High power modeless lasers for sodium laser guide stars

Abstract

International audienceAn increasing number of adaptive optics systems in astronomy uses a sodium Laser Guide Star (LGS). The analysis of the distorsion of the return fluorescence requires high power lasers. We expose here two modeless laser amplifiers, based on a longitudinaly pumped 1 cm-long dye cell: the first one is a 4-pass amplifier at 589 nm pumped at 532 nm and the second one is a 4-pass amplifier at 660 nm pomped at 511 and 578 nm. These systems correspond respectively to the monochromatic and the polychromatic laser guide stars

Ranging with Frequency-Shifted Feedback Lasers: From μm-Range Accuracy to MHz-Range Measurement Rate

“…Early work using specific properties of the FSF laser concerned the mechanical action of light on atoms, such as slowing and cooling of atoms in a beam [39] following up on a proposal by [40] or light-induced drift separation of Rb isotopes [41]. Further applications include accurate frequency-interval measurements [42]; efficient optical pumping of atoms [43,44]; efficient excitation of atoms in the higher atmosphere for preparation of a guide star [45,46,47]; observation of dark resonances in optical excitation of atoms [48]; realization of a FSF laser with high [49] or ultrahigh and variable [50] pulse rate; control of pulse duration [51] or new schemes for frequency stabilization [52]; rapid tuning of frequency [53]; and generation of a frequency comb for specific tasks in underwater sensing [54].…”

Ranging with frequency-shifted feedback lasers: from $$\upmu$$ μ m-range accuracy to MHz-range measurement rate

“…Early work using specific properties of the FSF laser concerned the mechanical action of light on atoms, such as slowing and cooling of atoms in a beam [39] following up on a proposal by [40] or light-induced drift separation of Rb isotopes [41]. Further applications include accurate frequency-interval measurements [42]; efficient optical pumping of atoms [43,44]; efficient excitation of atoms in the higher atmosphere for preparation of a guide star [45,46,47]; observation of dark resonances in optical excitation of atoms [48]; realization of a FSF laser with high [49] or ultrahigh and variable [50] pulse rate; control of pulse duration [51] or new schemes for frequency stabilization [52]; rapid tuning of frequency [53]; and generation of a frequency comb for specific tasks in underwater sensing [54].…”