Simultaneous multiple wavelength laser action in various neodymiumhost crystals

The oscillation condition of a simultaneous multiple wavelength laser has been established and used to analyze the possibility of simultaneous oscillation in various neodymium host crystals, such as Nd:YAG, Nd:YLF, Nd:BEL, and Nd:YAP crystals at the transitions from ⁴F_3/2-⁴I_13/2 and ⁴F_3/2-⁴I _11/2. It is shown that this kind of laser can be realized in all the described crystals in a pulsed state. In general, continuous wave (CW) operation, however, can only be achieved for Nd:YAP. On the basis of these results, CW simultaneous double wavelength lasing has been achieved in a Nd:YAP crystal for the first time at both 1.0795 μm and 1.314 μm     

Optical absorption and stimulated emission of neodymium in yttriumorthosilicate

A spectroscopic investigation of the biaxial crystal yttrium orthosilicate doped with Nd³⁺(Nd³⁺:Y₂SiO₅) has been performed. Spectrally and orientationally resolved emission cross sections necessary for the evaluation of laser performance on the Nd^{3+ 4}F_3/2-⁴I _9/2 and ⁴F_3/2-⁴I_11/2 transitions have been determined. The Judd-Ofelt theory has been applied to measured values of optical absorption line strengths to obtain the orientation averaged intensity parameters: Ω₂-3.34×10^-20 cm², Ω ₄=4.35×10^-20 cm², and Ω₆=5.60×10^-20 cm². These Judd-Ofelt intensity parameter values are significantly different from those previously reported by A.M. Tkachuk et al. Using these intensity parameters, the Nd^{3+ 4}F₂ metastable state lifetime is predicted to be 225 μs. Measured low Nd concentration ⁴F_3/2 lifetimes of 214 μs indicate a high radiative quantum efficiency. Because of the Stark level splitting of the Nd^{3+ 4}F_3/2 and ⁴I_9/2 manifolds, laser operation at twice one of the Cs atomic resonance filter acceptance wavelengths is possible     

On the dynamics of population inversion for 3 μm Er3+lasers

A generalized model for 3-μm (⁴I_11/2 →⁴I_13/2)Er lasers is proposed. The essential energy transfer processes present in the single-doped Er ³⁺ systems (up-conversion from ⁴I_13/2, up-conversion from ⁴ I_11/2, cross-relaxation from ⁴S _3/2), as well as those present in Cr³⁺ codoped Er ³⁺ systems, are taken into account. In the frame of this model, the main features of 3 μm Er³⁺ lasers, such as long pulse or CW operation, the change of emission wavelength as a function of pumping conditions, and the effects of codoping with Ho³⁺ or Tm³⁺ ions, are explained     

Tunable laser pumped 3 μm Ho:YAlO3 laser

The tuning characteristics of the ⁵I₆ -⁵I₇ transition in a Ho:YAlO₃ laser, intracavity pumped by a 1.079 μm Nd:YalO₃ laser, were studied. Operation on seven distinct lines between 2.844 and 3.017 μm was found, and the threshold and relative slope efficiency of each line was measured. Several of these lines were previously unreported     

Thermal shifts of the spectral lines in the 4F3/2 to 4I11/2 manifold of anNd:YAG Laser

A report is presented of the thermal shifts of eleven of the twelve lines from the ⁴F_3/2 Stark energy levels to the ⁴I_11/2 energy levels in an Nd:YAG laser for a temperature change from 20-200°C. The thermal shift difference between the Stark sublevels R₁, R₂ in ⁴F_3/2 is found to be about -0.6±0.6 cm^-1/100°C. Within experimental uncertainty, all of the lasing lines either moved to longer wavelength or remained unchanged with increasing temperature     

Holmium YLF amplifier performance and the prospects for multi-Jouleenergies using diode-laser pumping

Laser studies that examined the amplifier characteristics of holmium-doped yttrium lithium fluoride (YLF) at 300 K are discussed. An inversion ratio n⁵I₇/n _Ho of 0.37 was reached, resulting in a measured small-signal gain coefficient of 0.50 cm^-1. In a flashlamp pumping experiment, an output energy of 240 mJ was achieved for 38.5 mJ of input energy, resulting in a large gain of 6.2. An amplifier model developed for diode laser pumping was adapted to consider this flashlamp-pumped case. The agreement between the theory and the experiment is good. Multipass amplifier calculations using the model suggest that the Ho:Tm:YLF laser crystal can support a 12% electrical to optical efficiency at 300 K, even in the presence of upconversion     

