Diode-Pumped Laser for Rangefinders Operating over Wide Temperature Range

Abstract

A prototype of a pulsed diode-pumped laser based on Neodymium-doped Yttrium Aluminum Garnet (Nd:YAG) crystal emitting at 1064 nm is presented for use in airborne rangefinders and atmospheric LIDARs without use of expensive production technologies and components.Actively Q-Switched laser pulse energy was estimated. Spatial characteristics of laser beam and dependence of pulse energy on the pump pulse energy were obtained at room temperature. Results of diodepumped laser pulse energy measurements are provided within 2 min for pulse repetition rates of 1, 4, 12.5, 22 Hz at ambient temperature range from -40 to +60 °C. Laser diode arrays temperature stabilization was achieved by the use of Peltier module with cooling capacity of 30 W.Pulse energy values not less than 80 mJ were achieved in the studied ranges of ambient temperature and pulse repetition rate. Laser beam divergence at room temperature does not exceed 1.9 mrad.

Keywords

• laser rangefinder
• nd:yag
• active q-switching
• diode pumping