Development of vertical external cavity surface emitting lasers (VECSELs) for use as monochromatic and polychromatic sodium guidestars

The work of Pique showed that multiple guidestars emitting at 1140 nm and 589 nm simultaneously could be utilized to correct for Tip and Tilt aberrations [1]. Such a guidestar is hence known as a PLGS (Polychromatic Laser Guidestar). However, no current high power (> 5W) narrow bandwidth (< 1GHz) exist for 1140 nm emission. A Vertical External Cavity Surface Emitting Laser (VECSEL) is shown with high power > 12W and narrow bandwidth emission which has been successfully used to pump the sodium 3P3/2 to 4S1/2 sodium transition as a testbed for the development of a CW PLGS system. © (2016) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.