LAser CEramics

ongoing

The use of high peak power Ultrashort Pulse Lasers with High Average Power (USP-HAP) as a potentially disruptive LDEW component systems is increasingly attracting attention worldwide the possibility of accessing new regimes of atmospheric propagation and new target interaction effects related to the ultrashort pulse energy delivery, with unique foreseen electromagnetic, mechanical and thermal effects linked to both the peak power and the average delivered laser power. The combination of peak and average power foreseen for these and other crucial applications requires the development of a novel laser technology exploiting direct diode pumping of scalable gain media capable of broadband amplification that can be customized in shape and doping profile and can have a controllable delivery lead time. In our LACE project we aim at addressing production of novel transparent ceramics as laser gain media to finally empower development of this new class of laser. Indeed, production of laser-grade ceramics is a challenging and complex task, and often linked to proprietary processes requiring dedicated approaches for the specific selected materials. Current availability of laser ceramic materials is extremely limited, with very few manufacturers capable of producing and delivering samples for research purposes. Based on the existing strong expertise on ceramic development in the EU and fully included in this project, we aim at 1) establishing capability of production of high-performance, laser-grade transparent ceramics of broadband laser gain materials based on Thulium for chirped pulse amplification and 2) developing advanced multilayer custom coatings needed for delivering fully operational ceramics laser gain media. We strongly believe that the proposed developments are strategic to fill the existing technological gaps to reach maturity in USP- HAP laser technology in Europe and to push the TRL of LDEW systems based on this technology closer to a prototype level.