Pump power dependence of ruby laser starting and stopping time

Experimental results from a number of small ruby lasers show a linear relationship between the pump power and the inverse of the time delay between pump flash and the onset of laser oscillation. These experimental results are quantitatively predicted by a simple rate-equation analysis, yielding a single theoretical curve with no adjustable parameters and in good agreement with the experiments. Additional evidence is also presented verifying the onset at higher pump powers of additional "bouncing-ball" or "light-pipe" modes of oscillation in ruby rods with polished side walls. These additional modes account, in particular, for the abrupt cessation of laser output after an anomalously short duration of laser action, as is typically observed in such rods. These anomalous modes, which are usually not well coupled to the detection circuitry, apparently suppress the normal mode of oscillation once they begin and limit the available output energy in the normal mode. The anomalous modes are eliminated by roughening the sides of the rod, after which normal duration of laser action is observed. The laser stopping time is also predicted with reasonable accuracy by the rate-equation analysis.     

Passive mode locking in a diode-pumped Nd:GdVO/sub 4/ laser with a semiconductor saturable absorber mirror

We demonstrate Q-switched and CW passive mode locking in a laser-diode-pumped Nd:GdVO/sub 4/ laser with a semiconductor saturable absorber mirror. The repetition rate of the Q-switched envelope increased from 23.1 to 260 kHz as the pump power increased from 1.75 to 13.0 W. At a pump power of 13.7 W, the Q-switched mode locking changed to CW mode locking. The maximum average output power of 4.9 W with a 140-MHz repetition rate was obtained at a pump power of 17.9 W and the single mode-locked pulse energy was 0.035 /spl mu/J. The CW mode-locked pulse duration was measured to be /spl sim/11.5 ps.     

CW ruby laser pumped by an argon ion laser

A simple CW ruby laser pumped by a 514.5-nm argon ion laser, utilizing an uncoated ruby rod (no external mirrors), is described. The output does not exhibit spiking, but does show a low amplitude ∼1 percent) of modulation.     

Ground state ESR measurements of ruby during laser action

The use of electron spin resonance for measurement of the ground state population (GSP) of Cr³⁺in a ruby rod during optical pumping is described. For a 7.7 cm long rod at 90°K and a mirror reflectance productR_{1}R_{2} > 0.08, the GSP at laser threshold was found to be 55 ± 5 percent in good agreement with theory and previous optical measurements. At room temperature, a limiting value of approximately 30 percent for the GSP was approached at high pump energies. Observations of the relativeR_{1}(3/2), R_{1}(1/2)thresholds at 90°K as a function of mirror reflectivity indicated that the²E excited state absorption cross section at the laser wavelength is less than5 times 10^{-21}cm². Detection of total internal reflection oscillations in cooled ruby lasers from ESR observations is also described.     

LED end-pumped Nd:YAG lasers

Experimental results are reported on the room-temperature operation of Nd:YAG lasers end pumped with an LED. The radiation from a 10-percent-efficient 0.46-mm-diam domed LED was coupled to the end of a 0.46-mm-diam × 5.0-mm-long laser rod with a large hemispherical reflector. At 20°C, a multimode laser power of 0.25 mW was obtained at an LED current of 250 mA. By measuring the variation of threshold pump power with rod temperature and the laser power versus pump power just above threshold, both the laser cavity loss and the output mirror transmission were determined. A round-trip cavity loss as low as 0.022 percent was measured. A calculation of the fractional pump power absorbed in the rod for the LED spectrum gave 56 percent for a 5-mm-long rod while measurements showed that 30 to 35 percent of the LED power was being absorbed indicating an LED-to-laser rod coupling efficiency of 54 to 63 percent for this arrangement. With such efficient absorption of pump power and low cavity loss, end-pumped Nd:YAG lasers with high slope efficiencies above threshold are possible.     

