A Raman laser system for multi-wavelength satellite laser ranging

Abstract

In order to develop a laser system for multi-wavelength satellite laser ranging, the joint group of the Shanghai Astronomical Observatory and the Czech Technical University has studied the conversion efficiency of the Raman-shifting beam and its spatial characteristics. We adopted a 0.53 μm laser with pulse width of 35 ps and peak energy of 35 mJ, the second harmonic of a Nd:YAG actively and passively mode-locked laser, to pump a one-meter-long Raman tube which is full of H2 with high pressure at the Prague-based laboratory. We get the first Stokes laser (0.68 μm): 7 mJ (single pulse) with beam divergence of 40″ (arcsecond) and spatial wobbling of less than 4″; and the first anti-Stokes laser (0.43 μm): 2 mJ (single pulse) with divergence of 56″ and spatial wobbling of less than 4″. The emitting beam from the Raman cell also includes 0.53 μm: 10 mJ (single pulse) with divergence of 40″ and spatial wobbling of less than 7″. According to the radar link equation and based on the above obtained multi-wavelength’s energy, we can estimate the detection probabilities for three colors respectively. It is shown by the result that the developed multi-wavelength Raman laser system has the capability of satellite ranging. The Raman laser system will be installed at the laser station in Shanghai Astronomical Observatory to research the multi-wavelength satellite laser ranging.