Advances in Nanosecond Laser Research Power up Equipment Development

China's laser equipment development for space debris detection as well as Thomson scattering diagnostic of plasma have achieved progresses, thanks to the recent advances in nanosecond laser technology, according to the Aerospace Information Research Institute (AIR), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) at a reviewing meeting held on July 20, 2022.

Supported by the National Major Technical Equipment Development Program, AIR, in partnership with several domestic research agencies, universities, and enterprises, has led efforts to make breakthroughs in high power nanosecond lasers, and has successfully developed instruments for space debris laser ranging detection from long distances, as well as Thomson scattering diagnostic of high precision plasma. The core technologies and apparatus techniques of these urgently needed instruments with advanced indexes are indigenous developed by the Chinese research team.

The research team has developed two types of high-power nano-second lasers in different powers. By using the 100 Hz/3.3 J laser, the National Astronomical Observatories of the CAS has developed an instrument for space debris detection at a distance up to 1000 km. The laser detection of small targets (about 36 cm in diameter) was realized for the first time at the orbital altitudes of 1075 km*1050 km.

By using 200 Hz/5.2 J laser provided by AIR, the University of Science and Technology of China has developed the Thomson scattering diagnostic tool by which research on plasma temperature diagnosis technology were carried out on the platform of the Keda Torus eXperiment, achieving plasma temperature diagnosis with spatial resolution of 5 mm, temporal resolution of 5 ms and lower limit of plasma density of 10^13/cm^3.