Abstract
We report a test operation of an Er-doped fibre femtosecond laser which was conducted for the first time in outer space. The fibre-based ultrashort pulse laser payload was designed to meet space-use requirements, undergone through ground qualification tests and finally launched into a low-earth orbit early in 2013. Test results obtained during a one-year mission lifetime confirmed stable mode-locking all the way through although the radiation induced attenuation (RIA) in the Er-doped gain fibre caused an 8.6% reduction in the output power. This successful test operation would help facilitate diverse scientific and technological applications of femtosecond lasers in space and earth atmosphere in the near future.
Highlights
We report a test operation of an Er-doped fibre femtosecond laser which was conducted for the first time in outer space
Test results obtained during a one-year mission lifetime confirmed stable mode-locking all the way through the radiation induced attenuation (RIA) in the Er-doped gain fibre caused an 8.6% reduction in the output power
To conclude, the Er-doped fibre femtosecond laser oscillator (FSO) which we designed for space test has completed a successful one-year operation
Summary
We report a test operation of an Er-doped fibre femtosecond laser which was conducted for the first time in outer space. Test results obtained during a one-year mission lifetime confirmed stable mode-locking all the way through the radiation induced attenuation (RIA) in the Er-doped gain fibre caused an 8.6% reduction in the output power This successful test operation would help facilitate diverse scientific and technological applications of femtosecond lasers in space and earth atmosphere in the near future. Throughout a one-year mission lifetime, mode-locked operation was confirmed stable with an 8.6% reduction in the average output power due to the radiation-induced attenuation in the Er-doped gain fibre This successful operation would help facilitate diverse scientific and technological applications of femtosecond lasers in space and earth atmosphere. Fibre-based femtosecond lasers are a preferential choice due to their high alignment stability, small footprint, light weight and power conversion efficiency, but their immunity to space radiation has not carefully been verified for actual space applications requiring a long mission lifetime
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