Wavelength beam combined quantum cascade lasers for IRCM

The threat posed to aircraft by shoulder-fired missiles has increased to the point where initial testing of laser-based IRCM systems on commercial aircraft is underway. However, the laser sources used in this testing are complex and costly. Consequently, the need for a simpler, cost-effective, compact, and power-efficient laser source technology is urgent. Over the last two years, quantum cascade (QC) lasers have advanced in performance and reliability to the point where a thorough, experimentally based assessment of the applicability of these lasers as IRCM sources is called for. In this talk, I will describe Maxion's development of a wavelength-beam-combined laser source module capable of emitting, in principle, multi-Watt-levels of optical power in a single, near-diffraction-limited beam. Details of the single emitter performances in the linear QC laser array are provided as well as the power performance and optical beam characteristics of the WBC system.