Injection seeding. I. Theory

Injection seeding has proven to be a practical method of controlling the spectral output of a laser in an efficient and reliable manner. To achieve satisfactory injection seeding performance, a sufficiently large seed must be employed. To characterize the required seed, an injection seeding theory is developed here which establishes two interrelated concepts, threshold for injection seeding and spectral purity of the laser output. Rather than utilizing numerical techniques to solve the differential equations, closed-form expressions for the threshold are developed for not only common continuous wave injection seeding but pulsed injection seeding as well. In addition, effects of alignment of the seed to the resonator, both in position and angle, and effects of frequency mismatch, or difference between the seed and the resonant frequencies of the resonator, are taken into account. Expressions for the threshold utilize readily measurable experimental parameters. Spectral purity of the laser output and its consequences on the required seed power or energy are also explored     

Short pulse injection seeding of Q-switched Nd:glass laseroscillators-theory and experiment

A 0.5-GW-peak-power solid-state laser source that is based on injection seeding a Q-switched Nd:Glass laser is discussed. In the first experimental demonstration, a Q-switched oscillator producing 101 mJ was seeded by a train of 11-ps pulses from a CW (continuous-wave) mode-locked laser to produce injection-mode-locked pulses under a 91-ns envelope. A theoretical analysis of injection seeding of a high-gain Q-switched oscillator by the output of a mode-locked oscillator is presented. The numerical analysis predicts the minimum signal power required for injection mode locking and the temporal shape of the output pulse. The experimental results agree well with the theoretical predictions. The amplification demonstrated by this technique is 104.4 dB, which is much greater than that demonstrated by a multipass or regenerative amplifier. The experimental advantages of injection mode locking include greater than 100 dB of effective amplification and noncritical cavity length adjustment of the seed resonator     

Two-frequency injection-seeded Nd:YAG laser

Dual longitudinal mode (DLM) operation of a Nd:YAG laser is achieved by simultaneously injection seeding with two seed frequencies. We show that the relative energy in the two frequency components can be adjusted by varying the relative seed power, and that they have excellent spatial, angular, and temporal overlap. The result is a deeply modulated 1.06-μm pulse with a modulation frequency that can be tuned from 185 MHz to at least 17 GHz in 185 MHz increments. In addition to the two seeded frequencies, weak sidebands are also observed in the output spectra. Their energy content is typically less than 1% of that of the seeded modes. We discuss mechanisms which might cause them     

25kHz、约2ns声光调Q Nd:YVO4激光器研究

为了获得高重频窄脉冲高光束质量激光输出,采用LD抽运Nd:YVO₄晶体声光调Q方案,进行了相关理论分析和实验验证,振荡级获得了重频25kHz、单脉冲能量22.4μJ、脉冲宽度2.19ns、光束质量因子M2 < 1.2的种子激光,光光转换效率为24.3%;放大级获得了重频25kHz、单脉冲能量585μJ、脉冲宽度2.26ns、光束质量因子M2 < 1.7的激光输出,提取效率为15.6%。结果表明,采用LD抽运Nd:YVO₄晶体声光调Q方案能够获得高重频、窄脉冲、高光束质量激光输出,其实验现象与理论计算结果较为符合。     

CW injection seeding of a modelocked semiconductor laser

The authors extended the injection locking technique to control the output of a modelocked semiconductor laser with an external continuous-wave (CW) signal. With this injection seeding technique, over 8 mW of average power in 30 ps pulses with side cluster suppression of over 20 dB was obtained from an actively modelocked AlGaAs semiconductor laser. This average output power compares favorably with the 12 mW W output power of the extended resonator. The frequency spectrum of the laser is determined by the background noise level as set by the spontaneous emission. Injection seeding overrides the noise and concentrates over 99% of the available energy in a single nearly transform-limited pulse     

Injection seeding for single-mode operation in an optically pumped high-power D2O laser

Spectrally narrow, pulsed outputs consisting of almost a single mode have been obtained from an optically-pumped high-power (200kW) D₂O laser by adopting the injection seeding method, where single-mode radiation (seed pulse) from a low-power, compact D₂O laser has been injected into the main D₂O laser. Spectrally narrow outputs with high power having spectral widths as narrow as 5 MHz have been obtained, when the seed pulses with frequency tuned to one longitudinal mode of the main D₂O laser have been injected at a time sufficiently before the lasing of the main laser took place. The experimental results have been compared with those of numerical simulation modified to include the injection field with varying injection times.     

