System Integration of Key Enabling Components for a KW Fiber Laser

This Phase II SBIR Proposal presents detailed description of a KW fiber laser, which is comprised of three key enabling components: (1) a properly configured phase locked fiber laser array with 19 Yb-doped cores, presently being developed under an on-goingAF Phase II SBIR, (2) low-cost, pigtailed diode laser pumps, that have been selected and can be well fitted into the system with a proper design, and (3) very efficient couplers for side-pumping of the fiber laser, which is also being developed under anon-going AF Phase I SBIR. Under this proposed project, these components will be custom-made, qualified and integrated into a system, which will be used to demonstrate its performance targeted by the LITE project. This study will provide usefulinformation regarding to power damage, output beam quality, and system packaging issues. Results will provide the guideline for establishing a reliable power scaling law for future high energy laser systems. This prototype will be packaged andfunctionally tested and delivered to the Air Force at the end of the project, along with testing results for characterizing the performance of this laser.