Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Jonathan Wilson

John J Zayhowski

Steven J Augst

Zachary J Setmire

Peter O'Brien

High-power light absorbers (HPLAs) can exhibit low back-scattered light, mitigate stray light, and withstand high optical power. The absorbers can be used with or without baffling as beam dumps for high-power lasers. An HPLA may include a substrate made of high thermally conductive material with an anti-reflection (AR) coating formed on the substrate. A thin layer of highly absorbing material may be located between the AR coating and substrate. The substrate can be cooled with a fluid, such as water or air.

High power light absorbers having anti-reflection coating

Double-clad optical fibers with polymer outer coatings are used in fiber amplifiers and fiber lasers to guide and amplify light. As the optical power increases, the optical fibers must dissipate more heat. Unfortunately, it is difficult to dissipate heat through a polymer cladding, especially at high altitude, without introducing phase noise in the optical signal. To overcome this problem, the inventors have realized metallized polymer-clad optical fibers with superior heat dissipation characteristics than conventional polymer-clad optical fibers. An example metallized polymer-clad optical fiber includes a thin chrome layer that is vacuum-deposited onto the polymer cladding at low temperature, then electroplated with a thicker copper layer. In operation, the copper layer dissipates heat from within the fiber's core and claddings via a heatsink, enabling the fiber to guide and amplify high-power optical signals at high altitude.

Growing community of inventors

Hampstead, NH, United States of America

Jonathan Wilson