Fiber-Laser-Based Mid-IR Source

Advances in diode-pumped solid state lasers and high-quality nonlinear materials have facilitated development of all-solid-state, mid-infrared sources suitable for infrared countermeasures. Present systems are based on bulk-crystal pump lasers combined with suitable nonlinear wavelength converters. Recent results with high-power fiber lasers suggest that they can replace the bulk devices as pump sources, with the advantages of higher mechanical ruggedness, greater packaging flexibility and simplified thermal management. We propose to analyze and develop an innovative system that combines a flexible, waveform/wavelength generator, an efficient, fiber-based power amplifier and a optical parametric oscillator wavelength converter to generate power in three bands falling in the 2-5 um wavelength range.