Development of mid-infrared solid state lasers for spaceborne lidar. Progress report, 13 October 1988-13 April 1989

Technical Report · Sat Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1989

OSTI ID:5678622

Whitney, D A; Kim, K H

The laser performance of a Ho(3+):Tm(3+):Cr(3+):YAG crystal was measured under flashlamp pumping at various operating temperatures. The normal mode laser thresholds of a Ho(3+)(0.45 at. percent):Tm(3+)(2.5 at. percent):Cr(3+)(1.5 at. percent ):YAG crystal were found to range from 26 to 50 J between 120 and 200 K with slope efficiencies up to 0.36 percent with a 60 percent reflective output mirror. From the Q-switched operations a slope efficiency corresponding to 90 percent of the normal mode operation was observed. Laser wavelengths were measured for various operating conditions and fluorescence spectra were obtained at various temperatures in order to help understand the dynamic energy processes among the Ho(3+), Tm(3+), and Cr(3+) ions. A pulse forming network for a flashlamp pumped Cr:GSAG laser, which is to be used as a high power laser diode simulator in rare earth laser pumping, was completed and tested. The network provided critically damped, 1 ms FWHM, square pulses with a rise time of about 160 micrometers at an input electrical energy of 300 J.

• Research Organization: Hampton Inst., VA (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5678622
• Report Number(s): N-89-24599; NASA-CR-185012; NAS-1.26:185012
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
SOLID STATE LASERS
EFFICIENCY
PERFORMANCE TESTING
CHROMIUM
HOLMIUM
INFRARED RADIATION
OPTICAL PUMPING
OPTICAL RADAR
PROGRESS REPORT
Q-SWITCHING
THULIUM
DOCUMENT TYPES
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELEMENTS
LASERS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
METALS
PUMPING
RADAR
RADIATIONS
RANGE FINDERS
RARE EARTHS
TESTING
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
420300* - Engineering- Lasers- (-1989)