RO Number
18586
Keyword(s)
Instrument development; Mineralogy; Pulsed Laser; Raman
Citizenship Requirement
U.S. Citizens Accepted; Lawful Permanent Residents Accepted; Foreign Nationals Accepted
Description
The postdoctoral researcher (NPP) will contribute to the development of a new technology for future planetary exploration. The focus of this work is the development of a time resolved Raman and fluorescence spectrometer for mineral identification, suitable for operation on a Mars Rover. By using time resolved Raman in place of conventional continuous wave Raman, we can obtain Raman spectra using traditional visible laser excitation (532 nm) even in the presence of an overwhelming
fluorescence signal. This technique also allows us to simultaneously collect the time resolved fluorescence spectra for identification of trace ionic components within the target minerals. We have demonstrated this technique (e.g. on Mars relevant minerals) using a laboratory spectrometer with a streak camera that can achieve ~10psec time resolution. The NPP would participate in the development of this technique toward a flight instrument which is necessarily compact, low power, and
rugged. The work could include (but is not limited to) exploring new high bandwidth detector options, lasers, and creative optical and electronics design. It is desirable that the NPP have a rigorous background in experimental physics, and a strong interest in hands-on development of instrument systems. Expertise in the following fields would be considered and advantage: high bandwidth detectors (1GHz) and electronics, lasers, spectroscopy & spectrometer design, optical/mechanical design,
Laboratory computer interface (e.g. LabVIEW, C, Matlab).