Stimulated Brillouin Scattering (SBS) and Other Nonlinear Suppression for High Power Fiber Delivery System for Navy Platform High Energy Laser (HEL)
Navy SBIR 2019.1 - Topic N191-028
NAVSEA - Mr. Dean Putnam - [email protected]
Opens: January 8, 2019 - Closes: February 6, 2019 (8:00 PM ET)

N191-028

TITLE: Stimulated Brillouin Scattering (SBS) and Other Nonlinear Suppression for High Power Fiber Delivery System for Navy Platform High Energy Laser (HEL)

 

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Battlespace, Electronics, Sensors

ACQUISITION PROGRAM: NAVSEA 073, Undersea Technology

The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work (SOW) tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 3.5 of the Announcement. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws.

OBJECTIVE: Develop new single mode (SM) fiber(s) with suppressed Stimulated Brillouin Scattering (SBS) and other nonlinear effects for High Energy Laser (HEL) beam delivery fiber.

DESCRIPTION: The Navy is interested in the burgeoning technology area that supports a High-Energy Laser (HEL) system on naval platforms that can serve a vital role in naval defensive and offensive operations for ensuring Navy Battle Space Supremacy and water space management. Currently no such SM fiber with a reduced loss exists commercially that can carry a HEL over 60 feet, due to SBS and other nonlinear effects. The Navy seeks an innovative solution for integrating HEL weapon system or subcomponents through a submarine pressure hull. Potential integration approaches that are being investigated to install such a system on a platform include placing beam director and HEL sub-systems separated by a distance greater than 60 feet. In this case the total optical power (SM multiple fiber bundle) would need to be transmitted long distance capable of at least 2 to 3 kW output optical power per SM fiber with a goal to be able to support a future system having a threshold of 50 kW to a 100kW goal of output optical power at wavelengths 1 �m, 1.5 �m, and at 2 �m. Developing innovative SM fiber technology to integrate HEL weapon system subcomponents through a platform will facilitate the inboard/outboard integration of a HEL weapon system. The innovative fiber/fibers design should have a suppressed SBS and other nonlinear effects. Total optical loss of the innovative SM fiber/fibers/optical cables should be less than 0.5 dB of the length of 60+ feet.

The innovation required to achieve these options is significant. Currently SM fiber optic technology is generally used for outboard sensors, which use significantly less optical power density. The feasibility of a SM fiber for an HEL application is yet to be determined. The bend radius of the fiber must not exceed more than an inch going through the roller assembly. In order to achieve benefits, development is desired of a new SM fiber(s) with reduced SBS for HEL beam delivery of a SM fiber carrying > 2kW of laser power over a distance of > 60 feet.

PHASE I: Design, model, and develop a concept for a SM fiber to transmit high optical power between HEL subsystems. Demonstrate feasibility of the concept by modeling and simulation and/or limited demonstrations in a laboratory environment. Determine that the selected technology is feasible and meets Navy high energy delivery SM fiber optical power requirements in the Description. Develop a Phase II plan. The Phase I Option, if exercised, would include the initial layout and capabilities description to build the unit in Phase II.

PHASE II: Fabricate SM delivery fiber with reduced SBS and other nonlinear effects with total loss of less than 0.5 dB. The High Energy Laser prototype fiber will be used for evaluation in a representative platform environment. The prototype should include a complete concept that incorporates HEL power transmission for a long distance (> 60 feet). Demonstrate an innovative fiber prototype from modeling, design, and verification test in a laboratory environment in order to verify that the key system performance specifications of the platform have been met. Deliver SM fiber for Navy test and evaluation. Prepare a Phase III development plan to transition to Navy use.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Support the Navy in transitioning the technology for Navy use. Further refine a full-scale prototype that can be integrated and tested on Navy Submarine test platform.

The innovations developed under this SBIR topic would be useful in industries such as telecommunications and offshore oil/gas exploration. There are many examples where optical power transmission is not currently viable undersea for sensors where high optical power is required. This technology supports Navy manned and unmanned platforms, petroleum wells, associated drilling and monitoring processes, undersea cable systems, and high-pressure pipeline monitoring.

REFERENCES:

1. Military Specification for Connectors, Electrical, Deep Submergence, Submarine (MIL-C-24217A). http://everyspec.com/MIL-SPECS/MIL-SPECS-MIL-C/MIL-C-24217A_49807

2. Military Specification for Connectors, Plugs, Receptacles, Adapters, Hull Inserts, & Hull Insert Plugs, Pressure-Proof, General Specification For (MIL-C-24231D). http://everyspec.com/MIL-SPECS/MIL-SPECS-MIL-C/MIL-C-24231D_8423

3. Dragic, P.D., Ballato, J., Morris S., and Hawkins, T. �Pockels� coefficients of alumina in aluminosilicate optical fiber.� J Opt Soc Am B., 2013; 30:244-250. https://www.osapublishing.org/josab/abstract.cfm?uri=josab-30-2-244

4. Kobyakov, A., Kumar, S., Chowdhury, D.Q., Ruffin, A.B., Sauer, M., Bickham, S.R., and Mishra, R. �Design concept for optical fibers with enhanced SBS threshold.� Opt Express, 2005; 13:5338-5346. http://scholar.google.com/scholar_url?url=https://www.osapublishing.org/viewmedia.cfm%3Furi%3Doe-13-14-5338%26seq%3D0&hl=en&sa=X&scisig=AAGBfm1ZrrZ1g_B2SIvsAjPzLZipxyKDsA&nossl=1&oi=scholarr

5. Shiraki, K., Ohashi, M., and Tateda, M. �Performance of strain-free stimulated Brillouin scattering suppression fiber.� Journal of Lightwave Technology, 1996,Vol. 14, Issue 4, pp. 549- 554. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/491392/

KEYWORDS: High Energy Laser; Nonlinear Spectroscopy; Long Distance Single Mode Fiber; Stimulated Brillouin Scattering; Fiber bundle, High-power Carrying Capacity Fiber

 

** TOPIC NOTICE **

These Navy Topics are part of the overall DoD 2019.1 SBIR BAA. The DoD issued its 2019.1 BAA SBIR pre-release on November 28, 2018, which opens to receive proposals on January 8, 2019, and closes February 6, 2019 at 8:00 PM ET.

Between November 28, 2018 and January 7, 2019 you may communicate directly with the Topic Authors (TPOC) to ask technical questions about the topics. During these dates, their contact information is listed above. For reasons of competitive fairness, direct communication between proposers and topic authors is not allowed starting January 8, 2019
when DoD begins accepting proposals for this BAA.
However, until January 23, 2019, proposers may still submit written questions about solicitation topics through the DoD's SBIR/STTR Interactive Topic Information System (SITIS), in which the questioner and respondent remain anonymous and all questions and answers are posted electronically for general viewing until the solicitation closes. All proposers are advised to monitor SITIS during the Open BAA period for questions and answers and other significant information relevant to their SBIR/STTR topics of interest.

Topics Search Engine: Visit the DoD Topic Search Tool at www.defensesbirsttr.mil/topics/ to find topics by keyword across all DoD Components participating in this BAA.

Proposal Submission: All SBIR/STTR Proposals must be submitted electronically through the DoD SBIR/STTR Electronic Submission Website, as described in the Proposal Preparation and Submission of Proposal sections of the program Announcement.

Help: If you have general questions about DoD SBIR program, please contact the DoD SBIR Help Desk at 800-348-0787 or via email at [email protected]