All-fiber laser source at 1645  nm for lidar measurement of methane concentration and wind velocity

We report on the realization of an all-fiber laser source that delivers single-frequency pulses at 1645 nm, on a linearly polarized single-mode beam, based on stimulated Raman scattering in passive fibers. The pulse energy reaches 14 µJ for a repetition rate of 20 kHz, and the spectral linewidth is 9.5 MHz for 100 ns square pulses. To the best of our knowledge, this energy is the highest reported at 1645 nm in an all-fiber laser source. Our method consists of reducing the stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) gain for the pump and signal pulses, respectively, by sweeping the optical frequency of the pump beam, and by applying a strain gradient on the amplification fiber. This compact laser source is now used in a transportable lidar system to measure simultaneously wind velocity and methane (CH₄) concentration.