What is a solar pumped laser?

Solar-pumped lasers (SPLs), which convert sunlight into laser radiation, are of interest for applications, such as solar hydrogen generation, remote area telecommunications, space propulsion, space solar power systems, and high-efficiency photovoltaic energy conversion 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.

What is a 20 kW solar panel laser?

The laser is a CW high-energy Yb-doped fiber laser emitting at a center wavelength of 1075 nm with ∼1 m 2 of effective beam area. For 20 kW illumination of a solar panel having 0.6 m 2 of area, optical simulations and thermal simulations indicate an electrical output power of 3000 W at a panel temperature of 550 K.

Can sunlight be converted into laser light?

Broadband sunlight can be converted into laser light by solar pumping, which can be a source of narrowband, collimated, rapidly pulsed radiation—with the possibility of extremely high brightness and intensity.

What is a solar pumped laser (SPL)?

Communications Physics 3, Article number: 60 (2020) Cite this article A solar-pumped laser (SPL) that converts sunlight directly into a coherent and intense laser beam generally requires a large concentrating lens and precise solar tracking, thereby limiting its potential utility.

Should semiconductor laser arrays be replaced with solar-pumped solid-state lasers?

Two significant shortcomings of semiconductor laser arrays are performance degradation over time and a limited lifespan—and seem to scale with the level of average output power. Replacing semiconductor laser arrays with direct solar-pumped solid-state lasers “shows potential to overcome these limitations,” says Liang.

What can a solar laser be used for?

The team’s solar laser may find wide-ranging applications such as earth, ocean, and atmospheric sensing, laser beaming, deep space communications, and space debris removal.