Waveguide CO2laser gain: Dependence on gas kinetic and discharge properties

Using a simple rate equation approach we examine the gas kinetic and discharge properties of waveguide CO2lasers. We calculate the dependence of the population inversion and laser small-signal gain on gas pressure, gas mixture, pumping rate (discharge current), tube bore diameter, and wall temperature. The results indicate, for example, that at a pressure of 50 torr and a tube-bore diameter of 0.125 cm, the gain is optimized with a gas mixture in the ratio CO2:N2:He of 1:0.75: 1.5. At higher pressures the gain is optimized by using more helium-rich mixtures. We also calculate the dependence of laser tunability on the gas kinetic properties and cavity losses. We find that for low-loss cavities the laser tunability may substantially exceed the molecular full width at half-maximum. Furthermore, the more helium-rich gas mixtures give greater tunability when cavity losses are small, and less tunability when cavity losses are large. The roles of the various gases in the waveguide CO2laser are the same as those in conventional devices. By contrast with conventional lasers, however, the waveguide laser transition is homogeneously broadened. Thus the dependence of gain on gas pressure and other kinetic properties differs substantially from that predicted by scaling results from conventional low-pressure lasers.     

Characteristics of sealed-off waveguide CO2lasers

Gain and output power of sealed-off waveguide CO2lasers are presented as a function of gas mixtures and total gas pressure. Experimental data on circular-bore and square-channel waveguide lasers are presented. Output power per unit length of 0.2 W/cm is achieved for both types of lasers in agreement with gas-discharge scaling laws which are presented. Saturation intensities as high as 24 kW/cm²are inferred from the data. The effects of the optical properties of the waveguide wall material on the waveguide losses are discussed and theoretical waveguide loss versus wavelength is presented for BeO, Al2O3, and fused silica.     

The effect of wall deexcitation on saturation intensity in a CO2waveguide laser

The wall deexcitation effect of the excited CO2molecule on saturation intensity in a CO2waveguide laser was experimentally investigated. The results show that a low gas pressure, saturation intensity is higher than the value predicted without wall deexcitation. The reason for this higher value is discussed.     

Single longitudinal mode operation of a CO2TEA laser by injection locking with a tunable CO2waveguide laser

A CO2TEA laser was frequency tuned by means of injection locking with a tunable waveguide laser as master oscillator, using a special injection method. Injection-locking experiments were performed at different operating conditions and varying parameters such as laser lines, master oscillator power, and frequency offset from the line center.     

An improved scan laser with a VO2programmable mirror

A 10.6 μm scan laser has been constructed and operated with an off-axis cathode ray tube, high reflectance multilayer thin-film structures, and a tapered plasma discharge tube. Equations are given for the switching time of a high-reflectance spot on the VO2and for the relation of scan laser output power to cavity geometry, cavity losses, and the gain of the active CO2medium. A scan capability of2.1 times 10^{3}easily resolvable directions was demonstrated, and sequential and randomly addressed spot rates of 10⁵/s were achieved. The equations relating output power and cavity mode size were experimentally verified using a nonscanned beam.     

High-power operation and scaling behavior of CW optically pumped FIR waveguide lasers

High-power far infrared (FIR) laser operation at the 10- 100 mW level is described for wavelengths throughout the 40 μm-1.22 mm spectral region. These data correspond to order of magnitude improvements in converting CO2laser energy into FIR laser output. This improved FIR laser performance is attributed to a waveguide laser geometry with reduced losses for the CO2pump and also to a new method of output coupling. The basic design concept of the efficient laser resonator is discussed as well as the prospect for further increases in laser performance through improved efficiency and sealing.     

New far-infrared laser lines from CO2-laser-pumped CH3OH gas by using a copper waveguide cavity

Eleven new far-infrared (FIR) laser lines have been observed from CH3OH pumped by a CO2laser. These lines are ranged from 78 to 694 μm and are obtained by using a copper waveguide cavity.     

