Novel Mini-DIAL Transmitter

This proposal addresses the need for a new generation of water vapor DIAL transmitters. These transmitters must be UAV flight deployable and operate efficiently at a high repetition rate and low pulse energy. Aculight proposes to address this need with a compositionally tuned garnet laser that operates directly at the wavelength of interest. This quasi-four level laser material requires a very bright pump source to operate efficiently at low pulse energies. Aculight's innovation is a revolutionary technique that when applied to diode bar can increase their output brightness by well over an order of magnitude. This will be the first demonstration of a solid state laser pumped using this technique and will lead to an entirely new class of laser systems. Coupling this with Aculight's advanced manufacturing techniques that allow lasers can be dropped from a height of three feet without effecting their performance and Aculight's extensive background in laser engineering will lead to a flight worthy water vapor DIAL transmitter in Phase II.