Northrop Grumman was recently awarded a contract by Air Force Research Laboratory/Directed Energy Directorate in support to the Office of the Secretary of Defense / High Energy Lasers Joint Technology Office, to develop a new capability to bond laser materials.
The contract calls for Synoptics, a unit of the company’s Space Technology sector, to develop a new and more efficient bonding process. This process will permit the bonding of different types of laser materials, resulting in improved performance, thermal management and efficiency.
Once development is complete, this process will enhance the performance of the laser materials being used in current and future systems, both military and commercial.
“The advanced bonding processes will have many applications on Defense Department high-energy laser initiatives,” said Joe Rutherford, vice president and general manager, Synoptics.
“This contract allows us to bring together under one roof the ability to grow, fabricate, coat and bond laser crystal materials together. We will be the only ‘one-stop shop’ for fusion-bonded laser materials in the United States.”
The contract is valued at $552,000 over one year.
