OPTIMIZATION OF COHERENT LIDAR PERFORMANCE WITH GRADED-REFLECTANCE TRANSMITTER RESONATOR OPTICS IN THE LOW EQUIVALENT FRESNEL NUMBER REGIME

Using a diffractive eigenmode treatment to model the laser output we s how that graded-reflectance resonator optics offer significant efficie ncy benefits over conventional hard-edge coupled unstable resonators i n the context of coherent detection lidar applications. Extending prev ious research pertinent to the high equivalent Fresnel number regime, we have modeled the optimum performance of a notional super-Gaussian c oupled cavity as a function of the key resonator parameters in the low equivalent Fresnel number (<3) regime. The findings from this study a re applicable to the design of coherent lidar transmitters operated wi thin this regime. (C) 1996 Optical Society of America