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3D Diode-Cross-Coupled Tapered Lasers for Kilowatt-Class, Chip-Scale, Laser Diode Phased Arrays

Award Information
Agency: Department of Defense
Branch: Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
Contract: W31P4Q-08-C-0316
Agency Tracking Number: 06SB2-0278
Amount: $1,231,370.00
Phase: Phase II
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: SB062-013
Solicitation Number: 2006.2
Timeline
Solicitation Year: 2006
Award Year: 2008
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): 2008-08-20
Award End Date (Contract End Date): 2010-07-31
Small Business Information
5408 NE 88th Street, Bldg E
Vancouver, WA -
United States
DUNS: 799811646
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 Paul Leisher
 Device Engineer
 (360) 713-5230
 paul.leisher@nlight.net
Business Contact
 Jake Bell
Title: Vice President, Defense G
Phone: (360) 566-4460
Email: jake.bell@nlight.net
Research Institution
N/A
Abstract

Based on promising results obtained under our Phase 1 SBIR contract, nLIGHT wishes to proceed with a Phase 2 program. In the proposed program, nLIGHT will continue the development of high power, single-lateral-mode tapered diode lasers. nLIGHT has identified fundamental limitations to the operation of tapered diode lasers and proposes novel design and fabrication process improvements which directly address these limitations. Prof. Eric Johnson at the University of North Carolina – Charlotte (UNCC) made significant progress towards the development of the MOPA phase-locked array in Phase 1. Using tilted gratings to couple laser emission out-of-plane while simultaneously providing single-mode laser operation, UNCC demonstrated coherent emission from multiple surface-emitting out-couplers in the master oscillator design. This collaboration will be continued, and proof-of-concept phase locking of multiple tapered power amplifiers will be demonstrated by Prof. Johnson’s group. nLIGHT also believes the development of high-power, single-transverse-mode tapered diode lasers will enable a new generation of high brightness pump sources for a variety of applications, such as pumping kilowatt-level single-mode fiber lasers. Therefore, leveraging the results of the development proposed herein, nLIGHT will deliver to DARPA a prototype wavelength-stabilized pump module operating at 976 nm, capable of delivering 50 W in a 100-micron-core fiber.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

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