Pranalytica selected for laser improvement

SANTA MONICA, Calif., Nov. 11 (UPI) -- The U.S. Army has contracted Pranalytica Inc. to help improve the performance of its Quantum Cascade Laser technology.

U.S. company Pranalytica was awarded the contract as part of the Small Business Technology Transfer Program. Under the deal, Pranalytica will continue its development of the Quantum Cascade Laser for free-space optical communications and remote gas sensing among other applications.

Officials say the contract is part of an effort to improve the Quantum Cascade Laser's performance in other wavelength regions.

"We are excited to have been chosen for this contract," Kumar Patel, Pranalytica president and chief executive officer, said in a statement.

"The principal objective is to leverage Pranalytica's recent advances in Quantum Cascade Laser design and packaging technology made under the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's Efficient Mid-Infrared Laser program to radically improve the Quantum Cascade Laser performance in other wavelength regions."