Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Semiconductor Lidar for Quantitative Atmospheric Profiling

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
Proceedings of the 30th International Laser Radar Conference (ILRC 2022)

Part of the book series: Springer Atmospheric Sciences ((SPRINGERATMO))

Included in the following conference series:

  • 268 Accesses

Abstract

It is well known that semiconductor lasers offer the important advantages of lower costs, smaller footprint, simplicity, and wider spectral coverage compared to solid-state lasers. However, despite many advances, the output power achievable from semiconductor lasers is still far from solid-state lasers and generally has restricted their use in atmospheric profiling to lidar that does not allow quantitative backscatter information (e.g., ceilometers). Over the past decade, we have been developing lidar architectures using semiconductor sources that provide quantitative observations needed to advance atmospheric science and weather forecasting. This chapter reviews some of the limitations and benefits of this flexible laser technology. We introduce a semiconductor lidar architecture, based on a pulsed overdriven tapered amplifier and traveling wave amplifier, the latter being leveraged as a multifunction switch. This design has been implemented and is being used for the measurement of water vapor, temperature, and calibrated aerosols via DIAL and HSRL techniques. Initial results from an intercomparison with a collocated instrument using our previous baseline architecture will be discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 219.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 279.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Spuler, S.M., Hayman, M., Stillwell, R.A., Carnes, J., Bernatsky, T., Repasky, K.S.: MicroPulse DIAL (MPD) – a diode-laser-based lidar architecture for quantitative atmospheric profiling. Atmos. Meas. Tech. 14, 4593–4616 (2021)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Gehrig, E., Hess, O.: Spatio – temporal dynamics of light amplification and amplified spontaneous emission in high-power tapered semiconductor laser amplifiers. IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 37, 1345–1355 (2001)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Gehrig, E., Hess, O., Seibert, C., Woll, D., Wallenstein, R.: Amplification and wave mixing of induced and spontaneous emission in semiconductor laser amplifiers. Appl. Phys. B Lasers Opt. 76, 285–288 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Kangara, J.C.B., Hachtel, A.J., Gillette, M.C., Barkeloo, J.T., Clements, E.R., Bali, S., Unks, B.E., Proite, N.A., Yavuz, D.D., Martin, P.J., Thorn, J.J., Steck, D.A.: Design and construction of cost-effective tapered amplifier systems for laser cooling and trapping experiments. Am. J. Phys. 82, 805–817 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Nyman, R.A., Varoquaux, G., Villier, B., Sacchet, D., Moron, F., Le Coq, Y., Aspect, A., Bouyer, P.: Tapered-amplified antireflection-coated laser diodes for potassium and rubidium atomic-physics experiments. Rev. Sci. Instrum. 77, 3 (2006)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Fuch, M.: Development of a High Power Stabilized Diode Laser System. University of Oregon, Thesis (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  7. Cole, R.: Construction and optimization of a tapered amplifier system for applications in ultra-cold plasma research. Colby College, Honors Thesis (2015)

    Google Scholar 

  8. Takase, K., Stockton, J.K., Kasevich, M.A.: High-power pulsed-current-mode operation of an overdriven tapered amplifier. Opt. Lett. 32, 2617 (2007)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Nehrir, A.R., Repasky, K.S., Carlsten, J.L.: Eye-safe diode-laser-based Micropulse differential absorption lidar (DIAL) for water vapor profiling in the lower troposphere. J. Atmos. Ocean. Technol. 28, 131–147 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Trubko, R., Gregoire, M.D., Holmgren, W.F., Cronin, A.D.: Potassium tune-out-wavelength measurement using atom interferometry and a multipass optical cavity. Phys. Rev. A. 95, 052507 (2017)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Nicolai, F.V.: Design and construction of a fiber-coupled tapered amplifier system. University of Heidelberg, Thesis (2017)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

NCAR is sponsored by the National Science Foundation. The authors would like to acknowledge the support of the National Science Foundation grant number 1624736 and the NOAA Office of Weather and Air Quality Research Programs, Next Generation of Mesoscale Weather Observing Platforms Award No. NA19OAR4590324.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO, USA

    Scott M. Spuler, Robert A. Stillwell & Matthew Hayman

  2. Montana State University, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Bozeman, MT, USA

    Kevin Repasky

Authors
  1. Scott M. Spuler
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Robert A. Stillwell
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Matthew Hayman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Kevin Repasky
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Scott M. Spuler .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA

    John T. Sullivan

  2. Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA

    Thierry Leblanc

  3. Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., Boulder, CO, USA

    Sara Tucker

  4. Department of Physics, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Belay Demoz

  5. Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, University of Wisconsin‑Madison, Madison, WI, USA

    Edwin Eloranta

  6. NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, USA

    Chris Hostetler

  7. Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Hino-shi, Tokyo, Japan

    Shoken Ishii

  8. Institute of Methodologies for Environmental Analysis, National Research Council of Italy (CNR), Potenza, Italy

    Lucia Mona

  9. Department of Electrical Engineering, The City College of New York, New York, NY, USA

    Fred Moshary

  10. School of Applied Mathematical and Physical Sciences, National Technical University of Athens, Athens, Greece

    Alexandros Papayannis

  11. Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA

    Krishna Rupavatharam

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2023 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this paper

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this paper

Spuler, S.M., Stillwell, R.A., Hayman, M., Repasky, K. (2023). Semiconductor Lidar for Quantitative Atmospheric Profiling. In: Sullivan, J.T., et al. Proceedings of the 30th International Laser Radar Conference. ILRC 2022. Springer Atmospheric Sciences. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-37818-8_6

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation