6533b7d4fe1ef96bd1262837
RESEARCH PRODUCT
Frequency chirped continuous-wave sodium laser guide stars: modeling and optimization
Ronald HolzlöhnerDmitry BudkerD. Bonaccini CaliaF. Pedreros BustosJ. HellemeierS. M. Rochestersubject
PhysicsPhotonPhysics::OpticsStatistical and Nonlinear PhysicsLaser7. Clean energy01 natural sciencesAtomic and Molecular Physics and Opticslaw.invention010309 opticssymbols.namesakeStarsRecoillaw0103 physical sciencesPhysics::Atomic and Molecular ClusterssymbolsChirpContinuous wavePhysics::Atomic PhysicsGuide starAtomic physicsDoppler effectdescription
We numerically study a method to increase the photon return flux of continuous-wave laser guide stars using one-dimensional atomic cooling principles. The method relies on chirping the laser towards higher frequencies following the change in velocity of sodium atoms due to recoil, which raises atomic populations available for laser excitation within the Doppler distribution. The efficiency of this effect grows with the average number of atomic excitations between two atomic collisions in the mesosphere. We find the parameters for maximizing the return flux and evaluate the performance of chirping for operation at La Palma. According to our simulations, the optimal chirp rate lies between 0.8 − 1.0 M H z / µ s , and an increase in the fluorescence of the sodium guide star up to 60% can be achieved with current 20-W-class guide star lasers.
| year | journal | country | edition | language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-03-30 | Journal of the Optical Society of America B |