DSTO achieves world record anti-missile laser power
Research Project
- Start Date:
- 14 August, 2007
- Project Status:
- Active
Researchers at DSTO and the University of Sydney have developed a fibre laser that has exceeded previously published power levels for such devices by almost an order of magnitude, and at the same time has set new efficiency records.
The device emits in the 2 micron spectral range, making it useful as a jammer source against heat-seeking missiles.
As reported in the February 1, 2007 issue of Optics Letters (pg 241), these results were obtained from a holmium-doped fibre sensitised by special co-doping. The laser produced 83 watts with almost perfect beam quality and a 42% optical efficiency when pumped using standard near-infrared diode bars.
Traditional systems based on solid state lasers for use as infrared jammer sources usually emit at shorter wavelengths, needing more frequency conversion stages to transfer the energy to the hard-to-reach mid-infrared spectral band, making them complex, expensive and power-hungry.
The demonstration of such a simple and efficient technique is a significant advance towards development of a new class of smaller, lighter, cheaper and more powerful mid-infrared sources crucial to applications such as infrared-guided missile countermeasures for aircraft protection.
Other applications that could benefit from this work include eyesafe remote sensing, eyesafe laser cutting and welding for industry, and uses in medical procedures such as surgery.