复合结构掠入射板条放大器热效应的模拟分析

为了研究复合结构掠入射板条放大器的热效应,采用在Nd:YVO4晶体抽运面上键合具有高热导率性能的蓝宝石的复合结构,并建立了相应的热力学模型,对激光介质的温度场分布、光程差（OPD）和热透镜效应进行了详细的理论分析,利用有限元分析软件COMSOL模拟了晶体内部的温度、应变、光程差（OPD）及热焦距的分布情况。结果表明,板条厚度为2 mm、键合层厚度1 mm、抽运功率60 W时,复合结构相对于单一结构最高温度下降了约50 K,晶体中的最大形变量降低超过了1/3,极大地降低了介质中的热效应。     

激光二极管端面抽运Nd:YVO4晶体连续输出板条激光器研究

报道了利用激光二极管列阵端面抽运Nd:YVO4混合腔板条激光器连续波输出的实验结果,获得近衍射极限的60 W连续激光输出.实验证明两种晶体输出功率相当,低掺杂浓度的Nd:YVO4晶体更有利于得到近衍射极限的高功率输出,但同时对冷却水温度的变化也较敏感.     

第三类热边界条件对激光晶体热效应的影响

以各向异性半解析热分析理论为基础,研究矩形横截面Nd:YVO4激光晶体在有第三类热边界条件工作时,激光晶体温度场分布和晶体抽运面热形变分布.通过激光晶体工作特点分析,建立符合激光晶体工作状态的热模型.利用各向异性介质热传导方程的半解析求解方法,得出了矩形截面Nd:YVO4晶体的温度场、端面热形变场的通解表达式.研究结果表明:当使用输出功率为15 W半导体激光器端面中心入射Nd:YVO4晶体(晶体掺钕离子质量分数为0.5%)时,在抽运端面中心获得499.5 K最高温度和0.99 μm最大热形变量.和将第三类热边界条件近似为第二类热边界条件的通用做法相比更准确.这种方法可以应用到其它激光晶体热问题研究中,为有效解决激光系统热问题提供了理论依据.     

第三类热边界条件对激光晶体热效应的影响

以各向异性半解析热分析理论为基础,研究矩形横截面Nd∶YVO4激光晶体在有第三类热边界条件工作时,激光晶体温度场分布和晶体抽运面热形变分布.通过激光晶体工作特点分析,建立符合激光晶体工作状态的热模型.利用各向异性介质热传导方程的半解析求解方法,得出了矩形截面Nd∶YVO4晶体的温度场、端面热形变场的通解表达式.研究结果表明：当使用输出功率为15 W半导体激光器端面中心入射Nd∶YVO4晶体（晶体掺钕离子质量分数为0.5%）时,在抽运端面中心获得499.5 K最高温度和0.99 μm最大热形变量.和将第三类热边界条件近似为第二类热边界条件的通用做法相比更准确.这种方法可以应用到其它激光晶体热问题研究中,为有效解决激光系统热问题提供了理论依据.     

波面热畸变自校正型板条增益介质的瞬态温度分布

提出一种新的激光增益介质板条抽运结构,这种结构能对由激光增益介质板条温度分布不均所造成的波面热畸变实现自校正,并建立了这种抽运结构下激光增益介质板条的瞬态温度分布理论模型,通过解热传导方程,推导出板条增益介质的瞬态温度分布的解析表达式。同时对抽运参量分别为抽运脉冲能量为5.8×104J、抽运重复频率为2Hz和抽运脉冲能量为3.2×104J、重复频率为10Hz两种情况下两种下N-31型钕玻璃板条的瞬态温度分布分别进行了数值计算,分别给出两种情况下10s内和60s时钕玻璃板条的温度分布图并对结果进行了分析和对比,表明采用这种抽运结构的增益介质板条激光器可以以类似热容激光器的方式在短时间内实现高平均功率、高光束质量运转。     

