Defense & Aerospace Lasers – Lasers for Defense & Aerospace Markets

What are Defense & Aerospace Lasers?

Defense & Aerospace Lasers are cutting-edge laser systems designed specifically for applications in the defense and aerospace industries. These advanced lasers serve a multitude of purposes, ranging from remote sensing and target acquisition to precision ranging and illumination. With their ability to provide accurate measurements, enhance situational awareness, and deliver focused energy, defense and aerospace lasers are instrumental in supporting military operations, aerospace research, and strategic surveillance. They are integral components in modern defense and aerospace technologies, contributing to the development of more effective and efficient systems for a wide range of applications.

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Lasers are widely deployed throughout modern military technology, ranging from electro-optic sensors to directed energy weaponry. Because the range of applications for lasers in the defense community is so wide; so too are the variety of laser techniques, especially solid-state lasers.  Solid-state lasers, including diode lasers, diode pumped solid state (DPSS) lasers, and fiber lasers offer superior mechanical integrity and lifetime reliability when compared to other technologies such as gas lasers.

Within the vast defense application space, some of the largest submarkets for solid-state lasers are Remote Sensing & Imaging, Targeting & Ranging, and Laser Illumination.  Some of the most notable examples of these two categories are laser designation, night vision, and lidar.  While these systems utilize widely different technologies from high pulse energy DPSS lasers to single frequency long coherence length fiber lasers, one thing that most of these applications have in common is that they operate in the near infrared region.  The main motivations for this are two-fold, first and for most in defense laser applications is the fact that eye safety is of the utmost importance and secondly most laser applications in defense require a degree of anonymity making visible lasers undesirable.

Defense & Aerospace Laser Applications

Here are some of the key applications we support in the Defense & Aerospace Markets – Click an Application Group to learn more:

Remote Sensing & Imaging
  • Bathymetry
  • LIDAR
  • 3D Scanning
Targeting & Ranging
  • Range Finding
  • Target Designation
  • Directed Energy Weapons
Laser Illuminators
  • Night Vision
  • Laser Dazzling
  • Anti-Sensor

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FL CW/CW Modulated Series

FL CW/CW Modulated SeriesThe FL CW/CW Modulated Series of CW fiber lasers is manufactured to Telcordia standards and is suitable for various applications with powers up to 100W at 1um, 30W at 1.5um, and 40W at 2um. Available in both OEM and Turnkey formats, this series offers a variety of standard and custom configurations. Available options and configurations include narrow linewidth, single frequency outputs, C and L-band broadband sources, PM fiber options, power tunability, and high-speed trig./mod.

FL-P Series

1um 1.5um Pulsed Fiber LasersThe FL-P series of pulsed fiber lasers is manufactured to Telcordia standards and is suitable for various applications with average powers up to 5W at 1um and 1.5um, peak powers up to 25kW, and pulse widths in the range of 400ps to 50ns. Available in both OEM and Turnkey formats, this series offers a variety of standard and custom configurations. Available options include pulse monitoring, int/ext triggering, TTL or LVDS input signals, extended operating temperature range, and a robust design.

Matchbox Series

R1Z4-Matchbox Laser

The Matchbox series offers excellent performance and reliability in the “World’s Smallest” ultra-compact, all-in-one, integrated laser head. They can operate on a 5V power supply while maintaining low noise operation. The monolithic design of the Matchbox Series laser includes thermally stabilized optics in a hermetically sealed housing, ensuring reliable and maintenance-free operation. This series is available in wavelengths from 405 nm thru 1064nm, with options for collimated beam or fiber-coupled output, and single-mode and multimode versions.

Aero Series

The Aero Series is a high-energy, nanosecond pulsed DPSS laser, available at 266, 355, 532, and 1064nm, with up to 10W output power & 200mJ pulse energy at 1064. This series provides unparalleled precision and accuracy in even the most challenging environments. All models come enclosed in an extremely compact and ruggedized single unit with a conductively cooled heatsink and a water-cooled option. It comes with available options for beam expanding and collimating optics. This laser series is ideal for LIBS, spectroscopy, and Atmospheric LIDAR applications.

Airtrac-MIL Series

AIRTRAC-LD

The AIRTRAC-MIL series is a ruggedized, high-shock, ultra-compact, actively q-switched, low-SWaP, DPSS laser, available with up to 70 mJ @ 532 & 1064 nm. Configurations for laser designation are available in a complete system weighing less than 1 lb. The athermal design of the AIRTRAC ensures high laser pulse energy, and stable performance over the full temperature range with low beam divergence. 

ER Series

The ER Series offers an ultra-compact, ultra-low SWaP, and efficient solution for those seeking high-quality diode-pumped lasers for lightweight, handheld, and portable laser range finding applications. These lasers operate at an “eye-safe” wavelength of 1.5 µm and deliver high pulse energy up to 200 µJ with a 4 ns pulse width and repetition rates from single-shot up to 10Hz with optional burst mode. The ER Series is designed with a focus on high pulse energy, short pulse width, efficient operation, and long lifetime reliability with a 10M shot lifetime rating.

JDL Series

The JDL series offers industry-leading high-power unmounted laser diode bars in the 760 nm – 1060 nm spectral region. Our unmounted laser bars provide a wide range of emitter configurations and cavity lengths, with operational modes up to 500 W. We offer low fill factor bars suitable for fiber coupling, high-power bars up to 300W for CW or hard-pulse DDL applications, and QCW bars up to 500W for QCW or long-pulse optical pumping and medical applications.

