LASER - World of PHOTONICS 2022: Laser Development

Contact

Phone: +49 511 2788-238
Email: messe@lzh.de

GALACTIC

Motivation
• Setting up a fully European supply chain for space-qualified Alexandrite crystals
       • Crystal growth and machining, optical-grade surface finish
       • Optical interference coatings, surface pretreatment
       • Development of laser demonstrator systems
       • Qualify these crystals to reach Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6 regarding space
         applications
       • Environmental test campaign (irradiation tests, thermal cycling)

Applications
• LIDAR
       • Atmospheric sensing (wind, aerosols, clouds, molecules)
       • Earth observation (vegetation monitoring, altimetry)
• High-power cw or short-pulse applications at Alexandrite emission wavelengths (e.g.
  quantum technology, medical)

Alexandrite specifications
• Chromium-doped Chrysoberyl (BeAl2O4:Cr3+), doping concentrations 0.13 at% to >0.22 at%
• Czochralski growth of crystal boules
• Geometry:
     • 4 x 4 x 10 mm³ laser crystals
     • 4 x 4 x 3 mm³ test samples
• Two optical interference coating systems with high LIDT (AR638nm+755nm,
  HR755nm/HT638nm)

Laser demonstrator specifications
• Alexandrite-based DPSS laser system
• Longitudinally diode-pumped at 638 nm pump wavelength
• Cavity-dumped, Q-switched operation
• Output parameters:
     • Wavelength: typ. 755 nm (tunable)  
     • Output power: >500 µJ @ 5 kHz (variable rep. rate)
     • Pulse duration: <3 ns

For further information visit: h2020-galactic.eu

MOONRISE

Motivation
• Additive manufacturing of lunar infrastructure with regolith to reduce space transport efforts
• Develop MOONRISE flight model and demonstrate laser-based fusion of regolith on the Moon

Scientific goal
• Proof-of-principle of laser-based fusion of regolith on the Moon
• Expected results on the Moon: Laser melting of regolith pearls (0D), lines (1D), areas (2D)
• Melting behavior of lunar regolith on the Moon as input for future process scaling along the roadmap

Applications
• In situ resource utilization (ISRU) for construction on the Moon

MOONRISE payload specification
• Optical output power: 6-140 W, typ. 70 W
• Mass: ~2 kg
• Dimensions: 10 cm x 10 cm x 10 cm
• Distance to ground: 230 +/- 30 mm
• Operating temperature (tested): -35°C - +70°C
• Mobility: Mounting on a rover/robotic arm
• Experiment verification: Visualization of fused regolith by external camera

Fiber Components

Motivation
• From simulation to production
• High power optical components for various wavelengths
• Integration of specialty fiber types (PCF, CCC-Fiber, etc.)
• Spliceless fiber laser designs

Properties
• Low signal loss
• Maintaining of linear polarization and fundamental mode
• High power capable > 1 kW

Applications
• Fiber laser development
       • High average cw power
       • Ultra-short pulse generation
• Coherent beam combining

Fiber components: signal-pump-combiners

Parameters
• Various signal & pump wavelengths
• High power operation > 800 W pump power
• High PER >20 dB (typ.)
• Low signal loss <0.2 dB (depends on configuration)
• >90% coupling efficiency
• Various signal fibers:
       • Up to 400 µm cladding diameter
       • Ge-, Er-, Yb-, Tm-doped fiber cores
• Up to 6x pump fibers
       • Typ. 106.5/125 µm or 200/220 µm, 0.22 NA

Applications
• Fiber laser development
       • High average cw power
       • Ultra-short pulse generation

Fiber components: mode-field adapters

Parameters
• Single-mode to few-mode fiber core transition
• High PER >20 dB (typ.)
• Low signal loss <0.3 dB (depends on configuration)
• Higher order mode suppression >20 dB (depends on configuration)
• Quality control
• Signal control using S²-method for modal decomposition

Applications
• Fiber laser development
       • High average cw power
       • Ultra-short pulse generation

Fiber components: cladding-light-strippers

Parameters
• Various signal and pump wavelengths
• High PER >20 dB (typ.)
• Low signal loss
• Stripping power up to 500 W
• High power packaging available
• Optional: with fiber end cap

Applications
• Fiber laser development
       • High average cw power
       • Ultra-short pulse generation

Fiber components: fiber end caps & arrays

Parameters
• Various wavelengths
• Multiple fibers per end cap (variable fiber spacing)
• Up to 1 kW signal power
• High power packaging available
• High PER >20 dB (typ.)
• Low signal loss
• Various signal fibers:
       • Up to 400 µm cladding diameter
       • Ge-, Er-, Yb-, Tm-doped fiber cores
• Optional: Cladding mode stripping included in the component

Applications
• Fiber laser development
       • High average cw power
       • Ultra-short pulse generation
• Coherent beam combining

Compact mJ solid-state laser

Motivation
• Very compact and thus affordable laser system

Goal
• Development of a compact nanosecond pulsed laser with mJ pulse energy in green spectral
  region

Characteristics
• Diode Pumped Solid State Laser (DPSSL)
• Master Oscillator Power Amplifier (MOPA) configuration
• Pockels cell for active Q-Switching
• Extremely compact size: 60 mm x 130 mm x 22 mm (WxLxH)

Applications
• Material processing
• Micromachining
• Engraving
• Laser deposition
• Laser cleaning
• Ablation
• Spectroscopy
• OPO or Ti:Sapphire pumping
• Remote sensing

Parameters
• Pulse energy: 5 mJ
• Pulse repetition rate: 1 kHz
• Pulse length: 7 ns
• Wavelength: 515 nm
• Active water cooling for crystals and pump diode
• Master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA) configuration with „recycled“ pump radiation for
  the amplifier
• Unmatched „pulse energy per laser head size“ ratio

Receive the link to this site per mail

Would you like to access this information again later? Please submit your email-adress here. You will receive a one time mail with the link to the information on our exhibits at the LASER - World of PHOTONICS. If you would like to stay up-to-date to news from the LZH, you find the opportunity to subscribe to our newsletter or our social media channels in the mail.

Consent to the processing of your data*

Please use my personal data mentioned above to send me a single mail with the link to this website. If you like you can use that mail to sign up for the LZH newsletter.