DIODE PUMPED ER:YAG LASER FOR IR COUNTERMEASURES

A SERIOUS THREAT EXISTS TO OUR ARMED FORCES FROM VARIOUS INFRARED SENSORS MOUNTED ON A VARIETY OF MILITARY PLATFORMS. THE SPECTRAL RANGES OF THE SENSORS ARE IN THE 3-5 AND 8-12 MICRON BANDS. THE PRIMARY THREAT HAS BEEN IN THE 3-5 MICRON BAND. THERE IS A CRITICAL NEED TO DEVELOP AN IR SOURCE TO COUNTER THIS THREAT. IF THE SOURCE WERE TUNABLE IT WOULD BE VIRTUALLY IMMUNE TO COUNTER-COUNTERMEASURES. THE OBJECTIVE OF OUR PROPOSED PROGRAM IS TO FURTHER DEVELOP AN EXPECTIONALLY EFFICIENT LASER SOURCE THAT WE HAVE DEMONSTRATED. WE WILL INVESTIGATE DIODE DUMPED ER:YAG AS A LASER SOURCE AT 1.54 UM. DURING THE COURSE OF THE PHASE II EFFORT THIS LASER SOURCE WILL BE SCALED UP TO HIGH AVERAGE POWERS AND USED AS A PUMP FOR AN OPO.