JOLD-Stacks Series

The JOLD–Stacks Series offers a highly modular approach for power scaling well into the kW range. The series features multimode, free-space laser diode stacks with options for 808, 940 & 980 nm, CW & QCW operation, and up to 2400 W average output power. We achieve optimal beam quality (BPP) by reducing the stack pitch without compromising cooling capacity. Our proven hard-solder technology and strictly monitored production processes ensure tried & tested reliability under even the harshest environmental conditions.

JOLD-Open Heatsinks Series

The JOLD-Open Heatsinks Series offers industry-leading, reliable, and cost-effective high-power free-space mounted diode lasers. Our proprietary heat sink and assembly technology, paired with our focus on advanced optical pumping and direct-diode-laser technology, results in diode lasers with unmatched performance. This series offers options from 792 nm up to 1035 nm, and average output powers up to 300 W.

KAUKAS Series

The KAUKAS series is a compact, low-SWaP line of 1.54µm “eye-safe” Er:glass lasers. These nanosecond pulsed lasers feature a compact design that makes them suitable for integration into handheld, portable devices. The lasers deliver high pulse energy, repetition rates up to 5Hz, less than 3% energy stability, and a high-quality TEM00 beam. With configurable and customizable options, these features make the KAUKAS series a versatile choice for various applications such as LIDAR & laser ranging, LIBS, metrology, and instrumentation.

Lampo Series

Image of a modern OEM laser housing made of high-grade aluminum, long silver rectangle body with fan slits, output window and stickersThe Lampo Series is a line of compact ultrafast lasers that deliver megawatt-level ps laser pulses at a selectable PRR from 50 kHz to 4 MHz. Available in IR (1064 nm), SHG (532 nm), and Deep-UV (266 nm) versions, the series offers pulse durations < 70 ps and average power up to 20W, 10W, and 1.5W respectively. With pulse energy up to 250uJ, 150uJ, and 30uJ, these lasers are ideal for a wide range of scientific, industrial, defense, medical, biological, and LIDAR applications. Built into a rugged, air-cooled single-unit laser head, these lasers are easy to operate and integrate, making them a valuable tool for sophisticated laser systems and lab applications.

LDX Series

The LDX Series of made-in-the-US, high-power, multimode laser diodes provide wavelengths from 400nm – 1900nm, a wide range of output powers and package types, as well as completely customized solutions. We have been offering these high-quality laser diodes for over 25 years. The performance, reliability, and lifetimes are time tested, and if for some reason there is an issue, we will make it right. 

PowerMir Series

mirSense Product Family

The PowerMir series is a line of high-power, pulsed Quantum Cascade Lasers based on proprietary technology, available in turnkey benchtop systems, OEM driver + laser module, or HHL package. Our lasers operate in Quasi-Continuous Wave (QCW) mode, enhancing wall-plug efficiency and thermal dissipation. The PowerMir series is ITAR-free, featuring high-powered diodes that emit in the primary atmospheric transmission bands. Our lasers produce a circular TEM00 Gaussian beam for superior performance.

REP Series

The REP series includes high-performance, tunable, single-frequency (DFB-like) diode lasers and Fabry-Perot laser diodes in wavelengths from 760nm thru 2350nm, designed to address challenges in Gas Sensing, LIDAR, Spectroscopy, and Telecom. The REP series includes high-power and narrow linewidth options, covering various product ranges at the most popular wavelengths, providing customizable units with multiple packaging options, including the Fiber coupled 14-pin butterfly, TO39 (w/TEC), and TO56.

RPK Series

The RPK Series of multiple, single-emitter fiber-coupled diode lasers are available in wavelengths from 405nm thru 1550nm with up to ≈ 500W output power. Our specialized fiber-coupling techniques ensure high efficiency, stability, and superior beam quality, while rigorous inspections and burn-in procedures guarantee each product’s reliability, stability, and long lifetime. Highly customizable packages allow us to meet our customers’ specific needs, providing high-quality products at reasonable prices. 

Microchip Series

Bright Microlaser Microchip SB1 Laser

The Microchip series is a line of ultra-compact, single longitudinal mode (SLM), narrow linewidth, passive q-switch, ns/ps pulsed DPSS lasers. Offering exceptional performance and versatility in a compact form factor, every model is 1:1 interchangeable, regardless of wavelength. The lasers feature pulse widths from 400 ps to 2 ns, pulse energy up to 80 µJ, and repetition rates up to 100 kHz. Available in wavelengths from the UV to the NIR, this series is designed for LIDAR, 3D scanning, LIBS, night vision, and more.

SMX Series

image of several free-space and fiber-coupled laser diode package typesThe SMX Series of US-made, high-power, thermally stable, and cost-effective InP laser diodes is available at 1470, 1550, and 1940 nm, perfect for medical, military, aerospace, LIDAR, free-space communication, and more! With a patented EPI structure, low-cost packaging, ISO certified supply chain with full lifecycle traceability, focus on ease of integration, and custom design capabilities, this laser diode family is an excellent choice for reliable, high-power InP devices.

Wedge Series

Wedge-XF-1064: 1064nm Picosecond Laser

The Wedge series of DPSS lasers is designed for OEM applications such as micromachining, LIDAR, LIBS, and more. Based on proprietary fast Q-switching technology, this series is compact, sealed, and monolithic, making them insensitive to vibrations & harsh environments. High peak powers, relatively low energy and low heat generation allow efficient ablation and non-linear interaction. Available from 266-3106nm, up to 8 mJ pulse energy @ 1064, the compact and lightweight package benefits LIDAR and aerospace applications, while short pulses provide exact time-of-flight measurements.