High Brightness Pump Combiner Architecture

Current laser weapon systems utilize multiple kilowatt+ class fiber lasers (i.e., “channels”) whose beams are combined either coherently or spectrally to enhance brightness to achieve the desired total output power. Depending on the desired power, the size, weight, and power needs of these systems can be large enough to prevent them from addressing certain missions and deployment platforms.  Increasing the output power of an individual laser channel is one possible way of decreasing the overall weapon system footprint.  Deployment of high energy laser weapon systems onto unmanned, nimble platforms offers a strategic and tactical advantage in anti-drone and other types of warfare. A single-channel, high power fiber laser system capable of reaching 10+ kW is thus a very attractive integration option for current and future smaller unmanned platforms. Physical Sciences Inc., teamed with MIT Lincoln Laboratories, proposes a Phase II program that will fabricate and test a prototype high power pump and signal combiner, a key component in fiber lasers, designed for a substantial increase in output power (~>3x over currently available) for a single laser channel.  PSI proposes to develop a prototype 18+1:1 tapered fiber bundle pump and signal combiner for both the co-pumped and counter-pumped configurations.