Continuous-wave CH3F waveguide laser at 496 µm: Theory and experiment

The kinetic processes controlling the conversion of CO2pump radiation into far-infrared (FIR) radiation in optically pumped waveguide lasers are discussed. It is found that pump saturation and excited-state FIR absorption play major roles in limiting the conversion. Good agreement between theory and experiment was obtained over a wide range of pump powers, gas pressures, and mirror reflectivities. For a well-optimized system, power-conversion efficiencies of 0.2-0.6 percent can be realistically achieved for CH3F.     

1.5 µm GaInAsP traveling-wave semiconductor laser amplifier

This paper presents a theoretical and experimental study in terms of small-signal gain, signal gain saturation, and noise characteristics of a 1.5 μm GaInAsP traveling-wave amplifier (TWA), realized through the application of SiOxfilm antireflection coatings. This TWA, having a residual facet reflectivity of 0.04 percent, exhibits a wide, flat signal gain spectrum and a saturation output power of +7 dBm at a 20 dB signal gain. The TWA also has a noise figure of 5.2 dB, which is the smallest value reported for semiconductor laser amplifiers. The experimental results are confirmed to be in good agreement with the theoretical predictions based on the multimode traveling-wave rate equations in conjunction with the photon statistic master equation analysis, which takes into account the amplifier material and device structural parameters. Signal gain undulation, saturation output power, and noise figure are also theoretically evaluated as functions of the facet reflectivity. The superior performance of the TWA demonstrates that the device is favorable for use in linear optical repeaters in fiber transmission systems.     

1.3 µm high-power BH laser on p-InP substrates

In our fabrication of a 1.3 μm band high-power BH laser on a p-type InP substrate, 79 mW CW laser output was obtained, and the spectrum width was 10 nm at 50 mW; it also obtained a high-power pulse output of more than 200 mW at 30 ns pulse width. It shows high-speed pulse response at 2 Gbits/s. These CW and pulse lasing characteristics are reported in this paper, and we also show the output and threshold current distribution of about 1000 samples from six wafers. This high-power laser is very useful for light sources of measuring instruments.     

Operation of an Er:YLF laser at 1.73 µm

The performance, characterization, and optimization of an Er:YLF laser operating at 1.73 μm is described. The lifetimes of the upper and lower laser level were measured which allowed the optimum Er concentration and the ultimate performance to be predicted. In addition, the pulse-forming network and the mirror transmissivity were optimized. The laser output energy in the normal mode and theQ-switched mode as well as theQ-switched pulselength were measured. In a separate, more efficient, laser arrangement, an output energy of 55 mJ was obtained with an overall efficiency of 0.0024.     

Picosecond pulse analysis of gain-switched 1.55 µm InGaAsP laser

Results of computer simulation of gain-switched pulses from InGaAsP lasers emitting at 1.55 μm are reported. Multimode rate equations are solved for short triangular current pulses of large amplitude superimposed on a dc bias close to threshold. Lasers of conventional length (200μm) and with short cavity (50 μm) are analyzed. The effect of wavelength chirp on time-resolved and the time-averaged multimode spectra is demonstrated. Optical pulses as short as 10 ps are predicted for short-cavity lasers with reflective coatings. While the number of longitudinal modes in gain-switched spectrum is efficiently reduced for short-cavity lasers, the dynamic linewidth of each mode remains of a similar magnitude (up to 140 GHz) as for standard-cavity lasers. It is expected that gain saturation effects could reduce the calculated values of dynamic linewidth.     

Amplifying medium characteristics in optimized 190 µm/195 µm DCN waveguide lasers

Extensive study of the CW, dischaxge-pumped, DCN laser operating on the (22⁰0-09¹0) 190 and 195 μm lines has been undertaken in order to develop a new source of radiation suitable for plasma diagnostics. The optimum values of the parameters of the discharge, the unsaturated gain, and the saturation intensity are given as a function of the tube diameter. Scaling laws predicting the maximum output power as a function of the tube dimensions and of the cavity loss are established. Such lasers compare favorably with optically pumped submillimeter lasers, since 250 mW are available from a 3 m long, 5 cm diameter waveguide DCN laser.     

Free electron laser small signal gain measurement at 10.6 µm

Small signal gain has been observed for 10.6 μm radiation using a constant (untapered) wiggler. The permanent magnet wiggler was 2.65 m long, had a period of 3.56 cm (75 periods) and a magnetic field on axis of 2.67 kG. The gain measured was 1.5 ± 0.4 percent agreeing well with the predicted gain corresponding to the experimental electron beam conditions (E = 25MeV,DeltaE/E = 0.75percent,epsilon = 8pimm . mrad, andI = 10A).     

Spectral properties of strongly coupled 1.5 µm DFB laser diodes

Spectral measurements of strongly coupled DFB lasers operating at 1.5 μm are presented. The magnitude of the coupling coefficientkin these devices was determined to be 80 cm^-1for lasers withlambda = 1.12 mum cladding layers and 160 cm^-1for devices withlambda = 1.3 mum cladding layers. These values forkare believed to be the largest reported for 1.5 μm DFB lasers. CW spectral linewidths as low as 10 MHz at 15 mW output power were obtained, and the linewidth was observed to vary approximately as the inverse of the device length cubed. Spectral measurements performed under 2 Gbit/s direct modulation exhibited a side mode suppression ratio of >38 dB. The effects of transient wavelength chirping were also investigated in detail and the maximum wavelength deviation was found to be ≃1.5 Å.     

