TECHNOLOGY/BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY A compact, lightweight apparatus for combining outputs of high energy lasers

Opportunity: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), operated by the Lawrence Livermore National Security (LLNS), LLC under contract no. DE-AC52-07NA27344 (Contract 44) with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), is offering the opportunity to enter into a collaboration to further develop and commercialize its compact, lightweight apparatus for combining outputs of high energy lasers Background: Scaling laser beams to higher output power levels requires combining the outputs of many individual lasers through a beam combining process.

One method is known as spectral beam combining where many lasers each with a different narrow band spectral output are combined through reflective grating optics. However, this method is limited by the laser damage thresholds of the reflective grating optics. Mitigating laser damage threshold limitations requires large beam diameters and large optics which in turn drive up system size, weight and cost. There is a need to be able to combine many lasers more compactly and at lower cost.

Description: LLNL has designed and demonstrated a novel transmission Spectral Beam Combining grating optic assembly with megawatt power handling capabilities. The design consists of a monolithic structure with an input transform optic and an output transmission grating. The design features LLNL’s proven compact, lightweight Spectral Channels Splicer architecture to combine adjacent spectral channels of arbitrary spectral widths.

The SCS is an array of optical elements whose individual width along the output grating dispersion axis have spectral widths defining channels, replacing the narrow band SBC emitters. Each Channel Optical Element (COE) takes the place of many adjacent narrow band emitters. Each COE accommodates a wide spectrum and tilting each channel optical path separates each channels input optical systems.

Advantages/Benefits: LLNL’s compact, lightweight apparatus for combining outputs of high energy lasers has several advantages over other approaches: Employs simple, reliable, modular architecture, Free of single point failure mechanisms, Employs commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) low-cost fiber laser systems, Enables realizing compact, scalable systems in less than 10% the volume of current designs, Low overall system size, weight and power (SWAP).

Potential Applications: High energy laser systems High power industrial materials processing High energy laser spectral beam combining Development Status: Current stage of technology development: TRL 2 LLNL has filed for patent protection on this invention. LLNL is seeking industry partners with a demonstrated ability to bring such inventions to the market. Moving critical technology beyond the Laboratory to the commercial world helps our licensees gain a competitive edge in the marketplace.

All licensing activities are conducted under policies relating to the strict nondisclosure of company proprietary information. Please visit the IPO website at https://ipo.llnl.gov/resources for more information on working with LLNL and the industrial partnering and technology transfer process.

Note: THIS IS NOT A PROCUREMENT. Companies interested in commercializing LLNL's compact, lightweight apparatus for combining outputs of high energy lasers should provide an electronic OR written statement of interest, which includes the following:

Company Name and address. The name, address, and telephone number of a point of contact. A description of corporate expertise and/or facilities relevant to commercializing this technology. Please provide a complete electronic OR written statement to ensure consideration of your interest in LLNL's compact, lightweight apparatus for combining outputs of high energy lasers. The subject heading in an email response should include the Notice ID and/or the title of LLNL’s Technology/Business Opportunity and directed to the Primary and Secondary Point of Contacts listed below. Written responses should be directed to:

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Innovation and Partnerships Office P.O.

Box 808, L-779 Livermore, CA 94551-0808 Attention: IL-13857