterize materials using lasers, and optical communications, including high-speed fiber optic internet.

A major component of a PFI award is mandatory participation in a seven-week training program called I-Corps, where research teams explore the market potential of their innovations. Over the summer, Hall’s I-Corps team, which is made up of Hall, Jideofor Odoeze, a doctoral candidate in the College of Engineering, and Ben Sheyko, a technology validation manager for the IDEA Center, took part in this NSF-facilitated course.

Upon entering the I-Corps program, the team was tasked with conducting at least 100 potential customer discovery interviews. During these interviews, they posed key questions to test their business model hypothesis, exploring how their product could address current technological challenges and unmet market needs.

“The customer interviewing process, which at first seemed taxing, ended up being immensely helpful,” Hall said. “It provided us with valuable insights into refining our value proposition and understanding potential customers’ perceptions. As such, we’ve continued conducting interviews beyond the program because of how beneficial the data have been. The program also encouraged us to never stop doing customer discovery because that is, we’ve learned, the mindset behind most successful companies and technologies.”

The I-Corps program included weekly assignments, readings, and video lectures focused on essential aspects of creating a successful product, such as value proposition, customer relationships, and market segments.

Through the I-Corps program, Hall said he and his team gained a clearer understanding of the laser diode market and refined their commercialization strategy. They now plan to leverage the insights from this program and use the PFI award to tailor their technology to industry needs, positioning their innovation as a game-changer in fields like Raman spectroscopy and telecommunications. “We believe our laser diode has the potential to transform multiple industries, and we're eager to collaborate with partners who share our vision for its widespread application,” Hall said.

Originally published by Nicholas Swisher at ideacenter.nd.edu on September 19, 2024.