Description: This SBIR phase I project proposes a single frequency high energy fiber laser for remote sensing. Current state-of-art technologies can not provide all features of high energy and efficiency, compactness, and narrow spectral width. PolarOnyx proposes, for the first time, a high energy (10 mJ) fiber amplifier to meet with the requirement of solicitation. This proposal is based on the sub-mJ fiber laser at 1570 nm we have achieved in our labs. In the high power amplifier stage, PolarOnyx proposes an innovative fiber amplifier approach that will be able to operate at pulse repetition rate (5 kHz to 20 kHz) and reach high energy level of 2-10 mJ. These will make the fiber laser transmitter system superior in terms of wall plug efficiency, energy, noise, size, and cost. A tabletop experiment will be demonstrated in Phase I time frame for proof of concept. A compact prototype will be delivered in Phase II.

Benefits: It will have a great potential to be used as a transmitter for NASA¿s Lidar systems, such as Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA), Doppler Wind Lidar, Lidar for Surface Topography (LIST), Active Sensing of CO2 Emissions over Nights, Days, and Seasons (ASCENDS), and Aerosols-Clouds-Ecosystems (ACE). It can provide a high energy laser with a high peak power and a high extinction ratio. In addition to the Lidar mission, it can also be used as a laser source for NASA¿s remote sensing system, and as a transmitter for optical communication systems between GEO, LEO, and earth.

There are a number of potential applications for the proposed high power fiber laser transmitter system: ¿ Medical equipment and biomedical instrumentation. The high power laser can be applied to ophthalmology, refractive surgery, photocoagulation, general surgery, therapeutic, imaging, and cosmetic applications. Biomedical instruments include those involved in cells or proteins, cytometry, and DNA sequencing; laser Raman spectroscopy, spectrofluorimetry, and ablation; and laser based microscopes. ¿ Military / aerospace. The proposed fiber laser can be directly used in military applications, and space, aircraft, and satellite applications such as LIDAR systems, remote sensing system, illuminator system, and phase array antenna system. ¿ Optical fiber communications. Tunable lasers represent the next generation of critical optical components needed to build the local optical networks of the future and cable TVs that will deliver increased communication bandwidth and improved Quality of Service (QoS) to local access users. The market for the application is growing and will be of great potential. RHK reported the tunable lasers will have a market potential of 800 millions dollars in 2006 as a result of applications of local optical networks and cable TVs. With successful development of the fiber lasers, the technology proposed by PolarOnyx will provide a vital tool to solve the existing and potential issues and merge with the huge market of optical fiber communications.