Fiber Delivery Systems for Ultrashort Pulse Lasers Navy SBIR FY2010.3 Sol No.: Navy SBIR FY2010.3 Topic No.: N103-201 Topic Title: Fiber Delivery Systems for Ultrashort Pulse Lasers Proposal No.: N103-201-0292 Firm: Raydiance, Inc. 2199 S. McDowell Blvd Suite 140 Petaluma, California 94954 Contact: Mike Mielke Phone: (707) 559-2100 Web Site: www.raydiance.com Abstract: By virtue of their extremely short pulses, typically less than a picosecond, ultrashort pulse (USP) lasers have unique interactions with matter, interactions that include the ability to ablate materials without introducing heat to the target, surface texturing and diagnostic, sensing, and imaging capabilities. In military environments, ultrashort pulse lasers have the potential to offer effective counter measures to advanced seeker threats. To date, deployment of this technology has been limited by an absence of a delivery fiber capable of handling the power intensity a USP laser. In this Phase I application, Raydiance proposes to design and develop a delivery fiber capable of handling millijoule class pulses. Key project tasks will include designing and analyzing fiber delivery parameters, testing design scalability with a hollow core fiber and a high pulse energy laser, and finally designing and modeling a complete fiber delivery system, which will include a specific optical fiber and input/output coupling hardware. Should an option be granted, Raydiance will test and analyze peak power and average power limitations of existing beam delivery fibers, and, finally, develop sourcing for the specified hollow core fiber and confirm the design feasibility for building a prototype system for an ensuing Phase II program. Benefits: The potential commercial implications for the development of a robust and dependable fiber delivery system for ultrafast lasers are significant and wide ranging in scope. Most immediately, a fiber capable of delivering millijoule class pulses would provide dramatically improved flexibility, stability, and control for micromachining workstations based on ultrafast sources. These next-generation workstations will enable applications such as the precision processing of high value materials, including biodegradable polymers for implantable medical devices, microfluidics chips for medical diagnosis, semiconductor wafers, and thin film photovoltaic materials. A second major area of commercial potential is in the surgical field. Fiber delivery of ultrashort pulse laser light would make possible a wealth of minimally invasive surgical techniques in oncology and cardiology. In addition, ultrashort pulse laser treatments would have widespread application in dermatological and cosmetic surgical applications. Finally, with the advent of fiber delivery systems, a longer term potential commercial market exists in providing ultrashort pulse laser based self-defense capabilities for civilian aircraft. Return