Simultaneous CO and CO2laser

CW laser action at both the 5- and 10.6-μm wavelength regions has been achieved simultaneously from CO and CO2molecules in a slowly flowing mixture of He-air-CO. Two dc discharges through the premixed gases within a segmented laser cavity were used to provide molecular excitation and generate CO2molecules by discharge-initiated CO oxidation. Both liquid nitrogen and room-temperature water cooling were used concurrently. A total power of about 2 W has been achieved with approximately half the power in each wavelength region.     

Over 26-nm Wavelength Tunable External Cavity Laser Based on Polymer Waveguide Platforms for WDM Access Networks

We demonstrated a widely tunable hybrid-integrated external cavity laser on a polymer-based waveguide platform. The lasing wavelength was tuned over 26 nm by locally heating the surface-relief-type polymer waveguide Bragg grating fabricated by using the phase mask. The phase-control heater section was inserted between the laser diode and the Bragg grating for the fine wavelength tuning and the stable single-mode lasing. In the 100-GHz-spaced wavelength-division-multiplexing systems, the 1.25-Gb/s directly modulated data streams at each tuned 32 channel were successfully transmitted.     

Far-infrared laser emission by microwave-infrared-far-infrared three-photon interaction in NH3

We report low threshold Raman and hyper-Raman far-infrared laser emission associated with the¹⁴NH3,nu_{2}, sQ(5, 4)infrared transition. Using a circular metallic waveguide FIR resonator, which also acts as a microwave resonator, threshold pump powers were 50 W CO2-laser radiation and 150 W CO2, 15 W microwave for Raman and hyper-Raman emission, respectively. The hyper-Raman process is suitable to generate frequency-tunable FIR radiation.     

New SMMW laser transitions optically pumped by a tunable CO2waveguide laser

Optical pumping of a submillimeter wave (SMMW) laser with a relatively compact RF-excited CW CO2laser is described. The increased frequency tunability of the waveguide pump laser has resulted in new low threshold SMMW emissions in C2H2F2, CDF3, and CD2F2by pumping into absorption lines which are beyond the tuning range of a conventional CO2laser. Frequency offsets and some assignments obtained with the aid of a tunable diode laser heterodyne spectrometer are reported.     

Waveguide laser resonators with a tilted mirror

We present a multimode theory of square-bore waveguide laser resonators with one well-aligned and one tilted plane mirror. Our theoretical results for mode content, resonator loss, and power output agree reasonably well with experimental results from an RF-excited CO2laser with a376 times 1.5 times 1.5mm Al/Al2O3waveguide. The mode propagation coefficients of this structure are discussed. We model a diffraction grating as a plane mirror with a wavelength-dependent tilt, and conclude that previous single-mode theory has underestimated the severity of the line-hopping constraint on tunable waveguide CO2laser performance.     

Low threshold current density 1.3 μm metamorphic InGaAs/GaAs quantum well laser diodes

Very low threshold current density InGaAs/GaAs quantum well laser diodes grown by molecular beam epitaxy on InGaAs metamorphic buffers are reported. The lasing wavelength of the ridge waveguide laser diode with cavity length of 1200 mum is centered at 1337.2 nm; the threshold current density is 205 A/cm² at room temperature under continuous-wave operation.     

Theoretical and experimental studies of a multiline TEA CO2laser with hot CO2as an intracavity absorber

The multiline behavior of a ballast resistance helical TEA CO2laser incorporating hot CO2as an intracavity absorber has been studied. Simultaneous laser oscillation onP(16), P(18), andP(20)lines of 10.6 μm has been obtained reliably. A rate equation model has been developed for the hot CO2absorber and is incorporated with the model for the multiline TEA CO2laser for calculating laser intensities onP(16), P(18), P(20), andP(22)lines of the 10.6 μm band in the presence of the absorber. The theoretical calculations agree quite well with the experimental observations. These studies show that a hot CO2column of Proper length and temperature inside a TEA CO2laser cavity can produce simultaneous laser oscillation on at least three rotational linesP(16), P(18), andP(20)of the 10.6 μm band with almost equal intensity.     

