ELECTRO-OPTICALLY TUNABLE MID-INFRARED SOLID STATE LASER

WITH THE INCREASING THREAT OF MULTI-SPECTRAL INFRARED SEEKERS, LASERS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING MULTIPLE TUNABLE OUTPUTS IN THE MID-INFRARED ARE DESIRABLE FOR ACTIVE COUNTERMEASURES IMPLEMENTATION. A FREQUENCY AGILE SOLID STATE LASER SYSTEM IS PROPOSED WHICH INCORPORATES NOVEL TUNING METHODS WHICH ACCOMMODATE THE PROVISION FOR SINGLE OR MULTIPLE OUTPUTS WITHIN THE TUNING RANGE. THESE INNOVATIVE TUNING TECHNIQUES ARE ACCOMPLISHED OPTICALLY AND DO NOT REQUIRE ANY ACTIVE MECHANICAL ALIGNMENT ADJUSTMENTS. THE LASER IS BASED ON THE CO:MGF(2) CRYSTAL WHICH HAS DEMONSTRATED TUNABLE OUTPUTS FROM 1.75-2.5 UM AT ROOM TEMPERATURE. TO EXTEND THE OUTPUTS FURTHER INTO THE INFRARED, THE SYSTEM PRODUCES THE DIFFERENCE FREQUENCIES OF THE CO:MGF(2) LASER WITH ITS 1.338 UM ND:YAG PUMP WAVELENGTH YIELDING OUTPUTS IN THE 2.9-5.0 UM RANGE. THE DEVICE IS THUS CAPABLE OF PROVIDING SIMULTANEOUS LASER OUTPUTS IN EVERY ATMOSPHERIC TRANSMISSION WINDOW FROM 1.7-5.0 UM.