Splitter for High-Energy Lasers

To address the Navy’s need for a capability to efficiently split the power of a high-energy laser (HEL) beam into two outputs, Intellisense Systems, Inc. (Intellisense) proposes to advance the development of its Splitter for High-Energy Lasers (SHEL). SHEL uses an innovative, tunable grating to provide continuously variable splitting ratios, including complete switching between channels and ratios of 50/50 to 20/80, with >98.5% transmission efficiency in <5 ms. By incorporating fundamentally rugged components and substrates, the grating can support continuous wave laser power levels of up to 31 MW, well above the Navy’s 300 kW goal, and can be deployed on Navy vessels. This is combined with a novel thermal management subsystem that mitigates thermal lensing and related effects, thus reducing beam quality degradation to <5%. All of SHEL’s subsystems incorporate automatic control and feedback loops, eliminating the need for manned intervention. SHEL is designed for laser wavelengths at or near 1.0 micron, supports beam apertures of arbitrary size, and can split unpolarized or mixed-polarization lasers. In Phase II, Intellisense will develop multiple generations of the prototype system and deliver a ruggedized prototype SHEL unit to the Navy. The Phase II prototype designs will be based on the concept, analysis, preliminary design, and specifications developed during Phase I. Intellisense will demonstrate the technology in Phase II through tests of the prototype in a laboratory or controlled outdoor environment utilizing surrogate lasers. At the conclusion of Phase II, the prototype hardware and software will be delivered to Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren along with complete test data, installation and operation instructions, and any auxiliary software and special hardware necessary to operate the prototype. The Phase II work will lead to the Phase III transition efforts, where Intellisense will support the Navy in transitioning the technology for government use. Phase III work will include refining specific hardware, software, and operating instructions to support specific Navy HEL weapons. As part of this phase, Intellisense will establish hardware and software configuration baselines, produce support documentation, establish production processes, and assist the government in the integration of SHEL into existing and future HEL weapon systems.