Ultrashort and high pulse energy 2 æm fiber laser Navy SBIR FY2010.3 Sol No.: Navy SBIR FY2010.3 Topic No.: N103-210 Topic Title: Ultrashort and high pulse energy 2 æm fiber laser Proposal No.: N103-210-0799 Firm: Agiltron Development Corporation 15 Presidential Way Woburn, Massachusetts 01801-1003 Contact: Geoffrey Burnham Phone: (781) 935-1200 Abstract: Specially engineered rod type photonic fibers (PCF) hold the promise of becoming the next generation gain medium for high pulse energy fiber lasers. This class of compact and highly efficient lasers is well suited for airborne and ground based infrared countermeasure (IRCM) applications. However, the current rod type PCF is only designed for Yb doped 1 æm laser applications. The more important eye safe wavelength high pulse energy fiber laser is absent due either to low optical conversion efficiency at 1550 nm or unavailability of high power fiber components for a Tm doped rod type PCF based 2 æm fiber laser. Agiltron Development Corporation proposes an advanced rod type Tm doped PCF based 2 æm ultrashort and high pulse energy fiber laser based on our recently developed series of high power 2 æm fiber components such as isolator, pump combiner and modulator. Agiltron-D will be able to demonstrate this new class of 2 æm pulse fiber laser in very short time. In the Phase I, the fiber laser with mJ level pulse energy and ps pulse duration will be designed and demonstrated, and a 5 mJ pulse energy and fully functioned fiber laser system will be demonstrated in Phase II. Benefits: The proposed next generation high power fiber lasers have direct applications in many commercial markets, including industrial welding, drilling, cutting, and so on. Fiber laser revenues are set to grow to $300 million by 2011 and are likely to have a significant impact on the penetration of high power lasers into the manufacturing environment on the basis of their superior price / performance (beam quality, efficiency and footprint). This is likely to accelerate the adoption of laser processing in volume manufacturing where lasers are only just starting to offer fully integrated solutions (robotic integration and fiber delivery) that will in turn enable new designs and manufacturing techniques. Commercial applications also include optical free space communications, long distance range finders, remote sensor systems, medical surgery and laser welding, cutting and other materials processing. Return