Operating features of a copper bromide brightness amplifier in the monostatic laser monitor

The paper presents the research results of operation features of the copper bromide brightness amplifier in the monostatic laser monitor with frame-by-frame imaging. The dependence of the gain on the input signal level is determined. The small-signal gain reaches 0.22 cm−1 without the hydrogen-containing additive. It is proposed to estimate the sensitivity of a laser monitor based on the analysis of digital images formed by a single pulse amplification. The influence of the input signal energy attenuation on the contrast of images formed in the monostatic scheme of the laser monitor is established. The sensitivity of the copper bromide brightness amplifier in the laser monitor is experimentally determined. It is shown that the minimal level of input signal required to form the image with a contrast sufficient for mathematical processing is 1.4% of ASE power. The sensitivity of the laser monitor is limited by the power of “technical” noise caused by parasitic reflections from elements of the optical scheme. •The dependence of the CuBr brightness amplifier gain on the input signal level is determined.•The influence of the input signal energy attenuation on the contrast of images formed in the monostatic scheme of the laser monitor is established.•The sensitivity of the copper bromide brightness amplifier in the laser monitor is experimentally determined.•The minimal level of input signal required to form the image with a contrast sufficient for mathematical processing is 1.4% of ASE power.