Microchip Laser for Time of Flight Rangefinder and Lidar

In this work the integration of a microchip laser for space altimetry is presented. The use of microchip lasers allows for more efficient and compact Lidars. This is because these are solid state laser diode pumped lasers, with optical cavities in the millimetres. These characteristics are of paramount importance for space applications, where resources are limited. The development of the microchip laser involves the study of the configuration of its optical cavity. Erbium ions in the gain medium allows the emission of 1535 nm, which is considered eye safe. The setting of the input and output couplers determine the length of the optical cavity, which has an influence on the emitted pulse width. The addition of a saturable absorber allows for short high energy pulses.