Directed Energy Lasers: a Historic and Future Perspective

Directed Energy Lasers: A Historic and Future Perspective

Gregory J. Quarles, PhD CEO Applied Energetics, Inc. Tucson, AZ USA

January 19, 2021 Outline

• Directed Energy Introduction • DE Threats and Solutions • DE Laser Timeline and History • DE Laser Performance • Evolution of DE Lasers 2001 – present • Fiber Laser Development • DE Lasers and Subsystems • High Energy Laser Roadmap • DE Funding Profile • Threat Defeats with Ultrashort Pulse Lasers • Self-focusing via atmospheric nonlinear effects • USP Laser capability complimenting CW laser platforms • Industrial Applications for USP lasers • DE Industrial base challenges • Acknowledgements and References • Questions

2 Archimedes Death Ray – The Beginning of Directed Energy Platforms?

Ancient Greek and Roman historians recorded that during the siege of Syracuse in 212 BC, Archimedes constructed a burning glass to set the Roman warships afire.

3 References 1 (l) and 2 (r) Electromagnetic Spectrum

4 Reference 3 Why Directed Energy

5 References: Ref. 1; Ref. 2 Directed Energy Weapon (DEW) Threats

6 Reference 5 Types of DE Systems – HPM, LGETM, and Lasers

High Power Microwave (HPM)

Laser Guided Energy (LGE)

Lasers

7 References 6 (top) and 7 (bottom) Timeline

Tactical High Solid State Neutral Particle Energy Laser Mobile Test Unit Beam Program Heat Capacity Laser (THEL) MTHEL HELTD

1974 - 1993 2001 - 2005 1976 1995 - 2001 1997 - 2004 Present

CO2 Lasers Chemical Lasers Solid State Lasers

Army Tri-Service Modular Army Ground Based Mid-Infrared Advanced Laser Demonstration Free Electron LaserChemical Laser (MIRACL) ZEUS JHPSSL Ph 3 System (MADS)

1970 - 1974 1990 - 2008 2005 - 2010 1975 1984 - 1999 1998 - 2004 8 Reference 8 High Energy Laser (HEL) World Pushes Every Laser Until it Hits a Limit

9 Reference 9 JTO Early Years 2001 – 2009: Joint High Power Solid State Laser Program (JHPSSL)

10 Reference 10 OSD HEL Scaling Initiative Advances Electrically-Pumped Lasers

11 Reference 9 Robust Electric Laser Initiative (RELI) 2011 – 2017

12 Reference 10 JTO High Power Fiber Laser Components 2001 – 2019

13 Reference 10 Laser System and Subsystems

References: 10 (top), 10 (l), 11 (m) 14 and 12 (right) The HEL Roadmap: Mission Growth from Tactical to Strategic Missions

15 Reference 9 Directed Energy Budget

High double-digit, year-over-year spending growth in Directed Energy by 2021 U.S. to compete internationally $1.8 Billion in Estimated Annual Federal Spend

2019

$1.2 Billion in Annual Federal Spend

2017

$543 Million in Annual Federal Spend

16 Defeating the Threat USP is emerging as an enabling capability for mobile, layered air defense

Sensors Electronics Benefits of Ultrashort Pulse: • Cameras • RF Links Peak intensity at target is Produces nonlinear Single shot takes out • Accelerometer • GPS 1 BILLION times greater effects not possible sensors and compared to Continuous with CW electronics • Gyroscope • Control and Guidance Wave (CW)

Less energy required = more portable and dynamic

USP Differences from Continuous Wave:

Lighter, smaller, more Size, Weight, and Enables multiple portable, and Power (SWaP) damage mechanisms provides improved reductions by and reduced lethality orders of magnitude engagement time

17 Why USP is used for LGE and Threat Defeat

Peak Power = Energy / Time

Non-Pulsed Ultra-Short Pulse (100 fS) U.S. Electrical Output Power Capacity 1 J / S = 1 W 1 J / 10-13 S = 10 TW ~ 1 TW

Laser “Filaments”

