Realization of a 50-watt facility-class sodium guidestar pump laser

Denman, Craig A.; Hillman, Paul D.; Moore, Gerald; Telle, John M.; Preston, Joseph E.; Drummond, Jack D.; Fugate, Robert Q.

doi:10.1117/12.613370

Cited by 38 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…This optimization will include a simplified pulse slicer, optimized laser sources, the possible use of additional laser power amplifiers and optimized SFG. Detailed designs and proof of concept experiments for our approach remain to be done, but some critical design issues have already been demonstrated by others such as the operation of simple extra cavity SFG using mode-locked pump lasers [11] and the realization of 50W class SFG Na guide star lasers [21].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Injection mode-locked guide star laser concept and design verification experiments

Rutten¹,

Veitch²,

d’Orgeville³

et al. 2007

Opt. Express

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Injection mode-locked guide star laser concept and design verification experiments

Rutten¹,

Veitch²,

d’Orgeville³

et al. 2007

Opt. Express

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“…During Fall 2004, the Directed Energy Directorate of the Air Force Research Laboratory installed a 50 W cw sodium wavelength fasor on the Starfire Optical Range (SOR) 3.5-m adaptive optical telescope [2,3]. Implementation of the sodium LGS system, its integration with the 3.5-m facility, and its first-light guidestar sky tests have been conducted through 2005-2006.…”

Section: The 50-w Sodium Guidestar Fasormentioning

confidence: 99%

Characteristics of sodium guidestars created by the 50-watt FASOR and first closed-loop AO results at the Starfire Optical Range

et al. 2006

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A computer-automated cw sodium guidestar FASOR (Frequency Addition Source of Optical Radiation) producing a single frequency 589-nm beam with up to 50 W for mesospheric beacon generation has been integrated with the 3.5-m telescope at the Starfire Optical Range, Kirtland AFB, New Mexico. Radiance tests have produced a peak guidestar V 1 magnitude = 5.1 (~7000 photons/s/cm 2 at zenith) for 30 W of circularly polarized pump power in November 2005. Estimated theoretical maximum guidestar radiance is about 3 times greater than measured values indicating saturation due to atoms possibly becoming trapped in F' = 1 and/or atomic recoil. From sky tests over 3.5 years, we have tracked the annual variation of the sodium column density by measuring the return flux as a function of fasor power and determining the slope at zero power. The maximum occurs on October 30 and the minimum on May 30, with corresponding predicted returns of 8000 (V 1 = 4.8) and 3000 (V 1 = 5.8) ph/s/cm 2 with 50 W of fasor power and circular polarization. The effect of the Earth's magnetic field on the radiance of the sodium laser guidestar (LGS) from various azimuths and elevations has been measured. The peak return flux over our observatory occurs at [az=198°; el=+71°], compared with the direction of the magnetic field lines at [190°; +62°], and it can vary by a factor of 3 over the sky above el = 30°. First results for non-optimized sodium LGS adaptive optics (AO) closed-loop operation have been obtained using binary stars. Strehl ratios of 0.03 have been measured at 850 nm and a 0.14 arc second binary star has been resolved during first closed loop observations. Guidestar characteristics, including radiance, size, and Rayleigh backscatter, the sodium LGS wavefront sensor (WFS) AO system, and recent closed-loop results on binary stars are presented.

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“…We believe it to be about 10kHz. We have built two fasors, a 20-watt table-top version, 3,4 and a 50-watt automated version 5,6 which has been mounted on the 3.5-meter telescope at the site. The 589 nm is produced by resonant sum-frequency mixing of the 1064-nm and 1319-nm Nd:YAG laser lines in a bow-tie-shaped cavity.…”

Section: Guidestar Pump Fasormentioning

confidence: 99%

Studies of a mesospheric sodium guidestar pumped by continuous-wave sum-frequency mixing of two Nd:YAG laser lines in lithium triborate

et al. 2006

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Mesospheric sodium guidestar radiance is plotted vs. wavelength, fasor power, fasor polarization and date. Peak radiance for circular polarization was about 7000 photons/sec/cm 2 (V 1 magnitude = 5.1) for 30 watts of pump power in November of 2005. Pumping with circular polarization at high power produces about 2 times more return than linear polarization. Pumping D2a at high power produces about 12 times more return than pumping D2b. A lidar equation is used to determine column density. Estimated maximum possible guidestar radiance is about 3 times greater than measured values. Guidestar radiance may be saturated by atoms becoming trapped in F′=1 and atomic recoil.

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Realization of a 50-watt facility-class sodium guidestar pump laser

Cited by 38 publications

References 4 publications

Injection mode-locked guide star laser concept and design verification experiments

Injection mode-locked guide star laser concept and design verification experiments

Characteristics of sodium guidestars created by the 50-watt FASOR and first closed-loop AO results at the Starfire Optical Range

Studies of a mesospheric sodium guidestar pumped by continuous-wave sum-frequency mixing of two Nd:YAG laser lines in lithium triborate

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