High Brightness 1.5 μm Pulsed Fiber Laser for Lidar: From Fibers to Systems

Abstract

In this article, we discuss the designs and performances of narrow-linewidth erbium-ytterbium fiber MOPA for coherent detection lidars. We report on pedestal and multifilament core erbium-ytterbium large mode area fibers specially designed to generate high energy and good beam quality. Pulse energy of 220 μJ with M² < 1.4 are obtained with all-fiber three amplification stages. An additional amplifier stage generates 600 μJ with M² < 2.4. We present the first results of pulsed fiber lidar wake vortices detection using a coherent detection lidar. Maturation of this technology leads to compact all-fiber lasers. Several commercial laser sources for lidars are finally described.

Keywords:

• Brillouin scattering
• erbium-ytterbium fibers
• EYDFA
• large mode fiber
• lidar

Acknowledgments

This work was funded by the European project FIDELIO under the 6th Framework Program.