Vertical external-cavity surface-emitting laser for dual-wavelength generation

We report an optically pumped vertical external-cavity surface-emitting laser that is designed for emission at two wavelengths simultaneously. Single transverse mode continuous-wave (CW) operation is demonstrated at the wavelengths of 984 and 1042 nm. The device produces a CW optical power of 140 mW for the 984-nm component and 115 mW for the 1042-nm component, exhibiting over 10% efficiency. At a high pump power, self-pulsation of the components appeared on top of the CW-mode components. The maximum total output of 1 W was obtained at the pump power of 9 W.     

端面抽运Nd:YAG圆棒热容激光晶体热分析

为了准确研究LD端面抽运圆棒热容激光晶体Nd:YAG时产生的热效应,采用以半解析热分析理论为基础、结合弹性力学理论的研究方法,得出了圆棒热容激光晶体抽运阶段和冷却阶段的温度场、热应力场和端面形变量半解析计算方法。结果表明,当抽运总功率为200W,4阶超高斯LD对Nd:YAG抽运2s时,Nd:YAG圆棒热容激光晶体的端面最大应力为52.9MPa,低于晶体断裂阈值下线的50%;此时激光晶体端面形变为3.05μm。所得结果为优化热容激光器提供了理论支持。     

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。     

高功率半导体激光器端面抽运连续固体激光器谐振腔的设计

提出了设计高功率半导体激光器（ＬＤ）端面抽运连续固体激光器谐振腔的基本原则。据此利用数值计算方法很容易得到理想的腔参数,使腔的热稳定范围相当宽;激光介质内基模半径不随抽运功率变化;腔内像散得到完全消除;在相当大的抽运功率范围内腔工作于稳区中心附近。实验结果证明：这种腔容易实现低阈值、高效、高功率的基模运转,光－光转换效率可达５０％ 。     

Short wavelength (/spl lambda//spl sim/4.3 /spl mu/m) high-performance continuous-wave quantum-cascade lasers

We report continuous-wave (CW) operation of a 4.3-/spl mu/m quantum-cascade laser from 80 K to 313 K. For a high-reflectivity-coated 11-/spl mu/m-wide and 4-mm-long laser, CW output powers of 1.34 W at 80 K and 26 mW at 313 K are achieved. At 298 K, the CW threshold current density of 1.5 kA/cm/sup 2/ is observed with a CW output power of 166 mW and maximum wall-plug efficiency of 1.47%. The CW emission wavelength varies from 4.15 /spl mu/m at 80 K to 4.34 /spl mu/m at 298 K, corresponding to a temperature-tuning rate of 0.87 nm/K. The beam full-width at half-maximum values for the parallel and the perpendicular far-field patterns are 26/spl deg/ and 49/spl deg/ in CW mode, respectively.     

Pump power stability range of single-mode solid-state lasers with rod thermal lensing

The pump power stability range of solid-state laser resonators operating in the TEM00mode has been thoroughly investigated. It has been shown that, for a very general resonator containing intracavity optical systems, rod thermal lensing engenders a pump power stability range which is a characteristic parameter of laser material and pump cavity, but is independent of resonator configuration. Stability ranges have been calculated and critically discussed for Nd:YAG, Nd:glasses, Nd: Cr: GSGG, and alexandrite. The independence of the pump power stability range from the resonator configuration has been experimentally demonstrated for a CW Nd:YAG laser.     

Submillimeter-wave generation by difference-frequency mixing of ruby laser lines in ZnTe

A submillimeter wave of 0.34-mm wavelength with peak power of ∼10^-3watt has been generated in ZnTe by beating the R1and R2lines of aQ-switched ruby laser. As the detectorn-InSb cooled to 1.7°K was used. The dependence of the beat power upon the angle between incident electric fields and the crystallographic axis was in accordance with the43msymmetry. The observed beat power was smaller, by three orders of magnitude, than the calculated one based on the assumption of collinear plane waves. A theory including the effect of input beam divergence inside the crystal gives a beat power fairly close to the measured value. Some results of auxiliary experiments supporting our viewpoint are also given.     

