All-fiber laser source at 1645 nm for lidar measurement of methane concentration and wind velocity

TL;DR

This paper presents a high-energy, all-fiber laser source at 1645 nm with narrow linewidth, enabling improved lidar measurements of methane concentration and wind velocity, using innovative SBS suppression techniques.

Contribution

The authors developed the highest reported energy all-fiber laser at 1645 nm with narrow linewidth, employing novel SBS mitigation methods for lidar applications.

Findings

Achieved 14 μJ pulse energy at 1645 nm with 20 kHz repetition rate.

Demonstrated effective SBS suppression via frequency sweeping and strain gradient.

Enabled simultaneous measurement of methane concentration and wind velocity.

Abstract

We report on the realization of an all-fiber laser source that delivers single-frequency pulses at 1645 nm, on a linearly polarized single-mode beam, based on stimulated Raman scattering in passive fibers. The pulse energy reaches 14 $\mu$J, for a repetition rate of 20 kHz, and the spectral linewidth is 9.5 MHz, almost Fourier-transform limited for the 100 ns square pulses. To the best of our knowledge, this energy is the highest reported at 1645 nm in an all-fiber laser source. Our method consists in reducing the stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) gain for the pump and signal pulses, respectively by sweeping the optical frequency of the pump beam, and by applying a strain gradient on the amplification fiber. This compact laser source is now used in a transportable lidar system to measure simultaneously wind velocity and methane (CH4) concentration.