Effect of High Peak Power Laser Pulse in Air USP LASER BEAM

1. High peak power laser pulse leads to self- focusing through Kerr nonlinearity

2. The very high intensity pulse ionizes the 3. The cycle repeats so that the beam air and the resulting plasma density propagates without diffraction leaving a trail distribution acts as a negative lens of plasma and Ions in the path

Laser Filamentation Allows for Ionizing Intensities over Long Ranges

18 USP Damage Mechanisms

19 USP Lasers will compliment CW Capabilities

Ultrashort Pulse (USP) Continuous Wave (CW)

Marine Air Defense Integrated System (MADIS) High Energy Laser Mobile Test Truck (HELMTT)

Characteristics Characteristics • Laser engagement on-the-move • Stationary laser engagement • Uninterrupted operation • Limited duration operation before recharge • Compact, modular capabilities • Extensive laser system component footprint • Helicopter (Chinook) mobile • Not air mobile • Peak Laser Power Output: 1 TW • Peak Laser Power Output: 50 kW • Laser Electrical Power Consumption: ~1 kW • Laser Electrical Power Consumption: ~200 kW • Laser System Weight: ~55 lbs. • Laser System Weight: ~550 lbs. • Overall platform weight: ~5500 lbs. • Overall platform weight: ~22 tons • Laser Weapon System Volume: ~72 cu ft • Laser Weapon System Volume ~1280 cu ft 20 Advanced USPL Commercial Applications

• LGE™ provides a tailorable electrical power source and additional fields that provide control over the plasma generation, transport, deposition, and secondary effects such as heating and surface modifications. • USPL provides high resolution subtractive and material modification processes that allow for very fine detail without adding deleterious heating unless required. • Intense laser field interactions, external electric and magnetic fields, plasmas generation and control, bulk material processing and transport, surface modifications and fine subtractive processes are all inherently enabled by the combination of LIPCTM/LGE™ /USPL

21 Directed Energy Industrial Base Challenges

Development and supply chain maturation for laser system components

• High Damage Threshold Optics (> 1 µm) • Adaptive Optics and Advanced Jitter Control • Power and Thermal Management • High Volume Manufacturing of Diodes and Laser Gain media • Track and Beam Illuminator sources (> 1 µm) • Fire Control Modules • Laser Beam Propagation and Laser-Material Interaction (l and Dt) • Platform Traceable Laser Metrics • Standardization and Quality Control • Ruggedization • Utilization in public spaces

22 Acknowledgements and References

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS • Patrick Williams and Stephen McCahon, PhD – Applied Energetics, Inc. • The Directed Energy Professional Society (www.DEPS.org)

REFERENCES

1. Artistic interpretation of Archimedes' mirror used to burn Roman ships. Painting by Giulio Parigi, c. 1599. 2. Théodore Galle. Engravings for Duodecim Specula Deum Aliquando Videre Desideranti Concinnata, by Jan David. 1610. 3. DOD Joint Spectrum Center, http://www.jsc.mil 4. R. White, "MDA Update", Proceedings of the 2020 Directed Energy Systems Symposium (2020). 5. B. Johnson, “Counter Directed Energy Weapons and the Defense of Naval Unmanned Aerial Vehicles“, Proceedings of the Annual Directed Energy Science & Technology Symposium (2020). 6. J. Tatum, "High-Power Microwave Directed Energy Weapons: A Model and Simulation Toolbox", DSAIC Journal, Vol. 1 (2014). 7. https://www.navsea.navy.mil/Media/News/Article/611402/historic-leap-nswc-dahlgren-division-developed-navy-shipboard- laser-operates-in/ )photo by J.F. Williams). 8. https://www.slideshare.net/tseitlin/us-army-research-lab-2010, slide 4. 9. T. J. Karr, “The OSD HEL Laser Scaling Initiative”, Proceedings of the Annual Directed Energy Science & Technology Symposium (2020). 10. L. Grimes, “DE JTO Transitions: (HEL JTO - 20 years later) “, Proceedings of the Annual Directed Energy Science & Technology Symposium (2020). 11. K. Sparks, “Directed Energy S&T Portfolio Overview to Annual Directed Energy Science and Technology Symposium”, Proceedings of the Annual Directed Energy Science & Technology Symposium (2020). 12. https://www.nrl.navy.mil/ppd/atmo-prop 23 Questions?