Future air platforms such as UAVs will need multi-functional laser sensors for surveillance and targeting. Techniques such as laser vibrometry, 3D imaging lidar, rangefinding and Electro Optic (EO) countermeasures need to be provided by a single, compact and efficient laser source.
The holmium-YAG ring laser, pumped by a high power fibre laser, offers an efficient, high power source operating either in continuous mode, or generating high energy pulses in a wide variety of formats for these tasks. By operating at a stable single frequency, it can use a sensitive coherent receiver to detect weak returns from targets. It can also be efficiently wavelength-converted into the 3-5 microns band for EO countermeasures.
Applications:
- Sensitive coherent receiver
- Wavelength conversion to 3-5 m
- High resolution 3D lidar
- Laser vibrometry
- Rangefinding
- Wake vortex, wind shear and CAT detection
- EO countermeasures
