Quintessence Photonics has announced that it has won a US Government Contract to develop and deliver high-power Mid-Infrared Lasers. The Phase III award is a follow on to previous development activity funded by the US Army which culminates in the delivery of semiconductor lasers which emit light in the Mid-Infrared wavelength regime.
Low-cost, high-power mid-infrared have a variety of defense and homeland security applications, including protection of aircraft, ships and armored vehicles from heat-seeking missiles and standoff detection of chemical weapons.
Free space optical communications and imaging on the battlefield benefit from mid-infrared sources since, unlike visible and near-infrared wavelengths, communications at mid-infrared wavelengths are relatively immune to fog, smoke and solar background impairments.
