Intra-Cavity Optical Amplifier (ICOA)

ABSTRACT: This proposal plans to develop an Intra-cavity Coherent Optical Amplifier (ICOA). The Wide Field of View (FOV) High Gain Coherent Optical Amplifier is a critical element of electro-optical systems for detecting the scattered light for coherent imaging of remote objects. A fully developed ICOA will expand the use of coherent imaging systems for acquisition, tracking, identification and characterization of distant objects. The system key will be in designing a multi-path imaging amplifier operating in conjunction with an optical phase conjugation. The proposed architecture of IACO will provide a high level of amplification (up to 150 dB) at a single path low gain. Use of this approach should resolve issues associated with intra-cavity wave front aberrations caused by thermal load on the gain medium and super-luminescence effects in a high-gain amplifier. The phase conjugation is applied to compensate residual wave front aberrations, typical for intra-cavity amplification schemes introduced by thermal load and other source perturbations. BENEFIT: The proposed system will allow use of an amplified optical beam of a complicated structure, in particular a transmitted image. System applications include military areas of high-power lasers and remote target acquisition and tracking with low-level illumination. Commercial applications are in areas of weak image signal detection for dynamical visualization processes, which do not have high levels of illumination, such as medicine and biology.