High Power All-Solid-State 4- Micron Source

Science Research Laboratory proposes to develop a pulsed, tunable mid-IR source with average power greater than 55 watts and high pulse repetition frequency (20 kHz). The program is divided into a baseline and two options. In the baseline program we will develop a continuous-wave laser operating at a wavelength of 2.1 microns with a power of approximately 120 watts. In the option programs, the 2.1-micron laser will be converted to pulsed operation; it will then be utilized as the pump for an optical parametric oscillator to generate mid-IR radiation around a wavelength of 4 micron. The development of this 4-micron source, which will represent a factor-of-10 increase in high-repetition-rate, pulsed mid-IR power over the current state of the art, is applicable to improved jamming of missile seekers that sense radiation of this wavelength. Such IR-seeking missiles, also known as "heat-seeking" missiles, have for many years posed a grave threat to both military and commercial aircraft. They are believed to have been responsible for destroying 90 percent of all aircraft lost in battle in the last quarter of the 20th century.