Development of the Stability on the Laser System Used at Satellite Laser Ranging Station

摘要

A level of the Nd:YAG oscillator stability has been experimentally determined for different setups of resonator Q-switches. Performed experiments quantify an influence of an active modulation element on generated laser pulses stability. Different types of saturable absorbers were investigated and improved stability of double switching (active mode locker plus passive saturable absorber mode-locker) was confirmed. The best stability has been achieved with the aid of dual switching of an acousto-opticmodulator and a saturable absorber-dye solution 3955 in ethylalcohol to be used for satellite laser radar station at Helwan city in Egypt. The energy stability of the laser output can improve the accuracy and reliability of the satellite laser ranging station. The oscillator output picosecond pulses resulting from both the saturable absorber dye and three different multiple quantum well (semiconductor) saturable absorbers have been compared.Experimental results revealed that thedye ML51 mode-locking was suitable for Q-switched and mode-locked solid-state lasers.