Abstract: A heterodyne laser ranging system is disclosed which provides a waveguide housing which includes a first and second gas laser. The first laser is a low pressure laser while the second laser is a high pressure laser. These two lasers formed in the waveguide housing have their longitudinal axis in optical alignment. In the preferred embodiment, the second high pressure gas laser is a transversely excited atmospheric (TEA) laser. The first low pressure gas laser produces two outputs, one of the outputs is a low level local oscillator signal while the second output is transmitted as an input to the high pressure laser. The second high pressure laser builds up from the injected signal from the low pressure laser which results in a high pressure laser pulse output that has the frequency stability of the low pressure laser while maintaining the high peak power output available from a transversely pumped waveguide laser.

Abstract: A fast acousto-optic Q-switch laser is taught comprising a lasing medium, reflecting means mounted substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the lasing medium and spaced from a first end thereof, feedback reflecting means spaced from a second end of the lasing medium, optical pumping means for pumping the lasing medium, an acousto-optic switch mounted along and tilted at a preselected angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the lasing medium between the second end of the lasing medium and said feedback reflecting means and spaced from the second end of said lasing medium for deflecting a portion of the radiation emitted by the lasing medium, and first and second transducers mounted in opposition to each other on the switch, the first transducer mounted with respect to the switch such that the gradient of the envelope of the acoustic energy introduced into and propagated through the switch approximates the gradient of the non-uniform population inversion directly in the lasing medium, and