Preionization kinetics of an X-ray preionized XeCl gas discharge laser

The influence of preionization conditions on the performance of a XeCl gas discharge laser preionized by a short, high intensity x-ray pulse, has been studied. The laser output energy and optical pulse temporal characteristics have been used to determine the roles of initial electron density and of electron attachment to HCl and to impurities. Although the short pulse preionization technique functions well for XeCl when the laser voltage pulse has a short risetime (?20 ns), it is less well suited to XeCl lasers using slowly rising voltage pulses (>50 ns), or to F₂ containing gas mixtures (KrF and XeF lasers).     

Output and picosecond amplification characteristics of an efficient and high-power discharge excimer laser

Improvements in output pulse energy and efficiency of a conventional capacitor-transfer-type discharge excimer laser with automatic preionization have been achieved by extending the discharge volume and resulting moderate pumping of the active medium. The discharge laser produces a pulse energy of more than 1 J for XeCl, KrF, and ArF lasers in square beams of about 2×2 cm², and the maximum overall efficiency observed is 2.9% for XeCl, 3.2% for KrF and 1.8% for ArF. The laser device has been involved in a picosecond ( 32 ps) XeCl laser amplification system, and was operated as an amplifier at a repetitive frequency of 10 Hz. Saturation fluence for XeCl laser was measured to be 1.4 mJ/cm², and the picosecond pulse energy of 40 mJ was extracted from the amplifier.On leave from Ebara Corp., 6-6-7, Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104, JapanOn leave from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, LTD., 4-6-22, Kan-on shinmachi, Nishi-ku, Hiroshima 733, Japan     

Bandwidth limited amplification of 220 fs pulses in XeCl

Transform limited pulses of 200–250 fs duration at 308 ns generated by a specially designed excimer laser pumped dye laser system have been amplified in a XeCl gain module. Simultaneous study of the spectrum and the temporal behaviour of the amplified UV pulses showed bandwidth limitation by the gain spectrum of XeCl. This effect is strongly dependent on the operational condition of the amplifier; in a single pass amplification scheme 0.5 mJ, 250 fs pulses, in a double pass arrangement 5 mJ, 220 fs pulses were obtained, with excellent reproducibility.     

499nm绿色激光泵浦的掺钛宝石激光输出

首次推导用ＸｅＣｌ／Ｈ２拉曼系统三阶期托克期输出作泵浦源的可调谐掺钛宝石激光输出特性在稳恒溅注浦光的波长为４９９ｎｍ，脉宽为６０ｎｓ。激光输出的斜率效率为５９％，脉宽为２０ｎｓ。最大输出能量为１．２ｍＪ。能量转换效率为４２％。采用一组调谐镜时的范围为６８０－８３４ｎｍ     

Compression of the pulses of a Ti:sapphire laser system to 5 femtoseconds at 0.2 terawatt level

High intensity contrast ratio, pre-pulse free pulses with pulse duration of 5 fs and pulse energy of 1 mJ were generated at a repetition rate of 1 kHz by compressing the output pulses of a multi-stage Ti:sapphire laser amplifier system in a Ne-gas-filled hollow fibre. The spatial and temporal properties of the output laser beam were fully characterised. PACS 42.60.Jf; 42.65.Re; 42.81.Qb     

增益开关型Ti~(3+):Al_2O_3对激光器的时间特性研究

本文报道增益开关型Ti~(3+) :Al_2O_3激光器输出脉冲的时间特性;给出激光器在宽带输出及调谐工作状态下,输出脉冲的时间特性曲线.实验中获得最小的脉宽为1.2ns.在一定的实验条件下,脉冲宽度可在5～27.5ns范围内连续变化.在调谐状态下,用一输出耦合镜得到波长可调谐范围为730～850nm.用三块棱镜作调谐器,在中心波长780nm处,最大输出能量为4.7mJ,谱线宽度为0.13nm(FWHM).     