Photon avalanche upconversion in Er3+:YAlO3

The results of an investigation of photon avalanche upconversion pumping in Er³⁺:TiAlO₃ are reported. Five pump wavelengths corresponding to transitions from the metastable ⁴I_13/2 state to the ²H_11/2 state generated upconversion laser emission at 549.8 nm. The dependence of the laser output power on pump power near laser threshold is discussed in terms of a four-level kinetics model and is shown to reflect the threshold power requirement for photon avalanche. The maximum output power at 7 K was 33 mW, giving an optical conversion efficiency of 3.5% and a conversion efficiency of 28% based on absorbed power. Pumping Er:YALO by cross relaxation energy transfer produced 166 mW of laser output with an optical conversion efficiency of 17%     

Er3+/Yb3+共掺双包层光纤放大器实验研究

对1550nm高功率窄线宽光纤放大器进行了实验研究。该放大器采用双级放大(MOPA)结构, 其中第一级预放采用5 m长的掺Er3+光纤, 将种子光信号放大到约90 mW; 采用15 m长的Er3+/Yb3+共掺双包层光纤放大器作为二级放大, 抽运源采用2支工作波长为980 nm的大功率激光二极管(LD), 抽运阈值功率约1.3 W。 当抽运功率为10.8 W时, 得到放大激光输出功率为1.97 W, 光-光转换效率为18 %, 斜率效率为21%, 增益大于13 dB。所采用的种子光源为1550 nm单频窄线宽(DFB)LD, 输出功率为10 mW; 采用延迟自外差方法对种子源及放大器输出的线宽进行测量, 测量结果显示该种子源及放大后的激光输出的3 dB线宽均约为220 kHz, 在目前的实验条件下, 没有观察到放大后的激光线宽展宽现象。     

4B1--Recent developments in CO2lasers

Experimental results are presented showing the effect of tube diameter on the output power and efficiency of CO2lasers. It is shown that both output power and efficiency are almost independent of diameter over the range 11mm to 44mm. The measured values of the output power and efficiency are 75 watts per meter and 10 percent. Higher efficiencies are obtained at lower power outputs. Mirror damage is discussed and two experiments involving the irradiation of CO2and ammonia with a high power laser beam are mentioned. An explanation is given for the strong interaction between the laser beam and the discharge tube current. Finally, the flow calorimeter used to measure high power laser beams is described.     

高效率横向电激励连续CO_2激光器的研究

报道一种工业用高气压封闭形横向电激励二千瓦级连续CO_2激光器。连续运行13小时,输出功率高于2.3kW,能量转换效率大于17％。研究了放电特性、输出特性;测量了在不同放电条件下的电子温度和电子浓度。     

多普勒激光雷达中种子激光注入的一种鉴别方法

多普勒测风激光雷达以其高分辨率、高精度、大探测范围、能提供三维风场信息的能力,吸引了多国学者的关注,并投入了大量的人力、物力进行研究。所研究的多普勒测风激光雷达采用种子注入的方式获得单纵模、窄线宽、高功率的激光输出。激光器中心频率的缓慢漂移、环境噪音、激光棒温度变化或者振动干扰都有可能导致激光器种子光的注入不成功,出射激光光谱由注入成功时的单纵模输出变为多纵模输出。激光单纵模输出时线宽约为200 MHz,而多纵模时激光线宽很宽。而种子注入不成功时所出射的多纵模激光脉冲将导致瑞利后向散射谱变宽,会增加风速测量误差。该脉冲筛选电路在数据采集环节实现对多纵模激光脉冲的筛选,有效降低了风速测量误差,提高测风准确度。     

Nd:Y2O3透明陶瓷4F3/2-4I11/2跃迁光谱及高效激光输出

报道了采用真空烧结法结合热等静压技术制备的Nd:Y₂O₃透明陶瓷的荧光光谱特性及相关激光输出。通过与Nd:YAG透明陶瓷的荧光光谱对比,表明Nd:Y₂O₃透明陶瓷的4F_3/2-4I_11/2跃迁光谱存在着多个增益相当的谱线,这更有利于实现同时双波长段激光振荡;不同斯塔克子跃迁光谱的离散特性有利于通过腔镜镀膜控制不同波长损耗,获得丰富的1.0~1.1 μm波段激光。利用简单的平平两镜腔结构完成进一步的实验,通过选择的输出镜片镀膜获得了输出功率3.62 W、转换效率40.4%的1074.6 nm和1078.8 nm的双波长输出和输出功率1.7 W、转换效率19.4%的1130.3 nm波长输出。     

Single-mode pulses from a high-pressure CO2 laseroperated below emission threshold

The authors describe a simple modification to the injection seeding method which has proved experimentally to yield reliable, single-mode emission from a 10-atm CO₂ laser without the need for cavity length tuning. The technique consists of choosing the laser parameters such that the power oscillator is operated slightly below emission threshold, even though the gain can be above threshold for a short time following excitation. Under such circumstances, the initial laser power due to spontaneous emission is too weak to be amplified to a significant level during the period where the gain exceeds the losses. If a more intense external signal is injected into the laser, it can be regeneratively amplified to much higher powers, eventually extracting a substantial fraction of the available laser energy     

Dependence of injection locking of a TEA CO2laser on intensity of injected radiation

We report the results of an experimental study to determine the minimum required injected power to control the output frequency of a TEA CO2laser. A CW CO2waveguide laser was used as the injection oscillator. Both the power and the frequency of the injected radiation were varied, while the TEA reasonator cavity length was adjusted to match the frequency of the injected signal. Single-longitudinal mode (SLM) TEA laser radiation was produced for injected power levels which are several orders of magnitude below those previously reported. The ratio of SLM output power to injection power exceeded 10¹²at the lowest levels of injected intensity.     

