SBIR Phase I: High-Power Optical Wavelength Converter

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project proposes the development of novel near-infrared coherent light sources. The approach consists of the use of novel means to convert the power of a continuous- wave (CW) multi-watt pump, such as derived from an erbium-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA), or ytterbium- doped fiber amplifier (YDFA), to a wavelength range where high CW powers are currently not available. The output power will be available via an optical fiber. The wavelength conversion will have high efficiency, of the order of tens of percents. Output power will initially reach several Watts, with possible extension up to several hundred Watts. By this approach, we could in principle make powerful coherent light sources in many wavelength ranges where none have been previously available, in the broad range of 800 to 1800 nm. Each source will be tunable over several hundred nanometers. These light sources should find applications wherever high-power CW coherent sources are Needed. Possible areas of application are: laser surgery, photodynamic therapy, heat treatment, and laser machining, remote sensing, spectroscopy, etc.