1064nm纳秒激光脉冲激发的外腔式PbWO4拉曼激光器

研究了外腔式PbWO4拉曼激光器在纳秒脉冲抽运下的输出特性。利用主动调Q的Nd:YAG激光器产生的脉冲宽度为31.4ns,最大输出能量为200mJ的1064nm激光作为抽运源。拉曼激光谐振腔采用的是平凹腔设计。测量了输出的拉曼光脉宽与抽运能量的关系,分析了输出的拉曼光脉冲波形图和光谱图,测量了输出的拉曼光脉冲能量与抽运能量的关系,计算了转换效率与抽运能量的关系。当注入抽运光能量达到42mJ时,得到了一阶斯托克斯光脉冲的最大能量和转换效率分别为10mJ和24%,获得外腔式PbWO4拉曼激光器的一阶斯托克斯光脉冲波长为1177.6nm,典型的一阶斯托克斯光脉冲脉宽为20ns。     

Broad-band regenerative laser amplification in ytterbium-doped calcium fluoride (Yb:CaF<Subscript>2</Subscript>)

An output pulse energy of 17.3 mJ has been achieved with a diode-pumped Yb:CaF₂ regenerative laser amplifier. The bandwidth of the output pulse spectrum was 7.3 nm, being seeded with femtosecond pulses stretched to 2.2 ns. In cw operation a tuning range of 80 nm has been observed. A maximum pulse energy of 44 mJ at a repetition rate of 1 Hz has been obtained in Q-switched mode. The laser damage threshold of a Yb:CaF₂ crystal has been determined at a wavelength of 1064 nm and a pulse duration of 10 ns. PACS 42.55.Ah; 42.55.Xi; 42.70.Hj     

Efficient generation of 200 mJ nanosecond pulses at 100 Hz repetition rate from a cryogenic cooled Yb:YAG MOPA system

A diode-pumped Master Oscillator Power Amplifier (MOPA) laser system based on cryogenic cooled Yb:YAG has been designed, developed and its output performance characterised. The laser system consists of a fibre oscillator, an active mirror regenerative amplifier and a four pass main amplifier. 2.4 mJ, 10 ns, 100 Hz seed pulses from the fibre oscillator/regenerative amplifier arrangement were amplified up to pulse energies of over 200 mJ by using the four pass main amplifier arrangement. As a further study we have obtained an increased slope efficiency of 40% and an optical-to-optical efficiency of 30% using a pinhole vacuum spatial filter/image relay for laser mode control. With 1.8 mJ input seed pulses, output pulse energies of around 150 mJ were achieved.     

Nd:GSAG-pulsed laser operation at 943 nm and crystal growth

Laser activity of neodymium-doped gadolinium scandium aluminum garnet (Nd:GSAG) on the transition with an output wavelength around 943 nm was investigated. The emission cross-section was measured with spectroscopic and amplifier approaches demonstrating the applicability of the Nd:GSAG laser for water vapor detection. A Q-switched laser setup delivered 150 ns pulses with 26 mJ output energy and 9% optical to optical efficiency. The laser was diode pumped with up to 50 Hz repetition rate. In the long pulse mode a pulse energy of 83 mJ with 32% optical efficiency was achieved. The output wavelength was controlled by injection seeding. PACS 42.55.Xi; 42.70.Hj     

High-peak-power,high-repetition-rate LD end-pumped Nd:YVO<Subscript>4</Subscript> burst mode laser

A compact high-peak-power, high-repetition-rate burst mode laser is achieved by an acousto-optical Q-switched Nd:YVO₄ 1064 nm laser directly pumped at 878.6 nm. Pulse trains with 10–100 pulses are obtained using acousto-optical Q-switch at repetition rates of 10–100 kHz under a pulsed pumping with a 1 ms duration. At the maximum pump energy of 108.5 mJ, the pulse energy of 10 kHz burst mode laser reaches 44 mJ corresponding to a single pulse energy of 4.4 mJ and an optical-to-optical efficiency of 40.5 %.The maximum peak power of ~468.1 kW at 10 kHz is obtained with a pulse width of 9.4 ns. The beam quality factor is measured to be M ² ~1.5 and the pulse jitter is estimated to be less than 1 % in both amplitude and time region.     

Direct generation of sub-nanosecond pulses in a high-pressure miniature excimer laser

Direct generation of subnanosecond pulses in a 9.0 cm discharge-length high-pressure XeCl laser is reported. The shortest pulse obtained was 670 ps (FWHM) with an energy of 1.2 mJ corresponding to 1.8 MW peak power.     

