Automated Ultrashort Pulsed Laser (USPL) Tailoring Technology

Ultrafast lasers have unique interactions with matter that include the ability to athermally ablate materials, create micron-resolution texturing of surfaces, and provide diagnostic, sensing, and imaging capabilities. Of particular interest to the Navy is the potential use of ultrafast lasers for aircraft self-defense applications. However, the propagation of an ultrafast signal through the atmosphere inevitably results in changes to the temporal and spatial characteristics of the pulsed beam, which diminishes the effectiveness of the signal. In this Phase II SBIR, Raydiance proposes to develop an autonomous pulse tuning system that will pre-compensate for atmospheric effects so that the desired pulse energy and quality can be delivered on target, regardless of field conditions. Key tasks in the program will include the development of integrated devices and methods for ultrafast laser pulse shaping and tuning, and control algorithms for autonomous programming the nature of the laser output. In addition, an architecture will be designed that enables a user to program the temporal and spatial characteristics of the output. Option phase tasks include building and delivering a packaged prototype pulse tuning subsystem that incorporates real-time user-selected optimization.