Improved CW operation of GaAs-based QC lasers: T/sub max/= 150 K

We present a substantial improvement in the CW performance of GaAs-based quantum cascade lasers with operation up to 150 K. This has been achieved through suitable changes in device processing of a well-characterized laser. The technology optimizes the current injection in the laser by reducing the size of the active stripe whilst maintaining a strong coupling of the optical mode to preserve low current densities. The reduction of total dissipated power is critical for these lasers to operate CW. At 77 K, the maximum CW optical power is 80 mW, threshold current is 470 mA, slope efficiency is 141 mW/A, and lasing wavelength /spl lambda//spl sim/10.3 /spl mu/m.     

Continuous-wave type-II “QW” lasers emitting atλ=5.4-7.1 μm

Optically pumped type-II QW lasers emitting in the 5.4-7.1 -μm wavelength range and at continuous-wave (CW) temperatures up to 210 K are demonstrated. At 80 K, the maximum CW output power from a 40-μm-wide pump stripe is 48 mW at 5.41 μm and 31 mW at 6.05 μm. Epitaxial-side-down heat sinking is provided by a new diamond-pressure-bond mounting technique, which requires minimal processing and maintains topside optical access     

百瓦级1 030 nm光纤-固体混合放大激光器

光纤-固体混合放大技术能够将光纤激光器和固体放大器的优势结合,获得结构紧凑、成本低廉的高功率超短脉冲激光。因此,实验设计了基于掺镱光纤-固体混合放大技术的高平均功率超短脉冲激光器。该激光器主要由全光纤结构激光器和两级固体放大器组成,第一级为基于Yb: YAG单晶光纤的固体放大器,第二级为基于无侧面抛光的棒状Yb: YAG晶体的主放大器。超短脉冲全光纤前端平均输出功率为6.5 W,重复频率52.9 MHz,脉冲宽度47.5 ps。第一级单晶光纤放大器采用单通放大形式,在反向泵浦功率182 W时获得40 W的平均功率。第二级固体放大器同样为单通放大,在反向泵浦功率307 W时获得平均功率122.9 W的超短脉冲激光输出,滤除热退偏激光后获得了107.3 W的线偏振超短脉冲激光,对应斜效率为26.1%。此时测得脉冲宽度为12.1 ps,中心波长为1 030.6 nm,光谱宽度为2.4 nm。在最大输出功率107.3 W时,测得水平和垂直方向的光束质量因子M_x2=1.45,M_y2=1.20。     

大功率激光二极管泵浦全固态Nd：YVO4微片激光器

本文报道了一种大功率激光二极管端面泵清的全固态Ｎｄ：ＹＶＯ４微片激光器。在泵浦功率为１１．９Ｗ时,获得７．２Ｗ的１０６４ｎｍ波长的ＴＥＭ００模激光输出,光－光转换效率达到６０％,激光斜效率达到６５％。     

LD泵浦Nd:YVO4／SESAM锁模激光器实验研究

报道了利用LD泵浦Nd∶YVO4激光器,用半导体可饱和吸收镜(SESAM)做被动锁模元件,实现了高效的连续锁模运转,输入功率7.5W时得到2.45W的激光输出,光-光转换效率达32.7%,锁模脉冲的重复频率为108MHz.     

三结太阳电池栅线对激光辐照中的传热影响研究

为了研究三结太阳电池表面的栅线在1 070 nm连续激光辐照过程中的传热影响机制,文中通过激光辐照过程中三结太阳电池实时的电致发光现象分析三结太阳电池的损伤情况,并建立三维锗基太阳电池模型,借助有限元分析软件COMSOL对连续激光辐照锗基太阳电池的温度分布进行仿真。结果表明:在连续激光功率密度为72.5 W/cm2、辐照时间为41 s时,三结太阳电池的顶电池出现轻微损伤,损伤区域首先沿着栅线分布。在锗基太阳电池的仿真模型中,电池的温度升高至1 318 K,栅线引起了三结太阳电池热量传递方向的各项异性,沿着栅线具有更高的热传导速率。仿真结果能够对实验现象给予合理的解释。     

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。