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Beam Director/Expander for High Energy Laser Applications

Award Information
Agency: Department of Defense
Branch: Navy
Contract: N68936-09-C-0033
Agency Tracking Number: N091-009-0888
Amount: $79,872.00
Phase: Phase I
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: N091-009
Solicitation Number: 2009.1
Timeline
Solicitation Year: 2009
Award Year: 2009
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): 2009-04-23
Award End Date (Contract End Date): 2010-05-10
Small Business Information
P.O. Box 71
Hanover, NH 03755
United States
DUNS: 072021041
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 Paul Sorensen
 Principal Investigator
 (603) 643-3800
 phs@creare.com
Business Contact
 James Barry
Title: Principal Investigator
Phone: (603) 643-3800
Email: contractsmgr@creare.com
Research Institution
N/A
Abstract

The overall goal of this project is to design, fabricate, and test a compact, low power, aircraft-mounted Beam Director/Expander (BD/E) for High Energy Laser (HEL) Applications. Examples of HEL applications include: (1) directed energy weapons from air- and space-borne sources, and (2) countermeasures for surface-to-air missiles aimed at aircraft. Both applications require high bandwidth and high accuracy to reject structural disturbances (jitter) from the base aircraft and to enable rapid target acquisition and tracking. Tactical beam directors for these applications need to: handle laser power up to 300 kW, have optical throughput greater than 90%, work with wavelengths between 1.0 micron and 1.1 micron, have residual wavefront error less than lambda/8 at 1.06 micron, have residual jitter less than 2 microrad, have slew rates exceeding 2 rad/sec, be capable of slew accelerations greater than 2 rad/sec2, take up less than 0.2 cubic meters, and have mass less than 50 kg. Our proposed Beam Director/Expander combines a unique, optical design; advanced mirror materials; novel actuator technology; and proven gimbal and high-speed control system electronics. During Phase I, we will demonstrate the feasibility of our approach. During Phase II, we will fabricate and test a bench-top BD/E.

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

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