64 kW-peak-power eye-safe laser with high average power, tunable repetition rate and short pulse width for Lidar

Abstract

We demonstrated a periodically poled magnesium-oxide-doped lithium niobate (MgO:PPLN) optical parametric oscillator (OPO) pumped by a Nd-doped MOPA laser (1.064 μm) with a high peak power, tunable repetition rate, short pulse width. The OPO was designed as an extral cavity singly resonant OPO. By adopting optical pulse selection technology, the repetition rate could be adjusted in the range of 30-50 kHz without affecting the beam quality of the laser. The wavelength of output signal light was 1.57 μm when the polarization period and operating temperature of the MgO:PPLN were 30.5 μm, and 95 °C, respectively. In the range of 30-50 kHz, the pulse width of the laser was less than 4.9 ns and the average power was greater than 8.43 W. A maximum peak power of 63.9 kW was obtained at a repetition rate of 30 kHz, with a corresponding pulse width of 4.4 ns.