Development and Demonstration of Australian First Working Sodium Guide Star Laser

The Australian first working sodium guide star laser system has been designed and developed for various astronomical and space-related applications. A completely diode-pumped pulsed system was developed initially followed by a largely fiber-based continuous wave (CW) system operating at 589 nm achieved through a unique wavelength conversion scheme by combining 1342 and 1050 nm through a sum frequency generation process. For the CW system, single-mode laser beams at both 1342 and 1050 nm are achieved from fi-ber-based seed oscillators and fiber amplifiers. The output power of ~25 W at 1342 nm is achieved from a single frequency fiber Raman amplifier. Output power up to 70 W at 1050 nm is achieved from a Yb-doped fiber pre-amplifier followed by a Yb-doped fiber power amplifier. For the sum frequency generation process, optimum focusing parameters are evaluated and determined. The CW system has generated more than 20 W output power at 589 nm, a circularly polarised beam with a good beam quality, spectral linewidth ≤ 2 MHz, and the laser output locked on the sodium D 2 line at 589.159 nm. The system has been successfully demonstrated at EOS Space Research Centre, Mt Stromlo, Canberra, and become the Australian first working sodium guide star laser system.