Innovative Manufacturing Process Improvements

MDA and Air Force are interested in advanced infrared optical windows for high-energy laser (HEL) systems. Laser windows always absorb some of the incident and transmitted energy. A non-uniform intensity beam profile causes non-uniform thermal gradients in the window, producing optical distortions and mechanical stresses. The window material can impose major degradations on the system beam quality because of localized inhomogenities, whether impurity or strain induced. Finally, fracture of the window can represent a single point catastrophic failure for an entire HEL system. Thus, proper window design is imperative. Schafer was the Scientific, Engineering Technical Advisor (SETA) for all of the SDIO/AFWL HEL window development programs in the early 1990's. Schafer is a leading designer of windows for HEL systems, and we contributed to the design of the output window for the Tactical High Energy Laser (THEL) system. In Phase I, Schafer, with teammate Schott Glass Technologies, will design 5 laser phosphate glass formulations, perform the thermal distortion design and analysis for the Airborne Laser (ABL) bulkhead window based on these, and produce coupons for the top 3 formulations. In Phase II we will downselect the most promising glass and build a prototype bulkhead window for the ABL.