Defence and security applications of quantum cascade lasers

Robert J. Grasso

doi:10.1117/12.2238963

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26 September 2016 Defence and security applications of quantum cascade lasers

Robert J. Grasso

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Proceedings Volume 9933, Optical Sensing, Imaging, and Photon Counting: Nanostructured Devices and Applications 2016; 99330F (2016) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2238963
Event: SPIE Nanoscience + Engineering, 2016, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

Quantum Cascade Lasers (QCL) have seen tremendous recent application in the realm of Defence and Security. And, in many instances replacing traditional solid state lasers as the source of choice for Countermeasures, Remote Sensing, In-situ Sensing, Through-Barrier Sensing, and many others. Following their development and demonstration in the early 1990's, QCL’s reached some maturity and specific defence and security application prior to 2005; with much initial development fostered by DARPA initiatives in the US, dstl, MoD, and EOARD funding initiatives in the UK, and University level R&D such as those by Prof Manijeh Razeghi at Northwestern University [1], and Prof Ted Masselink at Humboldt University [2]. As QCL’s provide direct mid-IR laser output for electrical input, they demonstrate high quantum efficiency compared with diode pumped solid state lasers with optical parametric oscillators (OPOs) to generate mid-Infrared output. One particular advantage of QCL's is their very broad operational bandwidth, extending from the terahertz to the near-infrared spectral regions. Defence and Security areas benefiting from QCL's include: Countermeasures, Remote Sensing, Through-the-Wall Sensing, and Explosive Detection.

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Robert J. Grasso "Defence and security applications of quantum cascade lasers", Proc. SPIE 9933, Optical Sensing, Imaging, and Photon Counting: Nanostructured Devices and Applications 2016, 99330F (26 September 2016); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2238963

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