Efficient Broadband Fiber Laser for LADAR Ranging

Based on our success in developing a variety of the world first commercial high power and high energy fiber laser systems and our leading technology development in pulsed fiber laser and nonlinear fiber optics, PolarOnyx proposes, for the first time, a compact all fiber based high power broadband laser source covering from VIS to LWIR to meet with the requirement of the Air Force solicitation AF093-089. A tabletop experiment will be demonstrated in Phase I time frame for proof of the concept. A compact and efficient (>20% wall plug efficiency) hardware will be delivered in Phase II. BENEFIT: The proposed high power fiber laser and broadband source can be used in many applications, such as countermeasures, metrology, sensing, spectroscopy and space, aircraft, and satellite applications of LADAR systems and communications, laser weapons, and target designation and illumination. With successful development of the laser, the technology proposed by PolarOnyx will provide a vital tool to solve the existing and potential issues and merge with the huge markets including • Material processing. This includes (1) all types of metal processing such as welding, cutting, annealing, and drilling; (2)semiconductor and microelectronics manufacturing such as lithography, inspection, control, defect analysis and repair, and via drilling; (3) marking of all materials including plastic, metals, and silicon; (4) other materials processing such as rapid prototyping, desk top manufacturing, micromachining, photofinishing, embossed holograms, and grating manufacturing. • Medical equipment and biomedical instrumentation. The high power amplifier/laser can be applied to ophthalmology, refractive surgery, photocoagulation, general surgery, therapeutic, imaging, and cosmetic applications. Biomedical instruments include those involved in cells or proteins, cytometry, and DNA sequencing; laser Raman spectroscopy, spectrofluorimetry, and ablation; and laser based microscopes.