SBIR Phase I: Diode-Pumped, High-Power, Cr:LiSAF-Based Ultrafast Laser and THz Source

这个小型企业创新研究第一阶段项目旨在进行关键实验，以开发一种创新的超快脉冲激光源。虽然基于钛蓝宝石的飞秒源在世界各地的科学实验室中广泛部署，但它们具有一定程度的复杂性和成本，这是飞秒系统广泛使用的障碍。基于直接二极管泵浦的Cr:LiSAF激光器，并遵循在类似材料上已被证明成功的多通道板设计，该项目中开发的光源将比目前的超快激光系统更简单、更小、更便宜。该项目将强调的一个应用是太赫兹产生，它反过来又具有各种重要用途。在第一阶段计划中，Cr:LiSAF激光器将被建造和表征，具有两种可能的二极管泵浦几何形状。此外，基于Cr:LiSAF设计的调q激光器将被构建和表征，以提供基于该技术的再生放大器的潜在性能数据。最后将进行一个高功率、二极管泵浦、基于Cr: lisaf的太赫兹辐射系统的初步设计。如果整体努力取得成功，结果将是适合科学和工业客户的超快和太赫兹一代产品。超快激光的最初市场将是科学研究界，但预计工业应用，如过程控制光谱、超精密微加工、生物成像和高速电子电路测试，也将接受这项技术。开发相关的太赫兹源将提供提供设备的选择，以解决太赫兹系统的新应用。这些应用包括但不限于通信、大气传感、避碰、医学成像、无损检测和安全扫描。

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project aims to conduct key experiments directed toward the development of an innovative, ultrafast-pulse laser source. While Ti: sapphire-based femtosecond sources are widely deployed in scientific laboratories throughout the world, they have a level of complexity and cost that is a barrier to wider use of femtosecond systems. Based on a directly diode-pumped Cr:LiSAF laser and following a multi-pass slab design that has proven successful with similar materials, the source to be developed in this project will be less complex, smaller and less expensive than present ultrafast laser systems. One application that will be emphasized in the project is terahertz generation, which in turn has a variety of significant uses. In the Phase I program, Cr:LiSAF lasers will be built and characterize, with two possible diode-pumping geometries. In addition, a Q-switched laser based on one of the Cr:LiSAF designs will be built and characterized to provide data on the potential performance of a regenerative amplifier based on the proposed technology. Finally a preliminary design will be conducted of a high-power, diode-pumped, Cr:LiSAF-based THz-radiation system. If the overall effort is successful, the outcome will be ultrafast- and terahertz-generation products suited for scientific and industrial customers. The initial market for the ultrafast laser would be the scientific research community, but it is anticipated that industrial applications such as process-control spectroscopy, ultra-precise micro-machining, biological imaging and high-speed electronics circuit testing, would also accept this technology. The development of the associated THz source would provide the option of supplying devices to address the emerging applications of THz systems. These applications include, but are not limited to, communications, atmospheric sensing, collision avoidance, medical imaging, non-destructive inspection and security scanning.