LASER SPECTROMETER AND WAVEMETER

THE GOAL IS TO DESIGN AN OPTIMAL SPECTROMETER/WAVEMETER INSTRUMENT THAT WILL FACILITATE LASER REMOTE SENSING MEASUREMENTS (LIDAR) THAT REQUIRE CAREFUL LASER TUNING. THE OUTPUT OF A LASER SPECTROMETER/WAVEMETER (LS/W) WILL NOT ONLY SERVE AS A LASER DIAGNOSTIC BUT ALSO MAKE IT POSSIBLE TO SERVO CONTROL THE LASER WAVELENGTH AND LINE SHAPE. NUMEROUS INTERFEROMETERS FOR LS/W SYSTEMS HAVE BEEN SUGGESTED AND BUILT--AND EVEN COMMERCIALIZED IN SOME CASES. THE MERITS AND DISADVANTAGES OF ALL DESIGNS WILL BE CONSIDERED RELATIVE TO LIDAR NEEDS AND A PARTICULAR LS/W SYSTEM WILL THEN BE SELECTED FOR PROTOTYPE CONSTRUCTION IN PHASE II. EMPHASIS WILL BE PLACED ON LIGHT WEIGHT, COMPACTNESS, RELIABILITY, REDUCED COSTS, EASE OF ALIGNMENT, AND MECHANICAL/THERMAL STABILITY. SUCCESS IN THIS PROJECT WILL GREATLY IMPROVE THE RELIABILITY OF PULSED TUNABLE LASERS, BECAUSE THE MEANS FOR AUTOMATICALLY CONTROLLING THESE LASERS WILL BE AT HAND. IN TURN, THE POSSIBILITIES FOR ATMOSPHERIC LIDAR STUDIES PARTICULARLY THOSE INVOLVING DIFFERENTIAL ABSORPTION, WILL BE GREATLY ENHANCED.