Strictly all-fiber picosecond ytterbium fiber laser utilizing chirped-fiber-Bragg-gratings for dispersion control

A compact, strictly all-fiber, picosecond pulse source based on ytterbium (Yb) doped fiber is described. Stable solitary mode-locking is obtained in a fiber-oscillator utilizing a carefully designed chirped fiber-Bragg-grating (C-FBG) for both dispersion control and spectral filtering. Self-starting is assured through the use of a fiber-coupled semiconductor-saturable-absorber-mirror (SESAM). The oscillator’s 50 MHz 3.8 ps pulse-train output at 1064 nm wavelength is amplified to 1.2 W average power by an Yb-doped fiber-amplifier, yielding 6.45 ps parabolic pulses. Numerical simulations of the fiber-oscillator design based on the modified nonlinear Schrödinger equation (NLSE), agree well with the experimental results.     

Solitary surface acoustic waves and bulk solitons in nanosecond and picosecond laser ultrasonics

Recent achievements of nonlinear acoustics concerning the realization of solitons and solitary waves in crystals and their surfaces attained by nanosecond and picosecond laser ultrasonics are discussed and compared. The corresponding pump-probe setups are described, which allow an all-optical contact-free excitation and detection of short strain pulses in the broad frequency range between 10 MHz and about 300 GHz. The formation of solitons in the propagating longitudinal strain pulses is investigated for nonlinear media with intrinsic lattice-based dispersion. The excitation of solitary surface acoustic waves is realized by a geometric film-based dispersion effect. Future developments and potential applications of nonlinear nanosecond and picosecond ultrasonics are discussed.     

Generation, measurement and optimization of a variable duration, short pulse, mode-locked cavity-dumped Nd:YAG laser

Spectral and temporal measurements undertaken on a single picosecond laser pulse from a flash lamp pumped, cavity dumped, active/passive mode-locked Nd:YAG laser are presented in this paper. Optimization of several parameters of the resonator cavity produced a single pulse with 0.7 mJ energy and 10² contrast. The pulse duration was variable from 24 to 120 ps by using intra-cavity etalons of different thicknesses. The pulse width and spectrum of the pulse were simultaneously measured using a second harmonic autocorrelator and a spectrometer. The time bandwidth product was 0.445, which is close to theoretical limit for a bandwidth limited pulse.     

Generation of domain-wall solitons in an anomalous dispersion fiber ring laser

We report experimental observations performed using a net anomalous dispersion Er-doped fiber ring laser without polarization-selective elements, highlighting the domain-wall solitary pulses generated under the incoherent polarization coupling. By adjusting the pump power and the polarization state appropriately, bright and dark solitons can stably co-exist in the cavity, both centered at 1562.16 nm with a 3-dB spectral width of ～ 0.15 nm and a repetition rate of 3.83 MHz. Moreover, the 0.8 mm long thulium-doped fiber (TDF) facilitated the mode-locking and self-starting of the laser. This is the first demonstration of a laser being used to generate bright and dark solitons synchronously while using TDF as the saturable absorber (SA). Except possessing the all-fiber structure, the laser exhibits good stability, which may have a significant influence on improvement of the pulse-laser design, and may broaden practical applications in optical sensing, optical communication, and soliton multiplexed systems.     

43 W picosecond laser and second-harmonic generation experiment

Combining the advantages of diode-end-pumped Nd: YVO₄ and diode-side-pumped Nd: YAG amplifiers, a high average power and high beam quality picosecond laser is designed. The system delivers a picosecond laser with average power of 43.4 W and good beam quality of M² < 1.7. By focusing the high power picosecond laser in LBO crystal, 532 nm green laser with maximal power of 20.8 W is generated and the conversion efficiency of second-harmonic generation reaches 56.4% when 17.7 W green laser obtained from the fundamental frequency laser with power of 31.4 W and beam quality of M² < 1.25.     

