Optical Engines, Inc. — Department of Energy SBIR Phase I: C54-31a

Description

OpticalOpticalOpticalOptical Optical EnginesEnginesEnginesEngines EnginesEngines Inc Inc will will developdevelopdevelop develop develop thethethe requiredrequiredrequiredrequiredrequired requiredrequired technologiestechnologiestechnologies technologiestechnologiestechnologies technologiestechnologies technologies and components componentscomponentscomponentscomponentscomponentscomponentscomponentscomponents forforfor a monolithicmonolithicmonolithicmonolithicmonolithic monolithicmonolithicmonolithic fiberfiber fiberfiber amplifieramplifieramplifieramplifier amplifieramplifier amplifier harnessharnessharnessharnessharnessharness basedbasedbased based on UltraUltra Ultra LargeLargeLargeLargeLarge Mode AreaAreaAreaArea (ULMA)(ULMA)(ULMA)(ULMA)(ULMA)(ULMA) gaingaingaingain fibers, fibers,fibers,fibers, i.e., i.e., fibers fibersfibersfibers whowhowho core corecore size size is greatergreatergreatergreatergreatergreatergreater than thanthan 55um55um55um55um in diameter.diameter. diameter.diameter.diameter. diameter.diameter. TheseTheseTheseThese types typestypestypes of ULMAULMAULMAULMA fibers fibersfibersfibers are requiredrequiredrequiredrequiredrequired requiredrequired forforfor achievingachieving achievingachieving achievingachieving multimultimulti mj perperper pulsepulsepulse pulse operationoperationoperationoperationoperationoperation operationoperation in ChirpedChirpedChirped ChirpedChirpedChirped PulsePulsePulse Pulse FiberFiber FiberFiber AmplifiersAmplifiersAmplifiersAmplifiers Amplifiers AmplifiersAmplifiers (CPA)(CPA)(CPA)(CPA)(CPA) withwith reducedreducedreducedreducedreduced reduced fiber fiberfiber nonnonnon linearities linearitieslinearitieslinearitieslinearitieslinearities linearitieslinearities neededneededneededneededneededneeded for for low low femtosecondfemtosecondfemtosecondfemtosecond femtosecond femtosecondfemtosecondfemtosecondfemtosecond (fs)(fs) (fs) operationoperationoperationoperationoperationoperation operation and hundredshundredshundredshundredshundredshundredshundredshundreds of WattsWattsWatts of averageaverage averageaverageaverageaverage power.power.power.power.power.power. To datedatedate these thesethese ULMAULMAULMAULMA fibers fibersfibersfibers such such as PhotonicPhotonicPhotonicPhotonic PhotonicPhotonic CrystalCrystalCrystal CrystalCrystal FiberFiber FiberFiber (PCF)(PCF)(PCF)(PCF)(PCF) RodRodRod fibers fibersfibersfibers andandand ChiralChiralChiral ChiralChiral CoupledCoupledCoupledCoupledCoupled Coupled CoreCoreCoreCore (3C)(3C)(3C)(3C) fibers fibersfibersfibers havehavehave onlyonlyonly been usedused used in architecturesarchitecturesarchitecturesarchitecturesarchitecturesarchitectures architectures architecturesarchitectures wherewherewherewherewhere the the signal signalsignalsignalsignal and pumppumppumppump areareare coupled coupledcoupledcoupled coupled via freefreefreefree space spacespace opticalopticalopticaloptical optical means.means.means.means.means. ForForFor higherhigher higherhigherhigher averageaverage averageaverageaverageaverage powers,powers,powers,powers,powers,powers, robustness,robustness,robustness,robustness,robustness, robustness,robustness,robustness, reliability,reliability,reliability, reliability,reliability,reliability, reliability, and reducedreducedreducedreducedreduced reduced size size and costcostcost in la rgergerge count countcountcount parallelparallelparallelparallelparallel parallelparallel fiber fiberfiber amplifieramplifieramplifieramplifier amplifier amplifier systems, systems,systems,systems, a monolithicmonolithicmonolithicmonolithicmonolithic monolithic monolithic system system system is absolutelyabsolutelyabsolutely absolutely absolutely absolutely necessary.necessary.necessary. necessary. necessary.necessary. ULMAULMAULMAULMA type typetype fibers fibersfibersfibers areareare especiallyespecially especiallyespecially especiallyespecially especially challenging challengingchallenging challengingchallengingchallengingchallengingchallengingchallenging becausebecausebecause becausebecausebecause by theirtheirtheirtheir very veryvery naturenaturenaturenaturenaturenature they theythey areareare weaklyweaklyweaklyweakly weakly guidingguidingguiding guiding guiding and thus thusthus very very sensitive sensitivesensitive sensitive sensitive to any micromicro micromicro bendingbendingbendingbendingbending bending andandand otherother otherother stresses stressesstressesstresses stressesstresses that thatthat mightmight mightmight come comecome aboutaboutaboutaboutabout duringduringduringduring during thethethe useuse of these thesethese fibers fibersfibersfibers to create createcreatecreate monolithicmonolithicmonolithicmonolithicmonolithicmonolithicmonolithic monolithicmonolithic components componentscomponentscomponentscomponentscomponentscomponentscomponents such such as combiners combinerscombinerscombiners combinerscombinerscombiners and modemodemodemode adapters.adapters.adapters.adapters.adapters. adapters.adapters.