High Optical Power Fiberoptic Components for 2µm Fiber Laser

The proposed innovative in-fiber beam expansion technology and the all inorganic micro-optic fiberoptic device designs intrinsically have advantages in power handling, speed, insertion loss, reliability, and potentially cost as compared with other approaches. Our approaches overcomes all the major hurdles in high power 2um fiberoptic device fabrications without trading-off of optical performance as well as size and weight. By using thermally matched materials, our high power 2um fiberoptic devices are designed to be operated in harsh aerospace environments with exceptional longevity. As a technical demonstration, fiber pigtailed isolators have been fabricated in this program to withstand up to the peak power of 2.3 kW at 2um and pulse energy of 312.8µJ. In Phase II, we will continue to improve the isolator high power handling capability and meanwhile demonstrate the prototype of high power modulators and switches for high power 2µm fiber laser applications. The program leverages on Agiltron extensive commercial high power fiber optic component manufacturing expertise and seeks to realize attributes that are beyond what having been possible. The developments are in close collaboration with Lockheed Martin for early defense application insertions. BENEFIT: This program addresses the lack of commercial high power fiberoptic components operating at 2um. The availability of these components enables the realization of highly desirable high-power, high-efficiency infrared fiber lasers for various military applications, including missile countermeasures, high-resolution, long-range target identification, and remote sensing of biological or chemical agents to develop devices. They have the capability of adding tremendous value to land and air directed energy platforms for both attack and protection. For commercial applications, high power fiber lasers are also the sources of material processing in the automotive, aircraft, free space communication system, laser machining.