Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “Laser development”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 163 records · Page 9
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Focused Laser Differential Interferometry: Recent Developments and Applications for Flow Measurements

Focused laser differential interferometry (FLDI), first introduced in the 1970s, has developed into a powerful tool for the analysis of turbulent dynamics and fluctuations in fluid flows ranging from subsonic to hypersonic. This paper provides a review of recent FLDI developments and applications, including discussions on the basic theory of the instrument, various forms of FLDI, multi-point techniques, utilization in fluid flow measurements, quantitative measurement capabilities, and more.

Elizabeth K Benitez↗
NASA NTRS1992

Injection seeded, diode pumped regenerative ring Nd:YAG amplifier for spaceborne laser ranging technology development

A small, all solid state, regenerative ring amplifier designed as a prototype for space application is discussed. Novel features include dual side pumping of the Nd:YAG crystal and a triangular ring cavity design which minimizes the number of optical components and losses. The amplifier is relatively small (3 ns round trip time) even though standard optical elements are employed. The ring regeneratively amplifies a 100 ps single pulse by approximately 10(exp 5) at a repetition rate of 10 to 100 Hz. The amplifier is designed to be injection seeded with a pulsed, 100 ps laser diode at 1.06 microns, but another Nd:YAG laser system supplying higher pulse energies was employed for laboratory experiment. This system is a prototype laser oscillator for the Geoscience Laser Ranging System (GLRS) platform. Results on measurements of beam quality, astigmatism, and gain are given.

Coyle, D. Barry↗
NASA NTRS1993

An improved light source for laser ranging

The development of a new laser material, Cr-doped LiSAF, makes possible the development of a laser source for satellite ranging systems that is more superior in performance capabilities than current Nd:YAG-based laser sources. This new material offers the potential of shorter pulses and more preferable wavelengths (850 and 425 nm) than multiwavelength Nd:YAG systems, leading to superior ranging resolution and greater detection sensitivity. We are embarking on a feasibility study of a two-wavelength, mode-locked laser system based on Cr:LiSAF, providing shorter pulses for improved ranging resolution.

Hamal, Karel↗
NASA NTRS1975

Development of a laser fluorosensor for airborne surveying of the aquatic environment

A field based laser fluorosensor, employing a pulsed nitrogen laser and telescope photomultiplier detector system, has been successfully tested at night from a cliff top site overlooking Lake Ontario providing target ranges greater than 274 meters. Remotely sensed spectra and amplitude changes in the fluorescence emission of natural waters have shown potential as a water quality indicator. In this connection, a convenient internal reference standard with which to gauge the amplitude of the fluorescence signal is realized in the form of the concurrent water Raman emission. Remote measurements of oil fluorescence emission spectra suggest that airborne laser fluorosensors are capable of detecting and characterizing the oil in a given slick and that environmental aging of these slicks does not significantly alter their fluorescence emission signature.

Bristow, M. P. F.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Development of a laser Doppler system for the detection and monitoring of atmospheric disturbances

A description is presented of a scanning laser Doppler velocimeter system (SLDVS) which can be used for the determination and the monitoring of the velocity structure of atmospheric disturbances. The described system has been successfully employed to detect and study the velocity structure of aircraft wake vortices. Vertical wind profiles in a single plane in the atmosphere have also been investigated with the SLDVS. Attention is given to system operational aspects, approaches of vortex data collection, and questions of wind profile data collection.

Bilbro, J. W.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Conceptual development of the Laser Beam Manifold (LBM)

The laser beam manifold, a device for transforming a single, narrow, collimated beam of light into several beams of desired intensity ratios is described. The device consists of a single optical substrate with a metallic coating on both optical surfaces. By changing the entry point, the number of outgoing beams can be varied.

Campbell, W.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Development of CO2 laser Doppler instrumentation for detection of clear air turbulence, volume 1

Modification, construction, test and operation of an advanced airborne carbon dioxide laser Doppler system for detecting clear air turbulence are described. The second generation CAT program and those auxiliary activities required to support and verify such a first-of-a-kind system are detailed: aircraft interface; ground and flight verification tests; data analysis; and laboratory examinations.

Harris, C. E.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Development of CO2 laser Doppler instrumentation for detection of clear air turbulence, volume 2: Appendices

Analyses of the mounting and mount support systems of the clear air turbulence transmitters verify that satisfactory shock and vibration isolation are attained. The mount support structure conforms to flight crash safety requirements with high margins of safety. Restraint cables reinforce the mounts in the critical loaded forward direction limiting maximum forward system deflection to 1 1/4 inches.

Harris, C. E.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Direct solar-pumped iodine laser amplifier

A XeCl laser pumped iodine laser oscillator was developed which will be incorporated into the Master Oscillator Power Amplifier (MOPA) system. The developed XeCl laser produces output energy of about 60 mJ per pulse. The pulse duration was about 10 nsec. The kinetic model for the solar-pumped laser was refined and the algorithm for the calculation of a set of rate equations was improved to increase the accuracy and the efficiency of the calculation. The improved algorithm was applied to explain the existing experimental data taken from a flashlamp pumped iodine laser for three kinds of lasants, i-C3F7I, n-C4F9I, and t-C4F9I. Various solid laser materials were evaluated for solar-pumping. The materials studied were Nd:YAG, Nd:YLF, and Cr:Nd:GSGG crystals. The slope efficiency of 0.17 percent was measured for the Nd:YLF near the threshold pump intensity which was 211 solar constants (29W/sq cm). The threshold pump intensity of the Nd:YAG was measured to be 236 solar constants (32W/sq cm) and the near-threshold slope efficiency was 0.12 percent. True CW laser operation of Cr:Nd:GSGG was possible only at pump intensities less than or equal to 1,500 solar constants (203 W/sq cm). This fact was attributed to the high thermal focusing effect of the Cr:Nd:GSGG rod.

Han, Kwang S.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Line narrowing of AgGaSe2 optical parametric oscillator by injection seeding

Solid-state lasers are developed for atmospheric applications. Optical parametric oscillators (OPO) are being investigated as sources of tunable radiation in the 2.5-12 micron range where development of conventional lasers is subject to numerous difficulties. Parametric oscillation is a nonlinear optical technique for converting laser output to longer wavelengths. Incident photons, typically from a pulsed pump laser, are converted into two photons of longer wavelength, while satisfying energy conservation. The particular split of energy is determined by momentum conservation; the wavelength of interest is usually selected by angle orientation of the nonlinear material with respect to the direction of propagation of the pump beam. An OPO based on AgGaSe2 was considered.

Watson, George H.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Development of Advanced Laser Diode Sources

The design and operation of InGaAs-GaAs-AlGaAs asymmetric cladding ridge waveguide distributed Bragg reflector lasers is presented. Targeted for the remote sensing of water vapor with absorption lines in the lambda approximately 930 nm region, these devices operate CW with threshold currents as low as 11 MA and slope efficiencies as high as 0.37 W/A. Tbey also operate with over 30-dB side-mode suppression, and the typical CW characteristic temperature, T(sub o), is 95 K.

Coleman, J. J.↗
NASA NTRS1980

JPL self pulsed laser surface measurement system development

The use of a self pulsed laser system for accurately describing the surface shape of large space deployed antenna structures was evaluated. Tests with a breadboard system verified functional operation with short time resolution on the order of .2 mm, nonambiguous ranging, and a maximum range capability on the order of 150 m. The projected capability of the system is resolution of less than .1 mm over a reasonable time period and a range extension to over 300 m.

Berdahl, M.↗