Compact Laser System for Airborne Detection of Ocean Mines

TIPD LLC proposes to develop a compact and efficient multi-spectral laser system with four spectral bands at 532 nm, 685 nm, 700 nm, and 735 nm for airborne detection of ocean mines. The diode pumped solid-state laser system consists of a master oscillator and power amplifier (MOPA) laser, a frequency doubling laser, and three singly resonant optical parametric oscillators (OPOs). The Nd:YAG thin disk based MOPA laser can generate 2.5 J pulses at 1064 nm with width less than 4 nanoseconds, which can be converted to over 1.25 J pulses at 532 nm through a frequency doubling system. The 1.25 J pulses are split into the desired 500 mJ pulses at 532 nm and three 250 mJ pump lasers for three OPOs that produce 150 mJ pulses at 685nm, 700 nm and 735 nm, respectively. In this phase I program, we will focus on the design of the whole laser system and demonstrate high efficiency frequency doubling and OPOs using advanced quasi-phase matched crystals. Meanwhile, the capability of a thin-disk MOPA laser to produce<4 nanosecond pulses will be demonstrated. Modeling and simulation on the performance of the whole laser system will be carried out.