SBIR-STTR Award

The diode pumped alkali laser (DPAL) allows for a potentially scalable approach towards a MW-class high energy laser system. By using an alkali vapor gain medium, one overcomes the intrinsic thermo-optical limitations of more conventional diode-pumped solid state laser (DPSSL) media. High spectral brightness diode pump sources are proposed as the enabling element for efficient, kW-class DPAL systems. We propose to develop a compact, ultra-narrow-bandwidth (< 1 GHz), high power diode laser pumps for DPALs. The ultra-narrow pump diode lasers will be designed in Phase I to provide kW-class power levels with spectral linewidths in the range of 500 MHz. In Phase I, a proof-of-principle demonstration will be performed. In Phase II, a kW-class narrow linewidth DPAL pump laser will be constructed. This combination of power, spectral linewidth, and compactness is not available in any other pump laser today. In addition, our approach is traceable to a very compact pump size and weight, which is a key driver for DoD applications.

Keywords:
Dpals, Diode Laser, Pump Laser, Narrow Linewidth, High Power

The diode pumped alkali laser (DPAL) allows for a potentially scalable approach towards a MW-class high energy laser system. By using an alkali vapor gain medium, one overcomes the intrinsic thermo-optical limitations of more conventional diode-pumped solid state laser (DPSSL) media. High spectral brightness diode pump sources are proposed by TeraDiode as the enabling element for efficient, kW-class DPAL systems. In Phase 1 of this program, we developed a Watt-class, compact, extremely narrow-bandwidth (sub-GHz bandwidth), diode laser pump for DPALs. In Phase 2 of this program, we will produce a 2-kW, compact, extremely narrow bandwidth (sub-GHz bandwidth) pump for DPAL lasers

Keywords:
Diode-Pumped Alkalai Lasers (Dpals), Pump Diode Lasers, Narrow Linewidth Pump Diode Lasers, Kw-Class Lasers, High Brightness Lasers