注入种子CuBr激光器中的光谱控制

报道了采用注入种子方法．对ＣｕＢｒ激光器进行激光模式控制的实验结果。实现了单纵模ＣｕＢｒ激光脉冲的注入放大，获得了功率为１００ｍＷ水平的窄线宽铜激光辐射．在理论上分析了短脉冲高增益激光器中注入种子过程，讨论了在注入种子ＣｕＢｒ激光器中进行光谱控制的实验结果．     

Experimental studies of the O/O2/CS2CW CO chemical laser

Experimental studies of a CW transverse-flow chemical laser are reported. These studies include investigation of gas flow and mixing lengths, densities of chemical species in the reacting flow stream, and gas-additive effects on laser emission. This device has yielded the highest performance yet observed for CO chemical lasers with a specific output power of 65.5 J/g (29.7 kJ/1b) and a minimum chemical efficiency of 21 percent. It was found that additional chemical species are present in the flow stream beyond those predicted by a simple three-reaction model of the chemical kinetics. Gas additives have been found to give increases in total output power, and can also be used to enhance either high or low bands in the output spectrum.     

用注入锁模法改善DFB激光器的频率响应

验证了通过注入锁模方法,分布反馈(DFB)半导体激光器的频率响应可以得到明显的改善.实验中通过一个环形器,将主激光器的输出光注入到从激光器.测量了从激光器在有注入光和没有注入光时的光谱和频率响应.发现在不同的注入光强度和波长下,激光器的调制带宽和弛豫振荡峰频率会发生变化.通过适当选择注入光的强度和波长,频率响应可以得到改善.激光器频率响应的改善可以用两个模式的拍频来解释,一个模式是从激光器的主模,另一个是主激光器的模式,该模式与从激光器的边带重合.该理论与实验结果符合得很好.     

用注入锁模法改善DFB激光器的频率响应

验证了通过注入锁模方法,分布反馈(DFB)半导体激光器的频率响应可以得到明显的改善.实验中通过一个环形器,将主激光器的输出光注入到从激光器.测量了从激光器在有注入光和没有注入光时的光谱和频率响应.发现在不同的注入光强度和波长下,激光器的调制带宽和弛豫振荡峰频率会发生变化.通过适当选择注入光的强度和波长,频率响应可以得到改善.激光器频率响应的改善可以用两个模式的拍频来解释,一个模式是从激光器的主模,另一个是主激光器的模式,该模式与从激光器的边带重合.该理论与实验结果符合得很好.     

914 nm LD泵浦RTP电光调Q的高效率Nd:YVO4激光器

报道了一种激光二极管（LD）端面连续抽运的高重频、高光光效率电光调Q Nd:YVO4激光器。采用RbTiOPO4（RTP）晶体对作为调Q元件,通过减小热效应和模式匹配技术,实现了高效率的高重频窄脉宽1 064 nm脉冲激光输出。一方面采用低吸收系数的914 nm波长抽运Nd:YVO4晶体,使晶体内热分布均匀,从而获得高量子效率的同时减小了热效应影响。另一方面通过优化泵浦光斑半径,实现泵浦光和振荡光好的模式匹配。在重频200 kHz时,获得了最高输出功率16 W,脉宽9 ns,单脉冲能量80 J,光束质量M21.2的稳定脉冲激光,泵浦吸收功率31 W,对应的光光转化效率为51.6%。据笔者所知,这是RTP电光调Q实现的最高效率的脉冲激光器。     

LD抽运Cr4+:YAG被动调Q c-cut Nd:YVO4自拉曼激光器

对激光二极管(LD)抽运的Cr4+:YAG被动调Q c-cut Nd:YVO4自拉曼激光器进行了实验研究。通过采用不同初始透射率的Cr4+:YAG和不同反射率的输出镜进行实验,研究了初始透射率和反射率对拉曼光输出特性的影响。测量了拉曼光的平均输出功率、脉冲重复频率和脉冲宽度随抽运功率的变化。在抽运功率为4.8 W时,拉曼光的最高平均功率为370mW,相应的光-光转换效率为7.7%。实验中得到了亚纳秒级的拉曼光输出,最高单脉冲能量为54μJ,最高峰值功率为47kW。