激光二极管双端抽运高功率高光束质量Z型折叠腔Nd:YVO_4激光器

在高功率激光二极管(LD)抽运条件下,固体增益介质的热透镜效应是优化激光谐振腔系统所必须考虑的重要因素之一。利用带尾纤耦合输出的激光二极管和整形聚焦透镜组组合抽运Nd:YVO4晶体,用稳腔法测量了激光晶体的等效热焦距。利用LAS-CAD软件模拟了三种热稳腔结构在所测等效热焦距下的模式分布,对LD双端抽运Nd:YVO4激光器Z字型谐振腔进行优化设计后,实验选定后腔镜曲率半径R1=300mm,输出镜曲率半径R2=100mm,腔长Ltotal=280mm,耦合输出镜透射率T=50%。当输入61W抽运功率时,激光最高输出功率达21.3W,光束质量因子M21.41,所得激光器输出结果与理论预期吻合得很好。     

大功率激光二极管抽运Nd∶YVO4激光器的特性研究

通过对Nd∶YVO4晶体吸收特性的研究, 对激光输出功率、斜效率与抽运功率的关系进行了理论分析, 发现Nd∶YVO4激光器在大功率激光二极管抽运的条件下, 激光斜效率随抽运功率的增加而减小, 实验表明, 理论结果与实验符合得较好. 选用Nd3+掺杂的原子数分数为0.5%、通光长度为5 mm的Nd∶YVO4晶体, 在抽运功率为5 W左右时, 输出功率为3 W左右时, 获得了71.5%的激光斜效率.     

激光二极管抽运的Nd:YVO_4连续自拉曼1175nm激光器

报道了采用激光二极管端面抽运的Nd:YVO4晶体连续自拉曼激光器的实验研究.通过对晶体掺杂浓度及晶体结构的选择优化,减轻自拉曼晶体的热效应,实现了结构紧凑的1175 nm连续自拉曼激光器的高效运转.最终以两端键合的复合Nd:YVO4晶体作为自拉曼介质,在25.5 W的抽运功率下,获得了最高3.4 W的1175 nm连续拉曼光输出,光光转换效率为13.3%,拉曼阈值低至2.21 W,斜效率为14.6%.     

端面抽运固体激光器中Nd∶YAG和Nd∶YVO_4晶体组合应用技术研究

采用Nd∶YAG与Nd∶YVO4晶体组合应用的方案,将具有优良导热和光电性能的Nd∶YAG晶体作为抽运光的前端吸收晶体,其后端放置具有较宽吸收谱的Nd∶YVO4晶体,用来吸收由于谱宽不匹配而没有被Nd∶YAG晶体吸收的抽运光能量成分。两种晶体在波长1064nm处的发射谱相互重叠,其吸收的抽运光能量可以转化成共同波长的振荡激光,提高了抽运光的利用效率。这种组合应用的方式还可以有效抑制振荡光功率随抽运源工作温度变化而产生的波动。实验证明,采用这种激光晶体的组合应用方案,相对于单一Nd∶YAG晶体方案,激光器的光光转换效率可提升22.9%,输出功率对温度的敏感度由7%降到1%以内。     

LD侧面抽运板条激光器热效应分析

针对板状Nd:YLF激光介质,在高斯光束抽运情况下,用ANSYS有限元软件模拟了激光介质的热效应,对激光介质中各点的温度和应力分布进行了分析和比较.研究发现双侧抽运与单侧抽运相比,更易获得对称的温度分布,随着抽运光斑横截面变大,抽运面中心温度变低.同时得到板条的棱边、端角处存在较大热应力,且引入的机械应力不可忽视,因此,激光器运转时此区域需防止断裂.     

Thermal effects of the diode end-pumped Nd:YVO4 slab

The thermal effects of the diode end-pumped Nd:YVO₄ slab laser crystal are investigated both analytically and numerically. The theoretical model is established with considering the divergence of the pump beam in the slab. A detailed theoretical analysis of the temperature, stress and the focal length of thermal lens are presented. Using 3D finite element analysis, an accurate numerical solution based on the theoretical model is achieved. Our analysis includes the thermal fracture damage of the thermally and optically anisotropic slab and the predicated values are compared with the experimental results.     

