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 an ultra-broadband IR source for countermeasures capable of disrupting and/or disabling optical/IR guiding sensors in targets. DESCRIPTION: For directional IR countermeasures (IRCM) applications, generating high-average power, pulsed IR radiation with an ultra broad and uniform spectrum is highly desirable. The IR atmospheric transmission window of interest is in the range of ~8 13 um, i.e. long-wave IR (LWIR) and ~2 5 um, mid-wave IR (MWIR). In these spectral regimes, the IR radiation can be generated at the source and propagated to the target to disrupt its optical/IR sensors. However, there is a lack of suitable high-power sources in the MWIR and LWIR. High-average power, ultra-broad band radiation in this spectral regime can be generated by the spectral broadening and/or nonlinear parametric amplification of laser radiation in an appropriate nonlinear, lossless, material. Ultra-broad band radiation is generated from a laser pulse by a number of coupled highly nonlinear optical processes that include: i) self-phase modulation, ii) 4-wave mixing, iii) cross-phase modulation, iv) stimulated Raman scattering, and others. These mechanisms can lead to wide spectral broadening around the fundamental and other frequencies that may cover the MWIR and LWIR regimes with high overall conversion efficiencies. In addition, the IR radiation could have a high degree of directionality and thus can be propagated long distances within a small solid angle using an appropriate beam director. This topic seeks solutions that eliminate threats through the disruption of a target's optical control systems rather than destroying the target by thermal disruption mechanisms. Novel laser configurations, such as laser pulse formats and bandwidth manipulations that would generate ultra-broadband MWIR and LWIR radiation are of interest. The pump (source) lasers that generate the wideband radiation should be compact, reliable and commercially available. Proposed systems should be capable of disrupting IR sensors within the engagement time window, at tactically relevant ranges. PHASE I: The offeror will theoretically/computationally and experimentally demonstrate the feasibility of remotely disrupting or disabling optical/IR sensors representative of those found in military targets at relevant ranges (greater than 1 km). By "disruption", it is meant that the device sensors are temporarily disrupted or permanently disabled so that the target cannot perform its mission. Theoretical studies and/or modeling to understand the phenomenon employed and/or beam director design characteristics as appropriate to the proposed solution should be included. The deliverable for Phase I will be the design of a system that will be constructed and tested in Phase II. PHASE II: The offeror will construct and deliver a system that can apply broad band, high average power, directional IR radiation on a remote target such that the target's optical/IR sensors are disrupted or permanently disabled. No specific target is necessary for a proposal to be of interest, however it must be demonstrated that the technique can be applied to targets of military relevance. A system with a capability of disrupting or disabling military targets beyond 1 km is desired. A plan for scaling the capability to longer ranges is also highly desirable. The offeror should also demonstrate - through theory, modeling or experiment the extent to which the system may disrupt or disable targets greater than 1 km away. The deliverable for Phase II will be a functional prototype of the system design proposed in Phase I. The prototype will be utilized to gather test data and generate a test report demonstrating the application to optical/IR sensors. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: The offeror will outfit the DE countermeasures system with subsystems to identify, acquire, track, and defeat targets. The overall system must be rugged and mobile. The offeror will demo the system in a field test in an operationally relevant environment. Field tests are to be carried out using various types of targets representative of those employed in the military at tactically relevant ranges greater than 1 km. The deliverable for Phase III will be the functional prototype developed in Phase II integrated with acquisition/tracking subsystem. The integrated system will be utilized to gather test data and generate a test report demonstrating application to optical/IR sensors at relevant range. REFERENCES: 1. P. Sprangle, A. Ting, E. Esarey, R. Hubbard and B. Hafizi, Active remote sensing using ultra broadband radiation , NRL Memo Report # 7885, (1996); 2. C.A. Kapetanokos, B. Hafizi, H.M. Milchberg, P. Sprangle, R.F. Hubbard, and A. Ting, Generation of High-Average-Power Ultrabroad-Band Infrared Pulses , IEEE J. Quantum. Electronics, 35, 565 (1999); 3. C.A. Kapetanakos, B. Hafizi, P. Sprangle, R.F. Hubbard, and A. Ting, Progress in the Development of a High Average Power Ultra-Broadband Infrared Radiation Source , IEEE J. Quantum. Electronics, 37, 641 (2001); 4. G. P. Agrawal, Nonlinear Fiber Optics , San Diego, CA: Academic, 1995; 5. P. Sprangle, J. R. Penano and B. Hafizi, Propagation of intense short laser pulses in the atmosphere , Phys. Rev. E 66, 046418 (2002); 6. N. Menyuk, G. W. Iseler, and A. Mooradian High-efficiency high-average-power second-harmonic generation with CdGeAs2 , Appl. Phys. Lett. 29, 422-423, (1976); 7. C. Kieleck et al., "Compact high-power/high-energy 2 m and mid-infrared laser sources for OCM," Proc. SPIE, 8898, 889809 (2013); 8. R. Thapa et al., "Mid-IR supercontinuum generation in ultra-low loss, dispersion-zero shifted tellurite glass fiber with extended coverage beyond 4.5 m," Proc. SPIE, 8898, 889808 (2013); 9. Directed IR Countermeasures, see at: https://elbitsystems.com/product/directed-ir-countermeasures-2/; 10. M. K. Rafailov, Ultrafast laser IR countermeasures, Proc. SPIE 7325, 73250W (2009) KEYWORDS: IRCM, laser, IR, infrared, broad, wide