LNA: A new CW Nd laser tunable around 1.05 and 1.08 µm

We have investigated the CW laser properties of the lanthamide hexa-aluminate La0.9Nd0.1MgAl11O19at room temperature. When a 1 cm long crystal is pumped by an Ar+ laser (514 nm) or a Kr+ laser (752 nm), CW emission is obtained with slope efficiencies of 10 and 26 percent, respectively. A four-plate Lyot filter in the cavity forces the LNA crystal to oscillate in either of the two major bands centered al 10 820 Å (tuning range 80 Å) and 10 545 Å (tuning range 35 Å).     

Distributed feedback laser emitting at 1.3 µm for gigabit communication systems

A distributed feedback (DFB) laser emitting at 1.3 μm for gigabit lightwave communication systems has been developed. The distributed feedback structure has been introduced in a newly developed buried heterostructure and designs for stable single-mode operation, high speed modulation, and low noise have been done. Threshold current of 10-15 mA, differential efficiency of around 0.28 mW/mA, low noise, small signal modulation bandwidth of 13.9 GHz, and satisfactory modulation waveform at 5-Gbit/s NRZ modulation have been attained with high single-mode operation yield.     

Modulated single-longitudinal mode semiconductor laser and fiber transmission characteristics at 1.55 µm

A laser light injection technique was studied to realize a semiconductor laser transmitter oscillating in a 1.55 μm single-longitudinal mode. When -15 dBm optical power was injected into the directly modulated laser, no dispersion degradation was observed in the error rate characteristics after transmitting through 44.3 km single-mode fibers at 100 Mbits/s. Effective gain coefficientg-alpha, measured by the light injection method, was 45 cm^-1near threshold. As this gain was sufficiently saturated at the -15 dBm injection power, undesired longitudinal modes in the modulated laser were suppressed.     

High-power high-reliability operation of 1.3 µm p-substrate buried crescent laser diodes

Stable high-power CW operation of 1.3-μm InGaAsP/InP p-substrate buried crescent laser diodes (PBC-LD'S) has been realized, by controlling the front and rear facet reflectivities of the laser diode chips. The front facet reflectivity is reduced to 17 percent and the rear facet reflectivity is increased to 90 percent, by evaporating multilayer dielectric films (Si/Al2O3SiO2:17 percent, SiO2/Si/SiO2/Si/SiO2:90 percent) on each facet. CW light output power of 50 mW is achieved up to 60°C. Aging tests have been carried out under automatic power control (APC) mode conditions of 50°C-30 mW, 40 mW, 50 mW, and 30°C-50 mW. All samples are operating stably in spite of junction-up configuration. The lifetimes are estimated to be more than2 times 10^{4}h for all conditions.     

Long operating time CW atomic iodine probe laser at 1.315 µm

A photolytically pumped longitudinal flow CW atomic iodine laser at1.315 mum with virtually an unlimited operating time and easy operation is reported. Several weeks of continual operation is easily attainable. The prolonged lasing is achieved by employing a passive closed cycle flow system of the C3F7I laser fuel. A high pressure dc Hg arc lamp is used for the photolytic pumping. Peak CW powers of 38 mW have been obtained along with good stability (∼1 percent amplitude fluctuations) in the fundamental TEM00mode via the use of an internal lens.     

The CW optically pumped 12.08µm Raman laser theory and experiments for high power-conversion efficiency

A model is developed to predict the performance of the continuous-wave CO2-pnmped 12.08 μm NH3laser which is operated by a two-photon or Raman-like process. The local gain and pump absorption are determined from a two-wave three-level treatment based on the density matrix formalism. A ring cavity configuration is considered and interaction of the two intensities inside the cavity are described using coupled wave equations. The subsequent 12.08μm output intensity is calculated for a wide range of operational parameters (injected pump intensity, NH3gas pressure, pump frequency offset, gain length, output coupling,... ). For a well optimized system, power-conversion efficiencies of 10-30 percent should be realistically obtained by pumping with a conventional CW CO2laser. Experiments illustrating the major conclusions are described.     

CO laser emission below 5.0 µ

Laser emission from a CW He-air-CO laser has been observed at 4.991, 4.937, 4.927, 4.884, and 4.874 μ. The emissions have been identified to result from transitions as low asupsilon= 3 : 2.     

Fiber-optical transmission between 0.8 and 1.4 µm

The present state of the art and expected development in discrete components for fiber-optic transmission systems are reviewed. Predicted performance of fiber systems in the 0.85, 1.06, and 1.27 µm regions is presented, and the advantages of longer wavelength operation quantified. It is concluded that operation near 1.27 µm is particularly attractive for a) moderate data rate systems employing LED's and multimode fibers whose chromatic dispersion and attenuation are greatly reduced compared with 0.85 and 1.06 µm, and b) high data rate systems employing lasers and monomode fibers. In systems employing lasers and graded index multimode fibers, the advantage of 1.27 µm versus 1.06 µm operation is not as pronounced, although transmission distances at both of these longer wavelengths are significantly increased from those at 0.85 µm.     

New laser lines with wavelengths from λ = 61.7 µm down to λ = 27.7 µm in optically pumped CH3OH and CD3OH

25 new CW far infrared laser lines have been observed with wavelengths fromlambda = 61.7 mum down tolambda = 27.7 mum. We have significantly increased the number of known short wavelength laser lines and extended the laser line spectrum to the 30 μm region by using a BaF2outcoupling system.