激光二极管端面抽运Nd∶YVO4晶体连续输出板条激光器研究

报道了利用激光二极管列阵端面抽运Nd∶YVO₄混合腔板条激光器连续波输出的实验结果,获得近衍射极限的60 W连续激光输出. 实验证明两种晶体输出功率相当,低掺杂浓度的Nd∶YVO₄晶体更有利于得到近衍射极限的高功率输出,但同时对冷却水温度的变化也较敏感. 关键词： 激光二极管端面抽运 板条激光器 混合腔     

The thermal effect in diode-end-pumped continuous-wave 914-nm Nd:YVO4 laser

The thermal effect and the heat generation in diode-end-pumped continuous-wave 914-nm Nd:YVO₄ lasers are investigated in detail. A theoretical model of a diode end-pumped solid-state laser is constructed to analyse the influence of fractional thermal loading on the thermal effect in the Nd:YVO₄ laser based on finite element analysis. The thermal focal lengths and the end-surface deformations of laser rods in Nd:YVO₄ quasi-three-level and four-level lasers are measured and compared with the results obtained by ordinary interferometry for the demonstration of higher thermal loading in 914-nm laser. Finally the fractional thermal loading in the Nd:YVO₄ quasi-three-level laser is calculated by matching the experimental and the simulated end deformations.     

Quasi-continuously pumped passively mode-locked operation of a Nd:GdVO4 and Nd:YVO4 laser in a bounce geometry

The comparative study of pulsed diode pumped Nd:GdVO₄ and Nd:YVO₄ slab lasers in a bounce geometry in a free running and a passively mode-locked regime was performed. The better efficiency of Nd:GdVO₄ in both regimes was obtained. In the free running regime the efficiency of 39% was achieved from Nd:GdVO₄ comparing with 28% from Nd:YVO₄. Passive mode-locking of both lasers using a semiconductor saturable absorber in the transmission mode was demonstrated. Trains containing 6 pulses were generated in both cases but the pump energy for Nd:GdVO₄ was 50% lower. The single pulse extraction using cavity dumping was demonstrated with contrast better than 10^?3.     

A comparative study of continuous laser operation on the F3/2-I9/2 transitions of Nd:GdVO4 and Nd:YVO4 crystals

A comparative study of Nd:GdVO₄ and Nd:YVO₄ crystal lasers pumped by a fiber-coupled diode array has been conducted at the ⁴F_3/2-⁴I_9/2 transitions wavelengths of 912 nm and 914 nm, as well as when intracavity frequency-doubled to 456 nm and 457 nm, respectively. At the fundamental wavelength of 912 nm and second harmonic wavelength of 456 nm, maximum output powers from the Nd:GdVO₄ crystal laser were 7.85 W and 4.6 W at a pump power of 29 W. All the results obtained from Nd:GdVO₄ were superior to those of Nd:YVO₄, indicating that Nd:GdVO₄ is a more efficient laser crystal than Nd:YVO₄ for laser operation on the ⁴F_3/2-⁴I_9/2 transitions.     

Theoretical analysis and experimental research on thermal focal length of a YVO4/Nd:YVO4 composite crystal

This paper investigates the temperature field distribution and thermal focal length within a laser diode array (LDA) end-pumped YVO4/Nd:YVO4 rectangular composite crystal. A general expression of the temperature field distribution within the Nd:YVO4 rectangular crystal was obtained by analysing the characteristics of the Nd:YVO4 crystal and solving the Poisson equation with boundary conditions. The temperature field distributions in the Nd:YVO4 rectangular crystal for the YVO4/Nd:YVO4 composite crystal and the Nd:YVO4 single crystal are researched respec- tively. Calculating the thermal focal length within the Nd:YVO4 rectangular crystal was done by an analysis of the additional optical path differences (OPD) caused by heat, which was very identical with experimental results in this paper. Research results show that the maximum relative temperature on the rear face of the Nd:YVO4 crystal in the composite crystal is 150 K and the thermal focal length is 35.7 mm when the output power of the LDA is 22 W. In the same circumstances, the experimental value of the thermal focal length is 37.4 mm. So the relative error between the theoretical analysis and the experimental result is only 4.5%. With the same conditions, the thermal focal length of the Nd:YVO4 single crystal is 18.5 mm. So the relative rate of the thermal focal length between the YVO4/Nd:YVO4 crystal and the Nd:YVO4 crystal is 93%. So, the thermal stability of the output power and the beam quality of the YVO4/Nd:YVO4 laser is more advantageous than the laser with Nd:YVO4 single crystal.     

