Award Data

Building on previous work with rod-based solid-state lasers, we propose to investigate the utility of demonstrating 100 kW class diode-pumped Yb:YAG slab lasers by operating the laser cooling system at cryogenic (77 _K) temperatures. The major objectives of the proposed Phase I program are to extend our thermal and stress modeling to slab lasers, build a model of expected optical performance, and ...

Microchannel plates (MCP) are essential for high gain UV-visible-near IR imaging and detection applications in defense, science, medicine, industry, security and consumer applications. Common MCP are fabricated from activated lead glass and suffer from a gain that falls rapidly with cumulative operation. MCP are expensive, available in limited areas, have significant spatial & pixel gain non-unifo ...

An innovative discharge geometry for a very compact, area cooled, high average power CO2 laser employing a two mirror, waveguide-stable optical cavity is proposed. The specific Phase I result sought is the generation of an average CO2 output power of 1 W/cm2 of wall cooling area in a geometry that has a total cooling area of 140 cm2. A lightweight CO2 amplifier version of a future Phase II devic ...

A unique method for producing very stable, sub-angstrom wide, reflection notch, and bandpass filters, with high optical rejection is proposed. This method takes advantage of a subtle process observed in vacuum ultra-violet (VUV) lithographic systems using fused silica optics known as, laser induced compaction. Multiple exposures of high power excimer radiation induces very small index of refractio ...

There are many military, commercial, and medical applications for a small, rugged, and inexpensive infrared (IR) spectrometer. A Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectrometer would be an ideal tool for such measurements; however, FT-IR spectrometers are very sensitive to vibration and subject to misalignment from mechanically or thermally induced forces. To help overcome these barriers, BMDO pro ...