Absolute frequency stabilization of a single-frequency Tm-Ho:YAG laser to an absorption line of HBr at 2097 nm

Summary form only given. Tm-Ho lasers emitting in the eye-safe region around 2 micron are promising candidates for coherent Doppler velocimetry and high-sensitivity DIAL measurements of the atmosphere. A frequency-stabilized master oscillator is a key component for injection locking of the Q-switched slave oscillator in any coherent laser radar system. We demonstrate, for the first time to our knowledge, the possibility of locking a Cw Tm-Ho:YAG laser to a molecular absorption line of H/sup 79/Br at 2097.222 nm by means of the fringe-side-locking (FSL) technique.