Novel Ultraviolet Laser Source for Ozone Differential Absorption Lidar

280-300 nm spectral region is part of ozone absorption spectrum, and lasers operating in this region are used for lidar measurements. The pulsed UV laser system in that region is used by NASA for the Langley mobile ozone lidar (LMOL). This system output is a train of alternating pulses at two distinct wavelengths from 285-300 nm spectral range. The laser active medium is a Ce:LiCAF crystal pumped by a quadrupled radiation from a Q-switched Nd:YLF laser. Such a laser scheme is complex and has low efficiency: with 0.2 W of UV output power the system consumes 2 kW, so overall wall-plug efficiency is 0.01%. TIPD proposes to develop a simple, compact, robust, and efficient laser source based on GaN diodes and Tb-doped gain materials to satisfy NASArsquo;s requirements. In this phase II program, TIPD will deliver Tb-based 291/294nm prototype to NASA and demonstrate 302/304nm laser source for the second DIAL wavelength.