COBALT-DOPED MAGNESIUM FLUORIDE LASER FOR REMOTE SENSING

THE MAJOR PORTION OF THE EFFORT WILL BE TO DEVELOP A CO:MGF2 LASER SYSTEM SUITABLE FOR USE IN POSSIBLE NASA MISSIONS. MOST OF THE WORK ON CO:MGF2 LASERS HAS INVOLVED THE USE OF LIQUID NITROGEN FOR COOLING OF THE CRYSTAL, A MAJOR INCONVENIENCE FOR PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS. THE PROPOSED RESEARCH WOULD, BY A COMBINATION OF THEORETICAL ANDEXPERIMENTAL WORK, INVESTIGATE OPERATION OF THE CO:MGF2 LASER AT HIGHER CRYSTAL TEMPERATURES, WITH THE GOAL OF DEMONSTRATING USEFUL PERFORMANCE IN THE RANGE OF TEMPERATURES COVERED BY THERMOELECTRIC COOLERS. IN ADDITION, LASER TUNING SCHEMES WOULD BE DEVELOPED TO PROVIDETHE COMBINATION OF NARROW LINEWIDTHS AND TUNABILITY NEEDED FOR ATMOSPHERIC REMOTE SENSING. FINALLY, A DEMONSTRATION SYSTEM WOULD BE ASSEMBLED AS A FIRST STEP IN THE EVENTUAL DEVELOPMENT OF A COMMERCIAL PRODUCT. SOME OF THE EFFORT PROPOSED WILL BE DIRECTED TO SUPPORT CRYSTAL-GROWTH RESEARCH, WHICH WILL EVENTUALLY ESTABLISH A PRODUCTION FACILITY CAPABLE OF SUPPLYING THE ANTICIPATED NEED FOR LASER CRYSTALS.