Proposers Day: AMPED

DARPA will host an in-person, Proposers Day for AMPED on May 13, 2026, at the DARPA Conference Center (DCC), Arlington, Va., from 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. ET.

The Area-Multiplied Photonic-crystal Enhanced Devices (AMPED) program aims to establish a new class of high-power semiconductor lasers. Current single-mode lasers face a fundamental tradeoff: Increasing power degrades beam quality, as unwanted modes emerge when devices are scaled. With existing approaches reaching diminishing returns, a new architecture is needed.

The Proposers Day will include overview presentations by government personnel and opportunities for team building among the participants. The meeting will start with presentations by DARPA, including a technical briefing and a contracting discussion to further describe the planned PS objectives and content. These will be followed by a Q&A session, a poster session, and breakout meetings with the Program Manager.

DARPA anticipates releasing the AMPED Program Solicitation (PS) prior to Proposers Day. If released, the PS will be made available at https://sam.gov/.

Note: This meeting will be held at the CUI level. Attendance is restricted to U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents.

Registration deadline: April 29, 2026, at 5 p.m. ET.

Register now!