HEL Optics with Anti-Reflective Surface Structures (ONR White Paper Tracking Number: 21-000001043)
Abstract
There is a critical need for optical components with very high energy laser damage threshold (LDT). Specifically, for high energy la,sers (HELs) being developed for the US Navy and Marine Corp. The current optical components involve the use of anti-reflection coati,ngs (ARCs) to avoid surface reflection. ARCs use foreign materials put on the surface to reduce the index mismatch between air and h,igher index optical material, or inherent Fresnel reflection. This foreign material either peels off or burns during the laser power, exposure at very low laser damage threshold compared to the optical material itself. Therefore, there is a need for optical compone,nts with very low reflectivity but also have very high LDT. A new technology of creating anti-reflective surface structures (ARSS) o,n the surface of the optics, eliminates reflection loss without the use of foreign materials. ARSS eliminates surface reflections wh,ile maintaining high LDT, close to that of intrinsic LDT of material itself, because it is created in the same material. Silica and,spinel are the best optical window materials for current and future high energy lasers, respectively. Fiber optic based HELs systems, and beam combining optical gratings would also benefit greatly from ARSS to increase efficiency and performance.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Jul 13, 2022
- Source ID
- N000142212623
Entities
People
- Ishwar Aggarwal
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy
- University of North Carolina at Charlotte