外腔式SrWO4拉曼激光器的输出特性研究

研究了外腔式SrWO4拉曼激光器在ns脉冲抽运下的输出特性。利用主动调Q的Nd∶YAG激光器产生的脉冲宽度为11.7 ns,输出能量为80 mJ的激光作为抽运源,拉曼激光谐振腔采用平平腔,实验采用4片对一阶斯托克斯脉冲和二阶斯托克斯脉冲不同反射率的输出耦合镜,测量了输出能量与抽运能量的关系,计算了转换效率与抽运能量的关系。当输出耦合镜对一阶斯托克斯脉冲的反射率为39.9%时,实验得到一阶斯托克斯脉冲的最大能量和转换效率分别为23.9 mJ和36.2%,当输出耦合镜对一阶斯托克斯脉冲和二阶斯托克斯脉冲的反射率分别为80.5%和12.4%时,得到二阶斯托克斯脉冲的最大输出能量和转换效率分别为16.4 mJ和25.4%,典型的一阶斯托克斯脉冲和二阶斯托克斯脉冲的脉冲宽度分别为6.1 ns和5.8 ns。     

Pulse Evolution Characteristics in Self-Similar Mode-locked Fibre Laser

A self-similar mode locked fibre laser is studied based on a numerical model. By introducing a dimensionless factor k to characterize the pulse shape, the self-similar pulse evolution, formation and the temporal and spectral shape changes due to the elements in the cavity are investigated throughout the laser cavity. The results show that in the self-similar mode locked fibre laser, self-similar pulse is first formed in the single-mode fibre, which is then amplified in the gain fibre. Gain bandwidth has a small influence on pulse shape, so high energy self-similar pulse can be obtained after amplification. Because net cavity dispersion directly influences the pulse width as well as peak power after compression by a pair of gratings, which can determine the pulse self-similar evolution, it is very important to control the net cavity dispersion to a certain range to obtain self-similar pulses.     

1kHz窄脉宽高峰值功率MgO∶LN电光腔倒空Nd∶YAG激光器

报道了一种1kHz窄脉冲宽度、高峰值功率的电光腔倒空1 064nm全固态激光器.该激光器采用808nm脉冲LD侧面泵浦Nd:YAG晶体棒的双凹型折叠谐振腔结构和同步延迟MgO∶LN晶体横向加压式电光腔倒空技术,通过优化设计谐振腔结构,在脉冲重复频率200Hz时,获得了最大单脉冲能量46.7mJ、脉冲宽度4.06ns、峰值功率11.50MW的1 064nm脉冲激光稳定输出,脉冲宽度和能量的峰峰值不稳定度分别为±1.52%和±2.02%;在1kHz时,最大单脉冲能量达到18.3mJ,脉冲宽度5.02ns,峰值功率3.69MW,脉冲宽度和能量的峰峰值不稳定度分别为±2.75%和±3.52%,激光束因子为3.849和3.868,远场发散角为3.46mrad和3.55mrad,束腰直径为1 508.84μm和1 477.30μm.     

A high-power far-infrared NH3 laser pumped in a three-mirror CO2 laser cavity with optically-switched cavity-dumping

Results are reported of cavity-dumping a submillimeter radiation high-Q, zig-zag optically-pumped resonator which utilizes a silicon optical switch photo-excited by a NdYAG laser. Peak powers at 152 m approaching 10 kW in temporally smooth pulses of 5 ns (FWHM) duration have been obtained at a pulse repetition rate of 12 Hz. The far-infrared laser radiation, as measured with a scanning metal-mesh Fabry-Perot interferometer and averaged over many pulses, is, upon deconvolution of the 125 MHz instrumental linewidth, found to oscillate in a predominantly single longitudinal mode of width 250 MHz. Theoretical investigations of the transient far-infrared reflectivity of the silicon optical switch predict a rise in the Brewster-angle reflectivity from 0% to nearly 80% in 1 ns, when activated by a Q-switched, frequency-doubled NdYAG laser providing an incident energy density of 50 mJ/cm² in a pulsewidth of 10 ns.     

