Sum frequency generation of sodium resonance radiation

We have generated pulsed, high power, sodium resonance radiation by sum frequency mixing the 1.06 microm and 1.32 microm outputs of two Nd:YAG lasers with an average power conversion efficiency of 30%. The wavelength of the sum radiation was tuned across the full Doppler width of the sodium-vapor D(...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Applied optics (2004) 1989-07, Vol.28 (13), p.2588-2591
Main Authors: Jeys, T H, Brailove, A A, Mooradian, A
Format: Article
Language:English
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Summary:We have generated pulsed, high power, sodium resonance radiation by sum frequency mixing the 1.06 microm and 1.32 microm outputs of two Nd:YAG lasers with an average power conversion efficiency of 30%. The wavelength of the sum radiation was tuned across the full Doppler width of the sodium-vapor D(2) absorption by tuning the wavelength of either Nd:YAG laser with intracavity etalons. The wavelength of the 1.32 microm Nd:YAG laser was also tuned by injection seeding with a GaInAsP/InP diode laser. We have used this sodium resonance radiation for the lidar observation of the earth's naturally occurring atomic-sodium layer at 90 km altitude.
ISSN:1559-128X
DOI:10.1364/AO.28.002588