Status and development trend of overseas new type electric drive high-energy laser technology

The status and development trend of overseas new type electric drive high-energy lasers, such as PWG laser, thin-disk laser, liquid immersed solid-state laser, alkali vapor laser and coherent beam combining of fiber lasers, are discussed in this paper. The applied potential of these new type lasers used as light source of laser weapon is analyzed. They can at least solve some problems faced by high-energy bulk solid-laser or fiber laser. Because of some shortcomings or problems to be solved, its output power, beam quality, or volume and weight cannot reach the level of a typical high-energy solid-state laser or fiber laser. The advantages and disadvantages of these new electrically driven high energy lasers are discussed in detail, and their technical development prospects are preliminarily analyzed and judged.