Defense and Aerospace
Find the essential building blocks to defense & aerospace systems with a large portfolio of emitters, detectors, and custom manufacturing capabilities.
Why LASER COMPONENTS
With over 40 years of experience in photonics technology, LASER COMPONENTS has developed a wide selection of components to build systems to get accurate results on the ground or for aerial applications. From laser modules, pulsed laser diodes (PLDs), avalanche photodiodes (APDs), infrared (IR) detectors, single photon counting modules, fiber optics or laser optics, LASER COMPONENTS can supply the right products for effective results and to ensure safety.
LASER COMPONENTS understands the importance of meeting specifications for defense & aerospace applications. The wide portfolio of products caters to the various lighting, temperature, and other environmental factors that each system can require.
Custom Manufacturing Solutions
Meet the needs of the most demanding applications with tailored solutions for each system. LASER COMPONENTS offers engineering expertise when designing emitter and detector systems. With an understanding that each customer has unique restrictions, LASER COMPONENTS is experienced in handling Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) and is fully committed to upholding the privacy and confidentiality of all customer contracts.
The PLD components are manufactured in an ISO-9001 clean room. While the APDs are manufactured in a Class 100 clean room with packaging being completed in a Class 10,000 clean room. To ensure high-reliability many products are designed with MIL-STD to ensure consistency.
By reaching out to LASER COMPONENTS, customers can rely on quick support. Through the whole process of finding the right components, engineering experts can assist at each step to ensure that even if a new product needs to be designed, customers have the freedom to choose the best for an application
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Typical Applications
In the Defense and Aerospace Market
The defense and aerospace market includes a wide variety of applications requiring the use of optical and optoelectronic components. One example is range finding.
Range Finding – LiDAR & Altimetry
Pulsed light telemetry, using pulsed laser diodes (PLDs) and photodiodes, measures distances and provides 3D representations of surrounding areas. It is used for targeting, docking, landing, autonomous Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and space vehicle flight, and visibility in low-visibility urban combat environments. It aids in remote-mapping and hazard detection of celestial bodies.
These systems can be integrated into binoculars, rifle scopes, and larger equipment, that includes PLDs with micro-optics, individual avalanche photodiodes (APDs), and PIN detectors for stealth operations, and hybrid receivers. While optics are used in laser range finders, rifle scopes, and night-vision systems to achieve accurate results.
Laser Modules can be produced with different / multiple wavelengths at various output power and the required driver electronics and beam shaping optics to support the time-of-flight measurement.
Other Areas of Use
We Design and Supply The Building Blocks To These Defense Systems
UAV Technology
Less is more when designing drones. In UAVs, the size, weight, power, and cost (SWaP-c) parameters are critical, particularly in laser rangefinders, requiring embedded systems to meet strict design and weight constraints. Designers often consider commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) products, sampling these first and providing customizations to meet unique needs. The components of counter UAV systems, including pulsed laser arrays, avalanche photodiodes (APDs), laser optics, coatings, and mirrors, are essential for detecting, tracking, and neutralizing unauthorized UAVs by blinding their sensors, disrupting communications, and ensuring precise targeting.
Battlefield Simulation
LASER COMPONENTS supports MILES (US) and European training systems by using laser emissions to mimic weapons, enabling low-cost training and feedback for soldiers. The systems use 905 nm and single-junction emitters, with a migration to 1550 nm for eye safety and higher resolution, as well as red/green CW lasers for aiming. Receivers include silicon PINs, Si APDs for ballistic calculations and high-power/distance simulation, and InGaAs APDs or PIN photodiodes for long-range and eye-safe applications.
LASER PROXIMITY FUZING
High-speed range finders on missile noses or free-falling ordnance must endure extreme conditions from launch to final impact, including high temperatures, high-g forces, and short operational lifetimes. PLDs serve as illuminators for Electro-Optical (EO) sensors and range finding, working with APDs for autonomous decision-making in smart munitions to calculate the exact Height of Burst (HOB) to ensure the precise time of activation. Emitters include 905 nm stacked triple junction PLDs designed for harsh environments (>120 °C, >200W), while receivers often use fast, custom-designed silicon PINs.
LASER GUIDANCE
Encoded pulse-trains are projected onto targets and reflected light is captured by precision-guided munitions (PGMs) to ensure accuracy, often alongside a laser range finder. A common form of laser guidance systems is a laser designator. Key components include fiber lasers, APDs for ranging, laser optics, silicon PIN diodes (Advanced Photonix), silicon APD arrays, PSDs (via SiTek), and PLDs for beam riding with specialized temporal or modulation encoding.