Tunable single-mode operation of a CO2TE laser by means of selective absorbers

Tunable single-longitudinal-mode output of a pulsed TE CO2laser was obtained using several different intracavity selective absorbers. It was shown that tunable single-frequency operation could be obtained up to 300 MHz off line center. Tuning was achieved by changing the length of the laser cavity, by adjustment of the laser pressure, and by varying the absorber and absorber pressure. The method is simple and inexpensive and appears to be generally applicable to CO2laser transitions.     

CO2laser annealing of Si3N4, Nb2O5, and Ta2O5thin-film optical waveguides to achieve scattering loss reduction

Significant reductions in the optical scattering losses of Si3N4, Nb2O5, and Ta2O5waveguides fabricated on SiO2/Si substrates have been measured following CO2laser annealing. The largest improvements were observed for Si3N4waveguides, where waveguide attenuation values of about 6.0 dB/cm before laser annealing were reduced to as low as 0.1 dB/cm afterwards. An improvement of more than an order of magnitude was obtained for a Nb2O5waveguide upon laser annealing, the attenuation coefficient decreasing from 7.4 to 0.6 dB/cm. In the case of one Nb2O5waveguide no improvement was obtained upon laser annealing. The attenuation coefficient of a reactively sputtered Ta2O5waveguide was found to decrease from 1.3 dB/cm before laser annealing to 0.4 dB/cm afterwards. In the case of a thermally oxidized Ta2O5waveguide a small initial improvement in waveguide attenuation was followed by degradation upon further laser annealing.     

RF-pumped infrared laser using transverse gas flow

A transverse gas flow configuration has been developed utilizing RF discharge waveguide technology for several infrared lasers. Two potential applications have been identified: pulsed chemical laser and CW CO2laser. In the 3.8 μm DF laser, the flowing gas device provides rapid gas replenishment to maintain high electrical efficiency at high repetition rates. An average power of 0.6 W was achieved at 1 kHz. An order of magnitude power improvement can potentially be developed in a closed cycle system. In the CW CO2laser, the flowing gas provides efficient cooling so that high output power per unit gain length can be achieved. A 16 W output in a 20 cm gain length device, corresponding to a record 0.8 W/cm output has been demonstrated. This system can be developed into a 20-60 W laser with a 20-50 cm gain length.     

New CW FIR laser action by Stark tuning from optically pumped CH3OH and CH3OD

Fifteen new CW FIR laser lines are reported from Stark tuned CO2optically pumped CH3OH and CH3OD. Four new CW laser lines have also been observed from zero field optically pumped CH3OD, three with a CO2laser, and one with an N2O laser.     

Continuously tunable optically pumped high-pressure DF → CO2transfer laser

The operational characteristics of a continuously tunable DF → CO2transfer laser optically pumped with radiation from a pulsed DF laser are experimentally and theoretically studied. The pump radiation is absorbed by DF in a high-pressure DF/CO2/He gas mixture, and subsequent V-V energy transfer to the CO2ν3mode provides the CO2laser population inversion. Continuous tuning of the CO2laser frequency between five CO2line centers from 29.14 to 29.30 THz has been demonstrated, using a 12 atm gas mixture. The maximum pulse energy was about 0.8 mJ. In experiments with a two-mirror CO2laser resonator, pulse energies up to 6 mJ and 35 percent slope quantum efficiency have been obtained at 10 atm gas pressure. The gas mixture typically contained 0.5 percent DF, 5 percent CO2, and 94.5 percent He, but this was not critical. Computer simulations based on a rate equation model of the laser have given results which are in reasonable agreement with those obtained experimentally.     

Determination of gain, saturation intensity, and internal losses of a laser using an intracavity rotatable reflector

A novel method is devised to determine the small-signal gain, saturation intensity, and internal optical losses in the cavity of a homogeneously broadened laser with the help of an intracavity rotatable reflector used as a variable coupling-out mirror. These laser parameters have been determined for a CW CO2laser.