Application of frequency converters to femtosecond laser radiation for lidar monitoring of the atmosphere

Abstract

Possibilities of using superbroadband nonlinear-optical frequency converters for femtosecond laser pulses in lidar sensing of the atmosphere are analyzed. New biaxial nonlinear crystals in which the conditions of phase and group matching can be satisfied simultaneously are basic elements of frequency converters. A technique for the broadband lidar sensing of the gas composition of the atmosphere based on the differential optical atmospheric spectroscopy and the differential absorption methods is described. The lidar sensing of gas constituents of the atmosphere using frequency converted femtosecond laser radiation is simulated numerically.