Abstract

Recent progress is discussed in solid-state lasers including diode-pumped microchip laser arrays with uses for laser radar and atmospheric spectroscopy. The unique characteristics of very short cavity microchip lasers include tunable single frequency output, short pulse operation, and multigigahertz linear frequency modulation. These capabilities, which can exceed those of ordinary solid-state lasers, may be incorporated in 2-D arrays of microchip lasers pumped by diode lasers with the array performing with the characteristics of a single microchip. The 1-D heat flow in microchip laser arrays implies an arbitrary scaling of arrays to high power. Coherent locking of these 2-D arrays is discussed as well as the individual pixel addressability. Comparison of this technology is made with diode laser array pumping of slab geometry solid-state lasers. The relative requirements on the diode pump laser arrays for each of these solid-state laser systems are discussed. Technology of nonlinear frequency conversion is also discussed with emphasis on sum frequency mixing the output from Nd: YAG lasers to produce a high energy source at 589 nm to study the mesospheric sodium layer.

© 1991 Optical Society of America