Firm Wins Contract for Gain Array Technology

NP Photonics will advance its multimode-pumped, monolithic gain array under a two-year, $750,000 Phase II Small Business Innovation Research contract from the Missile Defense Agency. The compact device has the potential to provide cost-effective amplification in optical communication and fiber optic sensing networks. Developed by the company in Phase I of the program, the 3-cm-long gain chip array is powered by one multimode pump diode and delivers greater than 15 dB of peak optical gain with low noise. The goal is to construct a demonstrated prototype.