Dr. Pete Wick manipulates a Coherent Krypton Ion Laser operating at 647 nm at the NSWC Dahlgren Sensors and Materials Branch. A Krypton Ion source was utilized in the early characterization anddevelopment of the scatter plate target for high energy laser beam characterization.

The device – invented by NSWCDD scientist Dr. Peter Wick – features significant measurement capability gains and changes the way high energy laser (HEL) profiles will be conducted in the future.

‘‘Dr. Pete Wick’s innovative work is ensuring that we maintain our technical edge,” said Hale. ‘‘His innovation enables Electromagnetic and Sensor Systems Department’s High Energy Laser Team to improve measurement fidelity, simplicity and speed of laser beam profiles – all with a simpler instrumentation setup.”

The high energy laser profile discovery is already enhancing laser beam work at Dahlgren Lab’s Directed Energy Office and may soon be implemented in two other DoD laboratories. Wick recently shared his new approach with members of the Tri-Service Technical Area Working Group for Laser Lethality and Vulnerability.

‘‘Both the Army and Air Force Teams members are currently looking into implementing this technique into their laboratories,” said Sunshine Smith-Carroll, NSWCDD’s Sensors and Materials Branch head. “It is much simpler, faster and more accurate than alternative techniques“

Wick’s invention provides improved signal to noise ratio, increased effective damage threshold and simplicity in instrumental setup. Through the use of target motion, the reduction of measured target structure has increased the signal to noise ratio for the resultant data by orders of magnitude.

‘‘The improvement of the signal to noise ratio makes the observation of beam structure simple with little to no post acquisition filtering or smoothing required,” added Smith-Carroll.

Awarded the Electromagnetic and Sensor Systems Department Edison Award in July 2008 for his device, Wick has submitted a Navy Patent Disclosure for his invention.

‘‘The overall impact to Directed Energy is a simplified measurement and dramatic reduction in the noise or structure apparent in the data,” said Wick. ‘‘The signal-to-noise enhanced data is much easier to analyze and provides a better assessment of the beam on target. This improved assessment can be mapped directly into the effects testing conducted at NSWCDD and to the characterization of the system under development.”

‘‘New information regarding beam characterization, which was previously undetected in the data, is now fully recoverable in the data,” explained Wick. ‘‘Motion of the target has the additional benefit that damage caused by constant exposure from the laser at any given power is significantly reduced. Additionally, surface imperfections in the target are no longer visible with this measurement approach, thus increasing the ability to focus on high quality beam profile measurements versus quality of target used in experimentation.”