2025 HEL Optics Metrology Workshop

March 26 – 27, 2025

Join us for the 2025 HEL Optics Metrology Workshop at UAH.

The workshop agenda is now available.

Connect with fellow stakeholders involved in the metrology of optics for High-Energy Laser (HEL) systems. Together, we will focus on forging a path to improve metrology processes and technologies and move defense HEL weapons from prototypes to deployed systems more effectively.

The Goals of the Workshop:

• Assess the current state of the HEL optics metrology enterprise including methods, instruments, uncertainty, standards, and calibrations.
• Identify issues and shortcomings and discuss potential solutions.
• Continue to develop a common path across DOD, government labs, industry, and academia.
• Explore opportunities to collaborate and advance common goals.

Register

Registration

Security Information

The HEL Optics Metrology Workshop presentations and discussions will include Limited Distribution D information. This restricts participation in the workshop to U.S. citizens who are employees of the Department of Defense or its contractors.

Learn More

Agenda

PLEASE NOTE: This agenda is tentative and may be subject to minor changes.

Wednesday, March 26

0800:  Check-in Opens // Charger Union Theater Lobby
0830:  Welcome // Robert Lindquist, UAH VP for Research and Economic Development
0840:  Meeting Logistics // James Hadaway, UAH 

DoD Session

0850:  Open Discussion: Approach to Industry-Government HEL Standardization // Jacob Putman, U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command (SMDC) Technical Center
0920:  Army RCCTO DEPO HEL Prototype Developments - Lessons Learned // Mike Porter, U.S. Army Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office (RCCTO)
0950:  Comments on Expectations for the Future // AL Ogloza, ManTech International
1000:  Break (Coffee & Water Provided in Lobby)
1020:  Results from a Survey of Standards Use // James Hadaway, UAH
1050:  DoD Panel Discussion // Jacob Putman, U.S. Army; Mike Porter, U.S. Army; Joe Brobmyer, U.S. Army; Tom Schriempf, U.S. Navy; James Hadaway, UAH; Al Ogloza, ManTech International (online)

Systems and Requirements Session - James Hadaway, Chair

1130:  Modular Open Systems Approach and System Level Architecture and Requirements for Counter UAS HEL Systems // Brett Hokr, EO Solutions
1200: Lunch

Workforce Development Session - James Hadaway, Chair

1300:  Crafting Precision: Developing Tomorrow's Optics Workforce Today // Alexis Vogt, AmeriCOM

Optic Metrology Session 1 - James Hadaway, Chair

1330:  Vector Field Theory Applied to Manufacturing High Numerical Aperture Asphere and Freeform Optics // Flemming Tinker, Aperture Optical Sciences
1355:  Vector Field Theory Applied to the Optimization of Off-Axis Beam Directors // Daniel Dunn, Aperture Optical Sciences
1420:  Fabrication and Testing of Extreme Freeform Silicon Carbide Optics for an Ultra-wide Field of View Telescope // Daniel Dunn, Aperture Optical Sciences
1445:  Break (Coffee and Water Provided in Lobby)

Optic Metrology Session 2 - Christopher Hall, chair

1510:  Measurement Strategy for a Large OAP // Christopher Hall, QED Technologies
1535:  Early Detection of Latent Surface Imperfections in Silicon Carbide Mirror Substrates // Larry Germann, Left Hand Design
1600:  72 cm Lightweight Parabolic Mirror Prototype Results // Eldon Kasl, General Atomics
1620:  Optic Metrology Panel Discussion // Flemming Tinker, Aperture Optical Sciences; Christopher Hall, QED Technologies; Larry Germann, Left Hand Design; Adam Magruder, Nu-Tek Precision Optical
1655:  End of Day
1700:  Reception // Charger Union Theater Lobby

Thursday, March 27

0800: Check-In Opens, Charger Union Theater Lobby
0830: Meeting Logistics // James Hadaway, UAH

Coating Metrology Session 1 - Joseph Randi, Chair

0835:  Advancing State of the Art Measurement of LDEW Optics and Driving Performance Milestones // Chris Reetz, Advanced Thin Films
0900:  Optical Coating Performance and Reliability: Inspection, Characterization, and Testing for Directed Energy Applications // Joseph Randi, Pennsylvania State University Electro-Optics Center
0930:  High-Resolution Absorption Measurements: Refinements to Photothermal Common-Path Interferometry // Merlin Mah, University of Minnesota
0955: Break (Coffee and Water Provided in the Lobby)

Coating Metrology Session 2 - Milan Buncick, Chair

1020:  Characterizing Industry-Wide Uncertainties in Optical Loss Measurements of High Energy Laser Optics // Justin Sigley, AmeriCOM
1055:  Update on the UAH HEL Optic Coating Metrology Lab // Milan Buncick, UAH
1120:  Coating Metrology Panel Discussion // Joseph Randi, Pennsylvania State University; Joseph Talghader, University of Minnesota; Justin Sigley, AmeriCOM; Ric Shimshock, MLD Technologies; Al Ogloza, ManTech International (online)
1200:  Lunch

Laser-Induced Damage Metrology Session - Hoang Nguyen, Chair

1300:  Investigation of Innovative Solutions for Advancing High Power Optical Coatings for HEL Applications // Hoang Nguyen, Lawrence Livermore National Lab
1340:  Army ManTech Laser Damage Testing Procedure/Tool Standardization Efforts // Felix Radesi, Optimax Systems and Kevin McDonald, Radiance Technologies
1410:  The OEOSC TF7 Working Group and Its Overlap with Directed Energy Test Requirements // Michael Thomas, Spica Technologies
1440:  Break (Coffee and Water Provided in the Lobby)
1510:  Laser Induced Damage Metrology Panel Discussion // Hoang Nguyen, Lawrence Livermore National Lab; Felix Radesi, Optimax Systems; Kevin McDonald, Radiance Technologies; Michael Thomas, Spica Technologies
1550:  Results, Action, Items, and Plan Forward from the 2023 HEL Optics Metrology Workshop // James Hadaway, UAH
1620:  Open Discussions
1700:  End of Day