Nov 9 2010
The U.S. Navy and the National Science Foundation (NSF) have awarded three contracts to Raydiance to develop technologies that deliver fiber ultrafast laser capabilities. The contracts, valued at $1.75 million, focus on three major areas such as sophisticated optical fibers, pulse compressor technology, and optical amplification techniques.
The U.S. Navy has granted $750,000 for a Phase II.5 SBIR project to manufacture sophisticated optical fibers called higher order mode fibers. The fibers can amplify ultrafast pulses. The Navy has also granted a Phase II.5 Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) award that focuses on compressor technologies.
The NSF granted a Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) award, valued at $500,000, to devise novel techniques to amplify the ultrafast laser pulses without causing any distortion effects that restrict the amplification levels. The outcome of the three programs will offer a feasible path to high performance levels that are greater than the existing technologies.
Raydiance’s President, Scott Davison stated that in view of increased applications for fiber ultrafast lasers, customers are demanding higher output power and energy pulses. He added that these factors will extend the opportunities for the fiber laser technology.