Weapons Systems
Laser dazzlers temporarily disorient targets through flash blindness, affecting electronic sensors or reducing people’s vision. These systems are often used by military, law enforcement, and security. Laser weapons are popular for their long-range, low-cost per round, and ability to intercept and neutralize small fast-moving targets.
Directed Infrared Counter Measure (DIRCM) systems employ powerful laser beams to jam missile IR seekers and achieve Optical Break Lock (OBL), effectively deflecting incoming missiles and providing essential protection for various platforms. Key products include high energy coatings with extremely high Laser Induced Damage Threshold (LiDT), Gaussian mirrors to improve beam divergence, and laser dazzlers with PLDs and APDs for distance monitoring.
PLD laser bars are often used for laser illuminators that use a specific wavelength matched to the detection hardware such as Night Vision Goggles (NVG). A laser illuminator often will be equipped with multiple stacked laser bars to project light toward a target at long range, enhancing detection of potential threats.
Remote Sensing and Detection
Atmospheric LiDARs with TEC-stabilized APD receivers are used in ground-based or space applications, employing UV, NIR, and SWIR APDs and temperature-controlled receivers. Differential LiDAR can remotely detect specific substances, while spectrometers are used for CBRNE defense and pyrometers for flame detection. PbS/PbSe detectors are utilized in FTIR and NDIR applications. Associated products include pyro detectors, PbS/PbSe detectors, and hybrid receivers.
Communications
Free-space optical communication links between satellites or locations on Earth are impervious to interference. Quantum cryptography provides secure point-to-point quantum communication by using laser beam polarization to encode data, with photon counters and polarizers at the receiving end. Ground stations require advanced optics for sending and receiving data from Low-Earth orbit constellations.
Associated products include fiber cables, quadrant detectors for beam steering, APDs for receivers, COUNT modules, Geiger-capable APDs (SAP), laser optics, and mirrors.
Countermeasures
Laser warning systems (LWS) improve situational awareness and serve as the last line of defense for assets targeted by laser designators, using cameras and large photodiodes to detect lasers and trigger countermeasures, making split-second decisions crucial for protecting lives. Detecting the position of offenders who intentionally blind pilots with laser pointers, a serious crime, can help reduce such incidents. Associated products include large photodiodes, pulsed laser arrays for blinding electronic sensors, lead-salt quads, laser optics, laser coatings, and mirrors.
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Products
for defense & aerospace applications
- Pulsed Laser Diodes. The 1550 nm PLDs offer great temperature stability with a wide operating range between –45°C and +85°C. The 805 series feature the best-in-class reliability, temperature stabilization, and beam characteristics. The 905 series offer unique multi-junction trenched solution to reach peak powers of 115 W at a pulse length of 100 ns from a single chip. By stacking these multi-junction PLDs can achieve peak power up to 650 W.
- Laser Modules. Fully equipped laser modules (with driver electronics and beam shaping optics) can be designed and produced with one or more wavelengths between 450 nm and 905 nm as well as improved boresight error, pulsed or continuous wave. To ensure high performance in a wide temperature range our manufacturing site in Germany offers the possibility to test the modules at temperatures between -40 °C and +70 °C.
- Detectors. From Si & InGaAs APDs, including hybrid receivers, to IR Detectors like InGaAs PIN, PbS, PbSe, and Pyroelectric, all LASER COMPONENTS detectors are manufactured in Arizona, USA. The detectors offer the freedom to choose packaging options that include various housing and IR windows.
- Laser Optics. LASER COMPONENTS offers a variety of optical solutions including Gaussian mirror, optical lenses, bending mirrors, dichroic mirrors such as thin-film polarizers for broadband (TFPBs) and optical windows. These optics are often combined with 1064 nm, 1540 nm, and 1570 nm lasers.
- Fiber Optics. With experience built over the years, starting in 1995, LASER COMPONENTS has been manufacturing fiber assemblies to meet the needs of high power laser systems. For many defense applications, the high power patch cable SMA/D80/DIN is an ideal choice.
FLEXPOINT® MV line lasers were developed for digital image processing. ALBALUX is a series of white light sources.
EXPLORE OUR ENTIRE PORTFOLIO
LASER COMPONENTS USA - Your competent partner for optical and optoelectronic components in the United States.
Welcome to LASER COMPONENTS USA, Inc., your expert for photonics components. Each product in our wide range of detectors, laser diodes, laser modules, optics, and more is worth every Dollar ($/USD). Our customized solutions cover all conceivable areas of application: from sensor technology to medical technology. You can reach us here:
116 South River Road
Building C
Bedford, NH 03110
USA
Phone: +1 603 821 7040
Email: info(at)
