We will describe the characteristics of our pulsed modeless laser system which is composed of a cw oscillator with an intra-cavity pre-amplifier. The modeless laser has remarkable properties. The laser system we are developing is of a great facility of use. Its simplicity allows the design of a very compact and reliable chain. This is also an important point in the context of an astronomical site. The use of natural reference-stars for adaptive optics provides poor sky-coverage for near-diffraction-limited observation at visible and near-infrared wavelengths. It is internationally admitted now, that the future of adaptive optics in astronomy, passes by the use of sodium laser guide star .The modeless laser that we have developed would allow to gain almost 2 magnitudes compared to an artificial D/sub 2/-star obtained with a single-longitudinal-mode laser. This result makes both polychromatic and monochromatic laser guide star projects much more credible.


    Access

    Check access

    Check availability in my library

    Order at Subito €


    Export, share and cite



    Title :

    An efficient modeless laser for a mesospheric sodium laser guide star


    Contributors:
    Pique, J.P. (author) / Farinotti, S. (author)


    Publication date :

    2003-01-01


    Size :

    57859 byte




    Type of media :

    Conference paper


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English




    Improving Laser-Guide Star AO Observations via Mesospheric Sodium Enhancement

    Whiteley, R. | British Library Conference Proceedings | 2009


    Intracavity preamplifier of modeless laser

    Fesquet, V. / Pique, J.P. / Courtillot, I. et al. | IEEE | 2005


    Sodium laser guide star system of ALFA

    Quirrenbach, Andreas / Hackenberg, Wolfgang K. P. / Holstenberg, Hans-Christoph et al. | SPIE | 1997