CO2 Laser Pre-Amplifier for Lidar Application

A laser pre-amplifier based on the multiple-pass geometry inside a low-pressure, pulsed CO2 laser discharge has been developed for lidar applications near 10 μm wavelength. The laser pre-amplifier produces a gain pulse on the order of 100 μsec duration with peak power gains as large as 1000 (30db). Design considerations, predicted preformance, and initial laboratory test results for this laser pre-amplifier have been previously presented (refs. 1 & 2). In this paper we report the results of a series of laboratory tests on the pulsed gain and gain stability when this laser pre-amplifier is used with a CO2 TEA laser source. These measurements form the basis for application of the pre-amplfier to enhanced direct-detection in a CO2 lidar.