T. Justin Bronder (AFRL), Harold Miller (AFRL), Jonathan Stohs (AFRL), Jeff Baker (Boeing), Art Lucero (Boeing), Dave Gallant (Boeing)
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Abstract:
The development of a reliable and effective laser source for pumping mesospheric sodium to generate an artificial guidestar has been well documented. From the early achievements with 589nm high-power dye lasers at the Keck and Lick observatories to the ground-breaking 50W CW FASOR (Frequency Addition Source of Optical Radiation) Guidestar at the Air Forces Starfire Optical Range (SOR), there has been intense interest in this technology from both the academic and military communities. Beginning in the fall of 2008, the Air Force Research Laboratorys Advanced Electric Lasers Branch began a project to build, test, verify and deliver an upgraded version of the SOR FASOR for use at the AF Maui Optical Station (AMOS) in the summer of 2010. This FASOR will be similar in design to the existing SOR device and produce 50W of diffraction limited, linearly polarized narrow linewidth 589nm light by combining the output of two injection-locked Nd:YAG ring lasers (operating at 1064nm and 1319nm) using resonant sum-frequency generation in a lithium triborate crystal (LBO). The upgraded features will include modularized sub-components, embedded control electronics, and a simplified cooling system.
The first portion of this upgrade project is to reconstruct the current SOR FASOR components and include improved methods of regulating the gain modules of the two injection lasers. In parallel with this effort, the technical plans for the modularization and re-packaging of the FASOR will be finalized and coordinated with the staff at Maui. This presentation will summarize the result of these efforts to date and provide updates on the AMOS FASOR status. Additionally, plans for ‘next-generation’ FASOR upgrades for both SOR and AMOS will also be discussed.
Date of Conference: September 1-4. 2009
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