Modulation and compression of Nd: YAG laser pulses by self-tuning of a silicon cavity

A Nd: YAG laser pulse (20 ns halfwidth) passing a silicon crystal (0.5 mm thickness) produces refractive index changes by free carrier production. The polished crystal with parallel faces behaves therefore like a Fabry-Perot cavity with time dependent transmission. With an incident energy density of up to 300 mJ/cm² the cavity can be tuned over up to 5 resonances. The temporal shape of the transmitted pulse exhibits a corresponding number of maxima. Experimentally observed pulse shapes are compared with calculations. Deviations between theory and experiment at high energy densities are explained by increasing absorption due to the free-carriers. If the cavity is tuned over a single resonance a pulse compression can be achieved.     

Analysis of laser-diode end-pumped intracavity frequency-doubled,passively Q-switched and mode-locked Nd:YVO<Subscript>4</Subscript> laser

Simultaneous Q-switching and mode locking in a laser-diode end-pumped intracavity frequency-doubled Nd:YVO₄/KTP green laser using a Cr⁴⁺:YAG saturable absorber with 81% initial transmission is experimentally demonstrated. At an incident pump power of 6 W, 300 mW of average green power was obtained, which is around four times higher than the cw green power obtained without the Cr⁴⁺:YAG crystal. The repetition rate of the mode-locked green pulses was 400 MHz and the individual mode-locked pulse width was measured to be 500 ps. The repetition rate of the Q-sw itched envelope of the mode-locked pulses was 15 kHz at 6 W of incident pump power. The energy of the mode-locked pulse at the peak of the Q-sw itched envelope was estimated to be 1 J and the peak power was estimated to be 2.4 kW. The measured width and the total energy of the Q-sw itched envelope of the mode-locked pulses was 47 ns and 21 J, respectively, at the maximum incident pump power. An analysis of the system by incorporating a nonlinear loss term due to the intracavity second-harmonic generation to the general recurrence relation for the mode-locked pulses under the Q-sw itched envelope at the fundamental wavelength has been presented. Using a hyperbolic secant square function to model the mode-locked pulse, the temporal shape of a single Q-sw itched pulse at the second-harmonic wavelength has been reconstructed. The theoretical calculations of the pulse parameters like pulse energy, peak power, pulse width and pulse-symmetry factor have shown fairly good agreement with the experimental results. PACS 42.55.Rz; 42.55.Xi; 42.60.By     

Silicon carbide synthesis with energy pulses

Polycrystalline SiC layers were synthesized through nanosecond pulse heating of thin carbon films deposited on single-crystalline silicon wafers. The samples were submitted to electron beam irradiation (25 keV, 50 ns) at various current densities in vacuum (10^–4mbar) and to XeCl excimer laser pulses (308 nm, 15ns) in air. Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) showed that in the e-beam annealed samples mixing of the elements at the interface starts at current densities of about 1200 A/cm². The mixed layer thickness increases almost linearly with current density. From the RBS spectra a composition of the intermixed layers close to the SiC compound was deduced. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and electron diffraction studies clearly evidenced the formation of SiC polycrystals. Using the XeCl excimer laser, intermixing of the deposited C film with the Si substrate was observed after a single 0.3 J/cm² pulse. Further analysis evidenced the formation of SiC nanocrystals, embedded in a diamond film.     

Optical limiting effect based on stimulated Brillouin scattering in CCl4

The optical limiting effect based on stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) in a nonlinear medium was investigated. We numerically treated the nonlinear propagation process with a theoretical model, which includes the spontaneous nature of the initiation of SBS, and obtained optical limiting effect in the process. Energy limiting, pulse reshaping and stabilization have been demonstrated on SBS mechanism with the nonlinear medium CCl_4. The input optical signals were Nd:YAG nanosecond laser pulses with width varying from 16ns to 7ns then to 2ns, the relationship between the transmitted signal and launched pump signal was shown. In the experimental regime, the most stable pulse and a superior energy stabilization of the transmitted pulse were obtained when the laser pulse-width became as short as 2ns. For the energy variation of laser pulses in a wide range of 14－88mJ, the output energy was limited in a quite narrow range 4.5－5.5mJ.