INNOSLAB-based single-frequency MOPA for airborne lidar detection of CO₂and methane

Abstract

For the CO2 and CH4 IPDA lidar CHARM-F two single frequency Nd:YAG based MOPA systems were developed. Both lasers are used for OPO/OPA-pumping in order to generate laser radiation at 1645 nm for CH4 detection and 1572 nm for CO2 detection. By the use of a Q-switched, injection seeded and actively length-stabilized oscillator and a one-stage INNOSLAB amplifier about 85 mJ pulse energy could be generated for the CH4 system. For the CO2 system the energy was boosted in second INNOSLAB-stage to about 150 mJ. Both lasers emit laser pulses of about 30 ns pulse duration at a repetition rate of 100 Hz.