18 research outputs found
Space-qualified laser system for the BepiColombo Laser Altimeter
The space-qualified design of a miniaturized laser for pulsed operation at a wavelength of 1064 nm and at repetition rates up to 10 Hz is presented. This laser consists of a pair of diode-laser pumped, actively q-switched Nd:YAG rod oscillators hermetically sealed and encapsulated in an environment of dry synthetic air. The system delivers at least 300 million laser pulses with 50 mJ energy and 5 ns pulse width (FWHM). It will be launched in 2017 aboard European Space Agencyâs Mercury Planetary Orbiter as part of the BepiColombo Laser Altimeter, which, after a 6-years cruise, will start recording topographic data from orbital altitudes between 400 and 1500 km above Mercuryâs surface
Cold and Ultracold Molecules: Science, Technology, and Applications
This article presents a review of the current state of the art in the
research field of cold and ultracold molecules. It serves as an introduction to
the Special Issue of the New Journal of Physics on Cold and Ultracold Molecules
and describes new prospects for fundamental research and technological
development. Cold and ultracold molecules may revolutionize physical chemistry
and few body physics, provide techniques for probing new states of quantum
matter, allow for precision measurements of both fundamental and applied
interest, and enable quantum simulations of condensed-matter phenomena.
Ultracold molecules offer promising applications such as new platforms for
quantum computing, precise control of molecular dynamics, nanolithography, and
Bose-enhanced chemistry. The discussion is based on recent experimental and
theoretical work and concludes with a summary of anticipated future directions
and open questions in this rapidly expanding research field.Comment: 82 pages, 9 figures, review article to appear in New Journal of
Physics Special Issue on Cold and Ultracold Molecule