Experimental investigation of self-starting operation in a F8L based on a symmetrical NOLM

We experimentally analyze the self-starting operation of a figure-eight mode-locked fiber laser. The design is based on a power-balanced nonlinear optical loop mirror (NOLM) with highly twisted low-birefringence fiber and a quarter-wave (QW) retarder in the loop. The NOLM operates by nonlinear polarization rotation. Self-starting mode-locking requires a careful adjustment of the NOLM low-power transmission, which is easily realized with our setup by adjusting the angle of the QW retarder. The laser is capable of generating ∼20 ps pulses at the fundamental repetition frequency of 0.78 MHz.     

Supercontinuum generation in square photonic crystal fiber with nearly zero ultra-flattened chromatic dispersion and fabrication tolerance analysis

This paper presents a simple index-guiding square photonic crystal fiber (SPCF) where the core is surrounded by air holes with two different diameters. The proposed design is simulated through an efficient full-vector modal solver based on the finite difference method with anisotropic perfectly matched layers absorbing boundary condition. The nearly zero ultra-flattened dispersion SPCF with low confinement loss, small effective area as well as broadband supercontinuum (SC) spectra is targeted. Numerical results show that the designed SPCF has been achieved at a nearly zero ultra-flattened dispersion of 0 ± 0.25 ps/(nm·km) in a wavelength range of 1.38 μm to 1.89 μm (510 nm band) which covers E, S, C, L and U communication bands, a low confinement loss of less than 10⁻⁷ dB/m in a wavelength range of 1.3 μm to 2.0 μm and a wide SC spectrum (FWHM = 450 nm) by using picosecond pulses at a center wavelength of 1.55 μm. We then analyze the sensitivity of chromatic dispersion to small variations from the optimum value of specific structural parameters. The proposed index-guiding SPCF can be applicable in supercontinuum generation (SCG) covering such diverse fields as spectroscopy applications and telecommunication dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) sources.     

Theoretical study on instantaneous linewidth of Fourier-domain mode-locked fiber lasers

We have numerically simulated the operation of the Fourier-domain mode-locked (FDML) fiber laser based on the wavelength reconstruction method instead of numerical solving the nonlinear Schrödinger equation. We studied the influences of the filter bandwidth and the relative time delay caused by the fiber chromatic dispersion on the instantaneous linewidth of the FDML fiber laser. The results show that the instantaneous linewidth broadens as the filter bandwidth and the relative time delay increase. When the filter has the bandwidth of 0.02 nm, the narrowest and broadest instantaneous linewidths are 0.024 and 0.042 nm, respectively. We give an understanding for the oscillation of the instantaneous linewidth of FDML. The presented result can be used to evaluate the performance achievable in the FDML fiber lasers.     

Picosecond pulsed laser ablation and micromachining of 4H-SiC wafers

Ultra-short pulsed laser ablation and micromachining of n-type, 4H-SiC wafer was performed using a 1552 nm wavelength, 2 ps pulse, 5 μJ pulse energy erbium-doped fiber laser with an objective of rapid etching of diaphragms for pressure sensors. Ablation rate, studied as a function of energy fluence, reached a maximum of 20 nm per pulse at 10 mJ/cm², which is much higher than that achievable by the femtosecond laser for the equivalent energy fluence. Ablation threshold was determined as 2 mJ/cm². Scanning electron microscope images supported the Coulomb explosion (CE) mechanism by revealing very fine particulates, smooth surfaces and absence of thermal effects including melt layer formation. It is hypothesized that defect-activated absorption and multiphoton absorption mechanisms gave rise to a charge density in the surface layers required for CE and enabled material expulsion in the form of nanoparticles. Trenches and holes micromachined by the picosecond laser exhibited clean and smooth edges and non-thermal ablation mode for pulse repetition rates less than 250 kHz. However carbonaceous material and recast layer were noted in the machined region when the pulse repetition rate was increased 500 kHz that could be attributed to the interaction between air plasma and micro/nanoparticles. A comparison with femtosecond pulsed lasers shows the promise that picosecond lasers are more efficient and cost effective tools for creating sensor diaphragms and via holes in 4H-SiC.     

