Monoblock laser for a low-cost, eyesafe, microlaser range finder

Area of Science:

• Optics and Photonics
• Laser Technology
• Materials Science

Background:

• Microlaser range finders (muLRF) require compact, efficient, and low-cost laser sources.
• Traditional laser designs can be bulky, expensive, and complex to align.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a small, lightweight, and low-cost prototype laser transmitter for muLRF applications.
• To demonstrate a simplified laser cavity design for improved manufacturability and alignment.

Main Methods:

• A flash-lamp-pumped, Nd:YAG laser design incorporating a monolithic potassium titanyl arsenide (KTA) optical parametric oscillator (OPO) in an intracavity configuration.
• Utilized precisely cut and coated crystals (Nd:YAG laser rod, Nd:YAG endcap, Cr(4+) Q switch, KTA OPO) to form a simplified laser resonator.
• Integrated these components into a monoblock laser transmitter with a ceramic laser pallet and flash lamp.

Main Results:

• Achieved a nominal output of >3.0 mJ at 1.54 µm with a 27-ns pulse width.
• The simplified laser cavity comprised only four crystals, reducing component count and alignment complexity.
• Successfully integrated the transmitter into a breadboard laser range finder, demonstrating ranging capabilities exceeding 3 km.

Conclusions:

• The developed prototype laser transmitter is small, lightweight, and low-cost, suitable for muLRF.
• The monoblock design with minimal components simplifies alignment and manufacturing.
• The 1.54 µm output demonstrates effective performance for long-range target detection.