title: High-power QCW microsecond-pulse solid-state sodium beacon laser with spiking suppression and D2b re-pumping.
abstract: A 65 W quasi-continuous-wave microsecond-pulse solid-state sodium beacon laser tuned to the sodium D2a line has been developed with a linewidth of 0.3 GHz, beam quality of M2=1.38, and pulse width of 120 μs at a repetition rate of 500 Hz by sum-frequency mixing 1319 and 1064 nm diode-pumped Nd:YAG master-oscillator power-amplifier systems. The laser wavelength stability is less than ±0.15 GHz through feedback controlling. The laser spiking due to relaxation oscillations is suppressed by inserting frequency doublers in both 1319 and 1064 nm oscillators. Sodium D2b re-pumping is accomplished by tuning the frequency of the electro-optic modulator with the right D2a-D2b offset. A bright sodium laser guide star with a photon return of 1820 photons/cm2/s was achieved with the laser system when a 32 W circular polarized beam was projected to the sky during our field test at the Xinglong Observatory.
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Bian
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bo
authors.forename: Jun-wei
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Zuo
authors.forename: Chuan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Chang
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Tu
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Nan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zong
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Hong-wei
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Qin-jun
authors.initials: QJ
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: Hong-bin
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Lu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Da-fu
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.forename: Sui-jian
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Xue
authors.forename: Yu-dong
authors.initials: YD
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Zu-yan
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Xu