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The experiments were enabled by an ultrafast thulium-doped fiber laser delivering 110 fs pulses at high repetition rates, and an argon gas-filled antiresonant hollow-core fiber (ARHCF) with excellent transmission and weak anomalous dispersion, leading to the self-compression of the pulses. We have shown that ARHCFs are well-suited for nonlinear pulse compression around 2 μm wavelength and that this concept features excellent power handling capabilities. Based on this result, we discuss the next steps for energy and average power scaling including upscaling the fiber dimensions in order to fully exploit the capabilities of our laser system, which can deliver several GW of peak power. This way, a 100 W-class laser source with mJ-level few-cycle pulses at 2 μm wavelength is feasible in the near future.
To effectively remove cladding light in high power systems, cladding light strippers are used. We show that the stripping efficiency can be significantly improved by bending the fiber in such a device and present respective experimental data. Measurements were performed with respect to the numerical aperture as well, showing the dependency of the CLS efficiency on the NA of the cladding light and implying that efficiency data cannot reliably be given for a certain fiber in general without regard to the properties of the guided light.
Single laser pulses with 1026nm wavelength, 6ps (FWHM) pulse duration and 200μJ pulse energy were applied to fused silica, Borofloat 33 and Gorilla glass. Electron densities around 1 x 1020cm-3 in the focal plane and 1 x 1019cm-3 in front of the focus are obtained, independent from the glass type used.
The free carriers slowly decay within several ns, while the decay time depends on both the maximum electron densities reached and glass species. In this process a part of the excited electrons relax within several 10ps into a long-living stage where a transient effect is observed. Here, various probe wavelengths show differences in the recorded signal.
A further carrier relaxation leads to permanent (stress, voids) and non-stable (color center) modifications crucial for precise glass dicing applications.
We also determined the breaking strength with a three-point bending test. The determined maximal value of 73 MPa is equivalent to 85% of the stability of the pristine bulk material.
In this work, we demonstrate that self-organized, statistical Black Silicon structures, fabricated by Inductively Coupled Plasma Reactive Ion Etching (ICP-RIE), can be used to effectively suppress interface reflection. More importantly, it is shown that antireflection can be achieved in an image-preserving, non-scattering way. This enables Black Silicon antireflection structures (ARS) for imaging applications in the MIR. It is demonstrated that specular transmittances of 97% can be easily achieved on both flat and curved substrates, e.g. lenses. Moreover, by a combined optical and morphological analysis of a multitude of different Black Silicon ARS, an effective medium criterion for the examined structures is derived that can also be used as a design rule for maximizing sample transmittance in a desired wavelength range. In addition, we show that the mechanical durability of the structures can be greatly enhanced by coating with hard dielectric materials like diamond-like carbon (DLC), hence enabling practical applications.
Finally, the distinct advantages of statistical Black Silicon ARS over conventional AR layer stacks are discussed: simple applicability to topological substrates, absence of thermal stress and cost-effectiveness.
Pulse separation times within the burst from 1 ps to 8 ps result in deeper holes with a larger silhouette area, however equal or reduced hole quality and reproducibility compared to drilling with individual pulses. In contrast with pulse separation times from 510 ps to 4 ns a quality and reproducibility improvement is visible. For these delay times the achieved depth was equal or higher compared to micromachining without bursts.
Silver is a noble metal. However, corrosion activators (e.g. S and Cl) can lead to corrosion. Thus, a protective layer is required to prevent the corrosion and sustain the high reflectivity of the mirror. However, damage of the Ag-coating can occur, even in the case of protected-Ag. Inhomogeneous film growth of the protective layer can lead to a permeation of corrosion activators and thus to a damage of the Ag. But also the deposition of impervious protective layers is not sufficient for long-term environmental stability. Hygroscopic air borne particles can weaken the protection and therefore subsequently lead to a permeation of corrosion activators and thus to a damage of the Ag.
These damage mechanisms lead to criteria for a durable and efficient protection. AlOxNy and nanolaminates have been tested with respect to these criteria. In particular the protection based on nanolaminates shows a great potential for the protection of Ag. In addition, also the optical performance can be improved by UV-enhancement based on different nanolaminates.
A pinhole free embedding of the grating is essential, since even tiny air pockets will reduce the efficiency of the diffraction optic. This has been successfully realized. However, the ALD coating produces indentations on the surface of the embedded grating. The method to remove the indentations in the excess layer on the embedded grating is discussed. The planarization is done by ion beam etching and the oxygen depletion of the top TiO2 component is fixed by thermal treatment in O2 atmosphere.
Finally, we developed an embedded grating with transmission efficiency higher than 97.0 % at 1030 nm wavelength. The experimentally measured efficiency is in excellent agreement with the theoretical value obtained by rigorous coupled wave analysis. In contrast, a conventional, binary grating with the same period reaches only a maximum theoretical efficiency of 92.3 % at the same wavelength in Littrow-configuration.
Spatial and temporal temperature distribution of ultrashort pulse induced heat accumulation in glass
In borosilicate glass, the maximal temperature directly after the excitation (pulse energy of 1100 nJ, repetition rate of 1 MHz, wavelength of 1044 nm, pulse duration of 600 fs, 2000 pulses per laser spot) is more than 5000 K and rapidly cools down within several hundreds of ns.
Our results reveal that only few laser pulses already lead to an erasure of nanometric pores which is mapped by the total (X-ray) scattering volume as well as by the strong reduction of the initial form birefringence. Simultaneously, new nanostructures form which arrange in individual grating planes with ongoing irradiation. However, since the rewrite process is no ideal mechanism some of the old sheets remain, which perturb the quality of the new nanograting. When rewriting multiple times the glass becomes even more porous due to repetitive annealing and quenching. This promotes the formation of new inhomogeneities and in turn leads to an increase in optical retardance.
For the UXO scenario a mobile directed energy laser demonstrator for humanitarian mine and UXO clearing based on fiber lasers is presented. Based on the parameters the system concept including the cooling system, power supply and the integration into the armoured vehicle TM 170 are explained. The contribution show first experiments of UXO and IED clearing.
Different technical approaches to achieve laser power in the 100 kW regime combined with very good beam quality are discussed to fulfil the requirements of the CRAM and Air Defence scenario. Spectral coupling and the beam superimposing both are performed by Rheinmetall Waffe Munition.
At the spectral coupling the basic technology parameters for the fiber laser and the dielectric grating as the latest results were put into context with the power levels reached at other groups.
For the beam super imposing technology the basic experiments regarding the tracking capability and compensation of the atmosphere on the test range at Unterlüß will be explained.
A generic 10 kW Laser Weapon Demonstrator based on 2 Laser Weapon Modules (LWM) from RWM each 5 kW fiber Laser with beam forming and tracking integrate by the team of RWM and RAD (Rheinmetall Air Defense) into a Ground based Air Defend system consisting of Skyguard and Millenium turret are presented.
The flight path of the UAV within the valley of the life firing range at Ochsenboden Switzerland is shown. Selected results of the successful tests against UAV’s are presented. It shows the capability of the generic 10 kW Laser Weapon Demonstrator to track and to destroy the target.
From these results the next steps of Rheinmetall Waffe Munition for a 100 kW class laser weapon are explained.