DIODE LASER-BASED 10 WATT SINGLE MODE LASER WITH HIGH FREQUENCY MODULATION CAPABILITY

SDL proposes to develop a high efficiency, diode laser based, single mode, 10 watt laser capable of 100 Mhz up to 1 Ghz modulation frequency. The laser is based on a proprietary master oscillator, power amplifier (MOPA) technology, and can be extended beyond 10 watts. Such a device can demonstrate 13% wall plug efficiency in the near term, and beyond 20% with easy improvements. A novel technique for high frequency modulation is proposed. The approach takes advantage of the Distributed Bragg Reflection (DBR) laser's property that longitudinal single mode behavior is preserved during intensity modulation. The shift in wavelength will pass along to the amplifier which tracks the wavelength shift at high speed. Demodulation of the signal will be through spectral filtering. The proposed approach has multiple advantages including excellent beam quality for use as an effective space laser radar.