Laser Module for Space Applications
Scheme
The laser bar operates at a constant optical power. The light is collimated by a fast axis collimator lens, deflected and reshaped by a staircase mirror, collimated in slow axis direction and coupled into an optical fiber by a focusing lens. A Bragg reflector is optionally applied for stabilizing the wavelength. The laser light is used for pumping a Nd-doped YAG-Laser with high efficiency and excellent reliability.
- Schematic of a Pump Laser Module with Fiber Output
Applications
- Laser-based communication terminal
- Ongoing tests on board of the space satellites TerraSAR-X und NFIRE
- Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) for research on weather and climate
- Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA), search for gravitational waves
Wavelength
- 808 nm
Technology and Mounting
- Semiconductor layer structures deposited by MOVPE
- Laser chip technology: broad area (BA) laser bars
- Precise mounting of optical components onto laser diode bench and into pump module package
- Reliability of assembly against mechanical and thermal stress
- Qualification for space applications according ESA and DLR standards
Typical data
- High reliability at moderate power
- 1 W optical power ex fiber
- Mean Time To Failure per Emitter > 10 Mio hours
- Excellent quality of beam forming
- Compact and robust design
- [Poster, pdf]