Compact, Low Power, and High Speed MEMS Mirror Based Laser Q-Switch

In this Phase II SBIR project, Mirrorcle Technologies Inc. ("MTI") plans to build on the successes of the Phase I effort to develop a MEMS-mirror based Q-switch technology to address one important item in the U.S. Army need for better and less costly laser range-finders. Additional military applications include scanned LADAR, target designators, and others. Q-switching lasers with similar designs are utilized in industrial and commercial products for laser marking, laser processing, tattoo and hair removal, etc. The goal of the R & D effort is to design and manufacture Q-switches that are smaller, less lossy and less power-consuming, by extending MTI"s existing MEMS technology. Resulting Q-switches will not only perform better, but will be less costly because they can be batch fabricated on silicon wafers. In Phase I, MTI focused on achieving a thorough understanding of overall requirements and trade-offs for an"eye-safe"1535nm Er:glass laser which must provide on-demand pulse firing. A prototype Q-switch with a fully functioning dielectric-coated mirror device and a USB Controller hardware and software was completed and delivered for tests. Phase II research will focus on producing a large number of prototypes with improved design to meet all target specifications, and to demonstrate performance and reliability.