Tactical and Navigation Lasers-2, Compact 12mJ Mid-IR Pulsed Source Using an Intracavity KTA OPO Followed by a CSP OPA, FY20

Abstract

(U) C5ISR Centers Tactical and Navigation Lasers (TNL) applied research program is investigating and testing a new class of compact, high peak power pulsed midwave infrared and longwave infrared lasers and detectors to fulfill situational awareness within large fields of regard and extended ranges. We describe a compact mid-IR source utilizing an intracavity, non-critically phase matched potassium titanyle arsenate (KTA) optical parametric oscillator (OPO) placed inside a passively Q-switched (PQS), 1.06m Nd:YAG laser resonator. The 20mm long KTA intracavity OPO was singly resonant, with the output coupler coated for partial reflectivity of 60% at the 1.5m signal emission and for high transmission at the 3.5m idler wavelength. With the Nd:YAG pumped by a 3-lambda 12-bar diode stack at 10Hz PRF, the OPO generated a maximum 20mJ signal pulse at 1.5 micro m and 8.8mJ idler pulse at 3.5 micro m. A cadmium silicon phosphide (CSP) optical parametric amplifier (OPA), phase matched for 1.5micro m-pumped amplification of the 3.5micro m OPO idler, was placed in the near field of the intracavity OPO to further increase the mid-IR pulse energy. This document will detail the Nd:YAG pumped intracavity KTA OPO I CSP OPA and optimization of its performance for maximizing the mid-IR pulse energy. This work is critical for vehicle situational awareness systems.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Nov 09, 2020
Accession Number
AD1150663

Entities

People

  • Brian J. Cole
  • John C. Mccarthy
  • John E. Nettleton
  • Kevin T. Zawilski
  • Leonard A. Pomeranz
  • Lew Goldberg
  • Peter G Schunemann

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Advanced Electronics
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Sensors

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Abstracts
  • Amplification
  • Amplifiers
  • Crystals
  • Department Of Defense
  • Detectors
  • Far Field
  • Infrared Lasers
  • Laser Applications
  • Laser Resonators
  • Lasers
  • Materials
  • Measurement
  • Navigation
  • Near Field
  • Night Vision
  • Optics
  • Peak Power
  • Quantum Cascade Lasers
  • Range Finding
  • Reflectivity
  • Resonators
  • Situational Awareness
  • Yag Lasers

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Optical Physics and Photonics.

Technology Areas

  • Directed Energy