What Is It?
Solid-State Fiber Laser provides Incoherent Fiber Lasers for short asymmetric threat engagement and Coherent Combined Fiber Lasers for long range aircraft self protection.
How Does It Work?
A “fiber” laser is a laser in which the active gain medium is an optical fiber doped with rareearth elements such as erbium, ytterbium, neodymium, dysprosium, praseodymium and thulium. Light is kept in the “core” of the optical fiber by total internal reflection. This causes the fiber to act as a waveguide. Fibers that support many propagation paths or transverse modes are called multi-mode fibers (MMF). Fibers that support only a single mode are called single mode fibers (SMF). MMFs generally have a largediameter core, and are used for shortdistance communication links or for applications where high power must be transmitted. Single mode fibers are used for most communication links longer than 200 meters.
What Will It Accomplish?
The improved efficiency, reduction in weight, volume, prime power, etc., defi nes a fiber laser as the best pathway to provide Naval aviation / Navy a 100 kW laser weapon.