Room temperature near-infrared tunable Cr:La3Ga5SiO14 laser

Laser operation was achieved in a Cr-doped crystal of La₃ Ga₅SiO₁₄. The laser had a free-running wavelength of 960 nm at room temperature from 862 to 1107 nm. Up to 80 mW output power has been measured with 1.5 W of pump power absorbed from a krypton ion laser. The ⁴T₂ fluorescence spectrum showed a peak at 890 nm indicating an unusually large Franck-Condon shift. At room temperature the fluorescence lifetime was 5.3 μs and the fluorescence quantum yield was measured to be about 14%     

Laser beam combining in potassium vapor

Energy transfer between two laser beams of comparable intensity due to their nonlinear interactions in an atomic vapor was investigated. Strong coupling occurs due to stimulated Rayleigh scattering when the frequencies of the two waves differ by the inverse of the excited-state lifetime. The energy transfer between two nearly equal energy pulses from an alexandrite laser tuned near the 4²S_1/2 →4²P_3/2 transition of potassium vapor was measured. It was found that as much as 85% of the total incident energy was contained in one of the output beams     

Continuous-wave laser action in Er3+:YLF at 3.41 μm

Continuous-wave laser emission at 3.41 μm from an erbium-doped LiYF₄ crystal (Er³⁺:YLF) at 77 K is demonstrated. Operation of this four-level laser is based on the Er^{3+ 4}F_9/2-⁴I_9/2 transition. An output power of 12 mW and a slope efficiency of 2% have been achieved     

Measurement of the stimulated emission cross section for the 4F3/2-4I13/2transition of Nd3+ in YAlO3 crystal

A method for the simultaneous measurement of the stimulated emission cross section and fluorescence lifetime by studying the relation between laser parameters and the laser relaxation oscillation frequency is discussed. The stimulated emission cross section for the ⁴F_3/2-⁴I_13/2 transition of Nd³⁺ ion in YAP crystal was measured to be (22±1)×10^-20 cm²     

Magnetic modulation of gain in a chemical oxygen-iodine laser

A magnetic modulation of gain in a continuous-wave (CW) chemical oxygen-iodine laser (COIL) is proposed for several regimes of laser generation. The principle of the method proposed is based on a direct magnetic modulation of gain in the active zone of a COIL utilizing the Zeeman effect on the laser transition ²P_1/2 -²P_3/2 of iodine atoms. The possible applications of this technique to control the laser generation in COIL for technological purposes are outlined     

Ho∶YLF激光泵浦的长波红外ZnGeP2光参量振荡器

以2.05μm Ho∶YLF激光器作为光源,泵浦了长波ZnGeP₂光参量振荡器,实现了高效率、高重复频率的长波激光输出。激光器输出的峰值波长为8.1μm,最大输出功率为3.2 W@10 kHz,泵浦激光到长波激光的光光转换效率为12%,斜效率为19.3%,激光单脉冲宽度为27.11 ns,单脉冲能量为0.32 mJ,单脉冲峰值功率为11.8 kW,X方向的光束质量因子为4.5,Y方向的光束质量因子为4.2。     

Modeling of Cascade Lasing in Dy : Chalcogenide Glass Fiber Laser With Efficient Output at 4.5 μm

The performance of a continuous-wave Dy:GeAsGaSe chalcogenide glass fiber laser operating on the ⁶H_11/2 rarr ⁶H_13/2 transition at 4.2-4.7 mum is studied using numerical modeling. A double-clad fiber geometry is assumed, with direct pumping of the ⁶H_11/2 level at 1.7 mum. It is shown that simultaneous lasing on the ⁶H_13/2 rarr ⁶H_15/2 transition serves to effectively depopulate the ⁶H_11/2 level and significantly improve the efficiency and power scalability. A slope efficiency of 0.16 is calculated when the fiber loss is 1 dB/m. For efficient operation, it is necessary to keep the fiber loss below ap5 dB/m.     

