FA875126Q0987 QA_26 May 2026.docx

Solicitation No. FA875126Q0987 Questions and Answers

Q1. What is the required or preferred pulse duration range?

A1. Pulse duration in the tens of nanosecond regime is typical for our ablation laser needs. We do not need tunable pulse duration or ultra-short picosecond pulses

Q2. What is the required repetition-rate range, if any?

A2. We primarily operate at single shot operation for ion trap loading. A range of 1-20 Hz is more than sufficient for our application.

Q3. Provide confirmation that externally triggered single-shot operation via TTL/BNC is mandatory.

A3. Yes, externally triggered single-shot operation via TTL/BNC is required. Standard nanosecond-level jitter (< 50 ns) is perfectly acceptable. We do not require ultra-low picosecond jitter or specialized master-clock synchronization.

Q4. Confirm whether an electro-optic Q-switch architecture is specifically required, or whether equivalent Q-switched performance is acceptable.

A4. An electro-optic Q-switch is not strictly mandatory, provided the equivalent architecture allows for external single-shot triggering with low timing jitter. Active Q-switching is probably required to meet our jitter constraints. Passive Q-switching likely will not work due to timing uncertainty.

Q5. Provide clarification regarding the “air-cooled” requirement: Is a fully fan-cooled system mandatory?; Or would a self-contained internal cooling loop without an external water chiller also be acceptable?

A5. : A self-contained internal cooling loop without an external water chiller is completely acceptable. Our main requirement is simply to avoid plumbing an external, bulky water chiller to the optical table. Given our low repetition rate (1–20 Hz), a simpler thermal management system should be perfectly fine.

Q6. Clarification regarding the preferred pulse-energy operating range at 532 nm. The RFQ specifies: “Pulse Energy (at 532nm): minimum 5mJ, maximum 40mJ” A6: Our preferred operating point is around 1-2 mJ at 532 nm. To be on the safe side, we would want at least 5mJ at 532nm. 40mJ maximum was set as a constraint to give vendors more wiggle room with their existing systems. Tunable pulse energy output is needed.

Q7. Could you please clarify what pulse width is required for this laser?

In this regard, could you please advise as to what is considered as the primary criterion for the end user:

• the ablation volume/performance, or

• the specific laser parameters themselves?

A7. The Government does not want to optimize for ablation volume. For an ion trapping application, generating too much ablated material is detrimental. The Government will be focusing the free space output onto a small sample. The specific laser parameters and ablation volume are considered independently, and you do not need to tailor the pulse width to maximize ablation. Any standard Q-switched nanosecond pulse with width around 10ns is standard for our field and completely acceptable. As long as the laser can reliably deliver our target energy in a nanosecond pulse, it will perfectly suit the Government’s needs.