SBIR Phase I: High Power Mid-Infrared Vertical External Cavity Surface emitting Lasers With Gain Coupled Near-Infrared Outputs

SBIR 第一阶段：具有增益耦合近红外输出的高功率中红外垂直外腔表面发射激光器

• 批准号: 1621844
• 负责人: Chris Hessenius
• 金额: $ 22.5万
• 依托单位: TPhotonics Inc.
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2016
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2016-07-01 至 2017-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1621844&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: SBIR; Phase; Power; Mid; Infrared

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I projec is wide ranging due to the flexibility of the laser source design. The goal of the proposed work is an innovative approach to the development of a new class of compact, low cost, high-power laser sources at wavelengths that are currently difficult to achieve while providing addition functionality with no additional power consumption. This will make a highly efficient laser package. In addition to the application rich mid-IR, the laser design can easily be extended to other wavelengths in the far-IR, THz, visible, and UV portions of the spectrum. The approach can have a significant impact in many technical fields. The discoveries made within the scope of this program will have a transformative impact in mid- to far-IR lasers and has the ability to benefit disciplines including: laser surgery, dental surgery, dermatology, atmospheric monitoring, chemical sensing, and a broad range of defense applications including LADAR and laser range finding. In addition to the technological impact, the proposed research will cover multiple disciplines in science and engineering including high energy material properties, semiconductor physics, nonlinear optics and laser physics which will provide a unique research opportunity.This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will address the need for versatile laser sources operating in the mid-infrared (mid-IR) spectral region. Currently available lasers sources are limited in their capabilities. Wavelength selection and maximum output powers are limited, and efficiency, reliability and costs are also issues. High-power vertical external cavity surface emitting lasers (VECSEL) which employs multiple chip arrangements have the potential to reach wavelengths that are not easily attainable in a very compact package. In addition, the introduction of multiple laser cavities provides a means for generating outputs in the near-IR with no additional power consumption. Using a high power doubly-resonant two-color T-cavity VECSEL, efficient difference frequency conversion will be achieved. High power outputs in the mid-IR (8-12 µm) spectral region will be demonstrated through a novel design in which the VECSEL chips will contain multiple laser cavities that can provide broad spectral coverage in the near-IR from the same device. This will lead to enhanced efficiency and provide more capabilities such as laser targeting and range finding with no additional power consumption.

由于激光源设计的灵活性，这一小型企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目的广泛影响/商业潜力是广泛的。拟议工作的目标是一种创新的方法，以开发一种新型的紧凑，低成本，高功率激光源，其波长目前难以实现，同时提供额外的功能，而无需额外的功耗。这将成为一个高效的激光封装。除了应用丰富的中红外，激光器设计可以很容易地扩展到光谱的远红外，太赫兹，可见光和紫外部分的其他波长。该方法可以在许多技术领域产生重大影响。该计划范围内的发现将对中远红外激光器产生变革性影响，并有能力使以下学科受益：激光外科，牙科手术，皮肤病学，大气监测，化学传感以及广泛的国防应用，包括激光雷达和激光测距。除了技术影响外，拟议的研究将涵盖多个科学和工程学科，包括高能材料特性、半导体物理、非线性光学和激光物理，这将提供一个独特的研究机会。这个小型企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目将解决在中红外光谱范围内工作的多功能激光源的需求。目前可用的激光源的能力有限。波长选择和最大输出功率是有限的，并且效率、可靠性和成本也是问题。采用多芯片布置的高功率垂直外腔表面发射激光器（VECSEL）具有达到在非常紧凑的封装中不容易获得的波长的潜力。此外，多个激光腔的引入提供了一种用于在近IR中产生输出而没有额外功耗的手段。采用高功率双谐振双色T腔垂直腔面发射激光器，可以实现高效的差频转换。中红外（8-12 µm）光谱区域的高功率输出将通过一种新颖的设计来展示，其中VECSEL芯片将包含多个激光腔，可以从同一设备提供近红外的宽光谱覆盖。这将提高效率，并提供更多功能，如激光瞄准和测距，而无需额外的功耗。