The influence of velocity-changing collisions on resonantdegenerate four-wave mixing

The phase-conjugate signal observed in resonant degenerate four-wave mixing on the 6³P₂ to 7³ S₁ transition of atomic mercury in a Hg-Ar discharge is investigated. At a fixed argon pressure the variation of the signal with pump powers is explained by a model that includes the effects of velocity-changing collisions (VCCs). As the argon pressure was varied from 0 to 1 torr an increase in the phase conjugate signal was observed and is ascribed to a change in the discharge dynamics with argon pressure and to the influence of VCCs. To further clarify the role of collisions and optical pumping, degenerate four-wave mixing spectra are examined as a function of pump power. Line shapes are briefly discussed     

A diode-pumped 1.4-W Tm3+:GdVO4 microchiplaser at 1.9 μm

GdVO₄ as a host for thulium has several advantages for diode pumping in comparison with other crystals. The absorption cross section of thulium in GdVO₄ is considerably stronger and broader than in YAG and YLF, and the spectrum is shifted closer to the emission wavelength of commercially available AlGaAs laser diodes. In our paper, we report on a diode-pumped monolithic Tm³⁺(6.9 at.%):GdVO₄ microchip laser at 1.9 μm. A maximum output power of 1.4 W is achieved. Two different arrangements for cooling the crystal are discussed. Furthermore, the input-output curves under Ti:sapphire pumping are compared for different pump wavelengths. Slope efficiencies of 58%, clearly exceeding the Stokes limit of 41%, are achieved     

Observation of a large number of new laser lines from12CD3F gas optically pumped with a continuouslytunable high-pressure pulsed CO2 laser

An observation is reported of a large number of new laser lines from ¹²CD₃F gas optically pumped with a continuously tunable high-pressure pulsed CO₂ laser. Making use of the coincidence of the 10 μm P and R branches of CO₂ with the v₃ and v₆ vibrational-rotational absorption bands of ¹²CD₃F, 180 laser lines were found in the wavenumber range between 8 and 55 cm^-1, all of them yet unknown; these lines are studied for characteristic properties of laser action. All laser lines are assigned as pure rotational transitions in the vibrational excited or ground states     

Local fractional population measurement of the upper state 4I13/2 of an erbium-doped fiber amplifier

A method of measuring the local fractional population of the upper state ⁴I_13/2 of an erbium-doped amplifier is investigated. The local fractional population is related theoretically by EDF parameters to the local spontaneous emission (SE) power that leaks laterally from the EDF. The proportional constant between the fractional population and the detected SE power is determined experimentally by measuring saturated spontaneous emission power. The local fractional population of a 19.7 m-long EDF, pumped with a 1.48 μm light and injected with a 1.552 μm signal light, was measured by detecting the local SE power with a Ge photodiode having a diameter of 2 mm. The measured fractional population coincides with the calculated value     

Energy transfer up-conversion and excited state absorption of laserradiation in Nd:YLF laser crystals

Experiments at room temperature were carried out to study the higher order processes that produced the yellow and blue fluorescence observed in Nd:YLF laser crystals, which were pumped by lasers with wavelengths between 785 nm and 811 nm, and with the pump power density ranging from 10 to 30 kW/cm², or the stored energy density, 15-45 J/cm³. The analysis of the experimental results provided an explanation for the performance degradation of a Q-switched laser with increasing pump intensity. These higher order processes were energy transfer up-conversion and excited state absorption of both pump and laser radiation. A model was also developed based upon rate equations to describe these higher order processes. This model allowed us to discriminate between these processes and to determine which one played the most important role. The experimental results agreed well with the predictions of the model. It is concluded that the energy transfer up-conversion process is the dominant mechanism for the population of the ⁴G_7/2 multiplet. It is also concluded that excited state absorption of the 1.05 μm or 1.3 μm radiation from the ⁴G_7/2 multiplet play a significant role in populating the ²P_3/2, ² D(1)_5/2, and ²P_½ manifolds, and in the performance of Nd:YLF lasers operating in the pulsed mode. The effect of excited state absorption of the pump radiation from the ⁴F_½ multiplet is much less important     

Intracavity 1.549-μm pumped 1.634-μm Er:YAG lasers at 300 K

A novel method of generating 1.634-μm laser action from Er:YAG crystals pumped intracavity by an Er:glass laser emitting at 1.549 μm is described. Operation of the Er:glass laser at 1.549 μm (red shifted from the standard 1.532 μm, but with comparable output) at 500 K was obtained using mirrors with tailored spectral reflectivities. Several Er:YAG crystals ranging in concentration from 0.3% to 2% and in length from 1 cm to 8 cm were lased in the intracavity pumping arrangement. All the Er:YAG crystals lased in the ⁴I_13/2 :Y1(6544 cm^-1)-⁴I_15/2:Z6(424 cm ^-1) 1.634-μm transition at 300 K