United States of America As Represented by the Secretary of the Air Force

Lockheed Martin Coherent Technologies, Inc.

Timothy J Carrig

Christian J Grund

John H Marquardt

Allen K Hankla

A remote sensing optical system and method is disclosed that permits detection and discrimination of aerosols. The system outputs a plurality of wavelengths and is equipped with a polarization sensitive receiver capable of measuring the scattered energy in two orthogonal polarization states. By normalizing the depolarization to the total energy received and calculating the ratio of normalized depolarization at different wavelengths it is possible to use this ratio to discriminate materials having wavelength dependent depolarization properties. One use is the discrimination of bioaerosols such as anthrax from other airborne particular matter.

Wavelength normalized depolarization ratio lidar

A hybrid slab laser is made using a slab of active laser material, for instance Yb:YAG, capped by a nonactive material, for instance undoped YAG or sapphire. The two materials are bonded together, for instance by diffusion bonding. The composite slab is then cut and polished to serve as a laser gain module. The slab can be Brewster-cut or flat-flat and antireflection coated on the ends. Alternatively, the nonactive material can be sandwiched between two active regions. The slab is pumped from the top face like a disk laser or from the end like a longitudinally pumped slab. The slab could also be side-pumped using close coupled diodes. The preferred pumping mechanism depends on the pump source used. The slab generates or amplifies a laser beam that is longitudinally coupled into the device through the end (possibly Brewster-cut) surfaces. The laser beam bounces via total internal reflection within the slab passing one or more times through the active part(s) of the medium. The active region can vary in thickness. The thickness is chosen to minimize thermal and/or stress gradients in the material.

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Lafayette, CO, United States of America

Timothy J Carrig