Laser Science and Technology Centre

Laser Science & Technology CentreEstablished| 1998 as LASTEC
1982 as DSC
1950 part of DS

|

Director| Shri Hari Babu Srivastava
Address| Melcalfe House
Delhi-110054 [1]
Location| Delhi

Operating agency

| DRDO
Website| LASTEC Home Page

Laser Science and Technology Centre (LASTEC) is a laboratory of the Defence Research & Development Organization (DRDO). Located in Delhi, it is the main DRDO lab involved in the development of lasers and related technologies. LASTEC functions under the DRDO Directorate of Electronics & Computer Science.

## History

[edit]

LASTEC is the oldest laboratory in DRDO.[2] It was established in 1950 as Defence Science Laboratory (DSL) which was a nucleus laboratory with the objective to conduct research in frontier areas of physics, chemistry and mathematics with a special focus on lasers and opto-electronics. On 9 April 1960, DSL was shifted to Metcalfe House and inaugurated by then Defence Minister V. K. Krishna Menon, in the presence of Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru. Its first Director was S. P. Chakravarti, the father of Electronics and Telecommunication engineering in India, who later founded LRDE, DRDL and DLRL.[3]

With time, many DSC activities were given to newly formed, specialized DRDO laboratories. DSL served as a precursor for as many as 15 present DRDO labs, including DRDL, SSPL, INMAS, FRL, ISSA, DESIDOC, DIFR, SAG, ITM etc.[4]

In 1982, the laboratory moved to a new technical building in Metcalfe House complex and was renamed as Defence Science Centre. The centre consolidated its R&D activities towards more specific and application oriented areas, such as liquid fuel technology, spectroscopy, crystallography, system engineering, biotechnology etc. DSL now started concentrating in the area of pure sciences such as physics, chemistry and mathematics. The chemistry division developed G-fuel and unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine (UDMH) for rockets and missiles. The Mathematics division conducted simulation and calculations related to the missile program, while the Physics division took the lead by launching many activities.

DSC was also given a new charter of duties with its major thrust on lasers. Intensive work commenced on solid-state lasers, carbon dioxide lasers, ALARM, laser rangefinder, fibre optic gyroscope, ring laser gyroscopes, laser intruder alarm systems, etc. In 1986, the centre was made responsible for the development of high power lasers for Defence applications as one of its major missions. The lab was renamed LASTEC on 1 Aug 1999 to emphasize its core focus of laser technology. As of 2020, LASTEC is no longer functional or act as an independent laboratory. All the staff members have been transferred to DRDO labs in Hyderabad.[5]

## Application

[edit]

In the field of high-power lasers, LASTEC works in the following fields:

* Chemical oxygen iodine laser
* Gas dynamic laser
* Hf-Df laser

## Areas of work

[edit]

LASTEC's primary focus is the research and development of various laser materials, components and laser systems, including High Power Lasers (HPL) for defence-applications.[6] The main charter of the lab revolves around progressing in areas of photonics, electro-optic counter measures (EOCM), low and high-power lasers (HPL). LASTEC also develops and delivers directed-energy weapon systems for the Indian Armed Forces, based on high-power laser technology. As a defence technology spin off, LASTEC has also been engaged in the development of lasers for medical and other civilian applications.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Addresses[usurped]
2. ^ History of LASTEC[usurped]
3. ^ "Prof. S.P. Chakravarti (1904–1981) | Mitra, S.N. | download".[permanent dead link]
4. ^ Joseph, P. Chacko (6 August 2007). "LASTEC the Laser Lab". Frontier India Defence and Strategic News Service. Retrieved 6 November 2007.
5. ^ Mohan, Vijay (30 November 2020). "DRDO shuts down 3 labs, sends staff to other centres". Tribuneindia News Service. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
6. ^ LASTEC Areas of Work[usurped]

## External links

[edit]

* Red Light VCSEL Laser
* Solid State Laser Developments at LASTEC

* v
* t
* e

Defence Research and Development Organisation Laboratories

Aeronautical Systems|

* ADRDE
* ADE
* CABS
* CEMILAC
* GTRE

Armament & Combat Engineering Systems|

* ACEM
* ARDE
* CVRDE
* DTRL
* HEMRL
* PXE
* R&DE(Engrs)
* SASE
* VRDE

Electronics and Communication Systems|

* DARE
* DEAL
* DLRL
* LRDE
* IRDE
* LASTEC

Life Sciences|

* DEBEL
* DFRL
* DIBER
* DIHAR
* DIPAS
* DIPR
* DRDE
* DRL
* INMAS

Micro Electronic Devices, Computational Systems & Cyber Systems|

* ANURAG
* CAIR
* MTRDC
* SAG
* SSPL

Missiles and Strategic Systems|

* ASL
* DRDL
* ITR
* RCI
* TBRL

Naval Systems and Materials|

* DLJ
* DMSRDE
* DMRL
* NMRL
* NPOL
* NSTL

Human Resources|

* CEPTAM
* DESIDOC
* ITM
* RAC

System Analysis & Modelling|

* CFEES
* ISSA

Corporate Directorates|

* DCW&E
* DER&IPR
* DFMM
* DFTM
* DHRD
* DIITM
* DISB
* DIT&CS
* DIC
* DLIC
* DMS
* DPA
* DOP
* DP&C
* DPI
* DQR&S
* DRB and O&M
* DSTA
* DTDF
* DVS

Research Boards|

* ARDB
* ARB
* NRB
* LSRB

DRDO Young Scientist Laboratories|

* DYSL-AI
* DYSL-AT
* DYSL-CT
* DYSL-QT
* DYSL-SM

Other Related Body/Institute|

* ADA
* BrahMos Aerospace
* DIAT
* MILIT

DRDO Laboratories
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template
*[DCW&E]: Directorate of Civil Works & Estates
*[DER&IPR]: Directorate of Extramural Research & Intellectual Property Rights
*[DFMM]: Directorate of Finance & Materials Management
*[DFTM]: Directorate of Futuristic Technology Management
*[DHRD]: Directorate of Human Resource Development
*[DIITM]: Directorate of Industry Interface & Technology Management
*[DISB]: Directorate of Interaction with Services for Business
*[DIT&CS]: Directorate of Information Technology & Cyber Security
*[DIC]: Directorate of International Cooperation
*[DLIC]: Directorate of Low Intensity Conflict
*[DMS]: Directorate of Management Services
*[DPA]: Directorate of Parliamentary Affairs
*[DOP]: Directorate of Personnel
*[DP&C]: Directorate of Planning & Coordination
*[DPI]: Directorate of Public Interface
*[DQR&S]: Directorate of Quality, Reliability & Safety
*[DRB and O&M]: Directorate of Rajbhasha and O&M
*[DSTA]: Directorate of Systems and Technology Analysis
*[DTDF]: Directorate of Technology Development Fund
*[DVS]: Directorate of Vigilance & Security
*[ARDB]: Aeronautics Research Development Board
*[ARB]: Armaments Research Board
*[NRB]: Naval Research Board
*[LSRB]: Life Sciences Research Board
*[AI]: Artificial Intelligence
*[AT]: Asymmetric Technologies
*[CT]: Cognitive Technologies
*[QT]: Quantum Technology
*[SM]: Smart Materials