Innovative Manufacturing Processes

"The objective of this proposal is to design and manufacture a window glass material for high power transmission with approximately zero optical path difference (OPD) for MDA's Airborne Laser (ABL), a high power chemical oxygen-iodine laser (COIL) at 1.315¿m. The ideal window glass material must exhibit a zero Optical Path Difference (OPD) across the window that is being heated unevenly by the high-energy laser, thus, producing very little distortion in the transmitted beam. We propose to use speciallydesigned phosphate glasses which exhibiting a near zero or even negative optical path difference, extremely low absorption, relative low thermal expansion coefficient and high mechanical strength. In Phase I program, we will design, fabricate, andcharacterize glass samples with a variety of glass compositions which will exhibit a near zero optical path difference. This high quality glass material with near zero optical path difference can be used as the bulkhead window of Airborne and Space-basedlasers for ballistic missile defense."