Q-switched output of 1.1 J/pulse at a 2.053 microm wavelength has been achieved in a diode-pumped Ho: Tm: LuLF laser with a side-pumped rod configuration in a master-oscillator-power-amplifier (MOPA) architecture. This is the first time to our knowledge that a 2 microm laser has broken the joule per pulse barrier for Q-switched operation. The total system efficiency reaches 5% and 6.2% for single- and double-pulse operation, respectively. The system produces an excellent 1.4 times transform-limited beam quality.

The first airborne wind measurements of a pulsed, 2-mm solid-state, high-energy, wind-profiling lidar system for airborne measurements are presented. The laser pulse energy is the highest to date in an eye-safe airborne wind lidar system. This energy, the 10-Hz laser pulse rate, the 15-cm receiver diameter, and dualbalanced coherent detection together have the potential to provide much-improved lidar sensitivity to low aerosol backscatter levels compared to earlier airborne-pulsed coherent lidar wind systems. Problems with a laser-burned telescope secondary mirror prevented a full demonstration of the lidar's capability, but the hardware, algorithms, and software were nevertheless all validated. A lidar description, relevant theory, and preliminary results of flight measurements are presented.

A 2-μm wavelength coherent Doppler lidar for wind measurement has been developed of an unprecedented laser pulse energy of 250-mJ in a rugged package. This high pulse energy is produced by a Ho:Tm:LuLiF laser with an optical amplifier. While the lidar is meant for use as an airborne instrument, ground-based tests were carried out to characterize performance of the lidar. Atmospheric measurements are presented, showing the lidar's capability for wind measurement in the atmospheric boundary layer and free troposphere. Lidar wind measurements are compared to a balloon sonde, showing good agreement between the two sensors.

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A conductively-cooled Ho:Tm:LuLiF laser oscillator generates 1.6J normal mode pulses at 10Hz with optical to optical efficiency of 20%. When the laser head module is used as the amplifier, the double-pass small-signal amplification excesses 25. IntroductionTm:Ho:LuLiF laser has significant applications in the study of global warming because its operating wavelength is in eye-safe range and can be tuned to one of the CO 2 (a principal greenhouse gas) absorption lines. Ho:doped laser oscillator can generate high-energy pulses (>100mJ) and Ho:doped laser amplifier can amplify the pulses to joule-level energy. A master oscillator and power amplifier (MOPA) Tm:Ho:LuLiF system, where the 100mJ pulses from a Q-switched oscillator are amplified into >1J pulses by three power amplifiers, has been reported [1]. Such a system is not only able to measure the column content of CO 2 concentration, but also able to measure the distribution profile of CO 2 concentration in atmosphere.To meet the requirement of air/space-borne lidar applications, the laser system has to be efficient and small.