High-repetition-rate Nd:YVO4 slab laser with a 1-D top-hat output beam

A high-repetition-rate electro-optic Q-switched Nd:YVO₄ slab laser is demonstrated in this paper. The Nd:YVO₄ slab inside the compact resonator is end-pumped by a 2-bar laser diode stack. The output beam with one dimension (1-D) top-hat intensity distribution at both near field and far field is generated. Continuous wave (CW) output of 13 5 W is obtained under the total pump power of 50 W. At the repetition rate of 40 kHz, the energy per pulse is 0.32 mJ with its pulse width of 26.3 ns. At 20 kHz, we have achieved the maximum pulse energy of 0.56 mJ and 56 kW peak power with 10 ns pulse width.     

Optical properties and laser performance of neodymium doped scheelites CaWO4 and NaGd(WO4)2

Nd-doped CaWO₄ (CWO) and NaGd(WO₄)₂ (NGWO) single crystals with good optical quality have been grown by the Czochralski technique. The neodymium distribution coefficient in these matrices is about 0.4 for CWO and close to unity for NGWO. Polarized absorption and emission spectra have been recorded at room temperature and used to calculate the absorption and stimulated emission cross-sections.1 and 2% Nd : CWO and 1 % Nd:NGWO laser rods have been tested in a cavity longitudinaly pumped by an 1 W AIGaAs laser diode and compared to Nd : YAG and Nd:YVO₄ rods in the same conditions. The 2% Nd: CWO rod exhibits the best performance with slope efficiencies of 64%, higher than in the case of YAG and equal to the YVO₄ samples. The dependence of the laser output power versus the diode temperature has been measured for all these materials. The laser output of Nd: CWO was found to be nearly as stable as for Nd : YVO₄ and much more stable than in the case of Nd : YAG. A CWO microchip has also been tested for the first time to our knowledge.     

Effect of Nd3+ concentration on CW and pulsed performance of fiber-coupled diode laser pumped Nd:YVO4 laser at 1064 nm

The effect of Nd³⁺ concentration on the CW and Q-switched laser performances at 1064 nm from Nd: YVO₄ has been studied under diode laser pumping in identical laser configuration. The Nd³⁺ concentrations used were 1, 2 and 3 at.% in YVO₄ crystals. Under the CW operations we have compared the thermal lensing effect, slope efficiencies and also the beam quality at the fourth-order degeneracy configuration. Q-switching was done with the help of an acousto-optic modulator and we have compared the pulses obtained from Nd: YVO₄ laser with different doping concentration. It was found that the 1 at.%-doped crystal is the best, offering highest optical-to-optical conversion efficiency (55%), lowest fractional heat load (24%), highest pulse energy (80 μJ) and shortest pulse width (20 ns). It was also found that there was not much difference in performances for 2 and 3 at.%-doped crystals both in CW and Q-switched configurations.     

DESIGN OF A 532nm Nd:YVO4/KTP SINGLE-FREQUENCY LASER

A model of the laser-diode pumped solid-state laser is developed to deduce the minimum average radii of the pump beam in the solid medium, since the smaller the cavity waist, the higher the laser output power is expected to be. With an appropriate coupling system consisting of the collimating lens, prism pair and focusing lens, a diode-pumped single-frequency Nd:YVO₄/KTP intracavity frequency-doubling cw laser has been demonstrated through the precise temperature control of the Nd:YVO₄ crystal, the KTP crystal and the diode laser. The 532nm single-frequency output power of 40.4mW (in fact 55mW if the reflection loss of the triangular prism is taken into account) is obtained for an incident power of 515mW. It is derived theoretically and is verified in experiment that the frequency drift of the free-running laser can be reduced by increasing the cavity length.