Abstract

Eyesafe 2μm holmium lasers are regarded as promising sources for use in Doppler wind sensing [1,2], DIAL water vapor profiling [3] and airborne Doppler velocimeters, which are potentially attractive in aerospace sensor applications. Comparative assessments of Earth-orbiting Doppler lidar methods for global wind measurements conclude that the overall performance efficiency of coherent Doppler lidars is not strongly wavelength dependent [4]. Therefore, for next generation instruments, a diode-pumped solid-state transmitter operating at an eyesafe wavelength would proffer the potential benefits of extended lifetime and lower mass over pulsed CO₂ systems, currently the most favored candidates for such use on the grounds of more mature development. These applications motivate further investigation of this laser technology.

© 1991 Optical Society of America