Design of a high-gain laser diode-array pumped Nd:YAG Alternating Precessive Slab Amplifier (APS-Amplifier)
Abstract
In the design of space qualifiable laser systems for ranging and altimetry, such as NASA's Geodynamic Laser Ranging System (GLRS), the transmitter must be kept small, powerful yet efficient, and must consist of as few components as possible. A novel preamplifier design is examined which requires no external beam steering optics, yielding a compact component with simple alignment procedures. The gains achieved are comparable to multipass zigzag amplifiers using two or more sets of external optics for extra passes through the amplifying medium.
- Publication:
-
NASA STI/Recon Technical Report N
- Pub Date:
- 1991
- Bibcode:
- 1991STIN...9120472C
- Keywords:
-
- Laser Outputs;
- Laser Pumping;
- Laser Range Finders;
- Preamplifiers;
- Semiconductor Diodes;
- Spaceborne Lasers;
- Altimetry;
- Geodynamics;
- High Gain;
- Neodymium Lasers;
- Pulse Repetition Rate;
- Transmitters;
- Weight Reduction;
- Yag Lasers;
- Lasers and Masers