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Spectral control of an alexandrite laser for an airborne water-vapor differential absorption lidar systemA narrow-linewidth pulsed alexandrite laser has been greatly modified for improved spectral stability in an aircraft environment, and its operation has been evaluated in the laboratory for making water-vapor differential absorption lidar measurements. An alignment technique is described to achieve the optimum free spectral range ratio for the two etalons inserted in the alexandrite laser cavity, and the sensitivity of this ratio is analyzed. This technique drastically decreases the occurrence of mode hopping, which is commonly observed in a tunable, two-intracavity-etalon laser system. High spectral purity (greater than 99.85%) at 730 nm is demonstrated by the use of a water-vapor absorption line as a notch filter. The effective cross sections of 760-nm oxygen and 730-nm water-vapor absorption lines are measured at different pressures by using this laser, which has a finite linewidth of 0.02 cm(exp -1) (FWHM). It is found that for water-vapor absorption linewidths greater than 0.04 cm(exp -1) (HWHM), or for altitudes below 10 km, the laser line can be considered monochromatic because the measured effective absorption cross section is within 1% of the calculated monochromatic cross section. An analysis of the environmental sensitivity of the two intracavity etalons is presented, and a closed-loop computer control for active stabilization of the two intracavity etalons in the alexandrite laser is described. Using a water-vapor absorption line as a wavelength reference, we measure a long-term frequency drift (approximately 1.5 h) of less than 0.7 pm in the laboratory.
Document ID
19960023572
Acquisition Source
Langley Research Center
Document Type
Contractor Report (CR)
Authors
Ponsardin, Patrick
(Old Dominion Univ. Norfolk, VA United States)
Grossmann, Benoist E.
(Old Dominion Univ. Norfolk, VA United States)
Browell, Edward V.
(Old Dominion Univ. Norfolk, VA United States)
Date Acquired
August 17, 2013
Publication Date
September 20, 1994
Subject Category
Optics
Report/Patent Number
NASA-CR-201045
NAS 1.26:201045
Accession Number
96N26265
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAS1- 18584
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.
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