Fiber Bragg grating strain sensor based on fiber laser

A study on fiber Bragg grating (FBG) strain sensor, based on erbium-doped fiber (EDF) laser, is presented. A strain-sensing element, FBG, also acts as the lasing wavelength selecting component. When strain is applied on the FBG, the laser cavity loss changes, leading to a modification of the laser transient. Strain measurements are obtained in the time domain by simply measuring the EDF laser build-up time. Relative variation in the build-up time of up to 190%, for a strain range from 0 με to 2350 με, is achieved with a resolution corresponding to a strain of better than 2.35 με. This study demonstrates a novel fiber sensor concept and the technical feasibility to develop fiber strain measurement.     

Infrared and far-infrared spectroscopy of CH3OH: TeraHertz laser lines and assignments

We use a ¹³CO₂ laser as optical pumping source to search for new THz laser lines generated from ¹³CH₃OH. Nineteen new THz laser lines (also identified as far-infrared, FIR) ranging from 42.3 μm (7.1 THz) to 717.7 μm (0.42 THz) are reported. They are characterized in wavelength, offset, relative polarization, relative intensity, and optimum working pressure. We have assigned eight laser lines to specific rotational energy levels in the excited state associated with the C-O stretching mode.     

Periodic surface structures on crystalline silicon created by 532 nm picosecond Nd:YAG laser pulses

Creation of laser-induced morphology features, particularly laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS), by a 532 nm picosecond Nd:YAG laser on crystalline silicon is reported. The LIPSS, often termed ripples, were produced at average laser irradiation fluences of 0.7, 1.6, and 7.9 J cm⁻². Two types of ripples were registered: micro-ripples (at micrometer scale) in the form of straight parallel lines extending over the entire irradiated spot, and nano-ripples (at nanometer scale), apparently concentric, registered only at the rim of the spot, with the periodicity dependent on laser fluence. There are indications that the parallel ripples are a consequence of the partial periodicity contained in the diffraction modulated laser beam, and the nano-ripples are very likely frozen capillary waves. The damage threshold fluence was estimated at 0.6 J cm⁻².     

High-peak power multi-wavelength picosecond pulses generated from a BaWO4 Raman-seeded optical parametric amplifier

We report the generation of high-peak power multi-wavelength picosecond laser pulses using optical parametric amplification (OPA) in BBO seeded with pulses generated in a 5-mm length BaWO₄ crystal by stimulated Raman scattering of 18-ps laser pulses at 532 nm. The maximum output energy of the amplified first-Stokes component at 559.7 nm was about 1.76 mJ. The corresponding maximum peak power, pulse duration and spectral line width were measured to be 117.3 MW, 15 ps and 18.0 cm⁻¹, respectively. The multi-wavelength picosecond laser pulses were in the visible and near infrared ranges. Using this Raman-seeded OPA technique, the beam quality of the stimulated Raman scattering pulses can be improved.     

1 W tunable near diffraction limited light from a broad area laser diode in an external cavity with a line width of 1.7 MHz

A novel unstable external cavity for a broad area laser diode is presented. The cavity is based on a V-shaped setup that improves the slow axis beam quality by coupling the internal modes of a gain guided laser diode. The novelty here is the compact unstable resonator design without lenses in direction of the slow axis. For frequency stabilisation and to narrow the line width of the laser diode emission a diffraction grating in a Littrow configuration is used. With this setup up to 1 W of near diffraction limited light with a beam quality of M² ? 1.3 and a line width of 1.7 MHz could be achieved. The external cavity laser was tunable over a range of 35 nm (FWHM) around the center wavelength of 976 nm.     

Femtosecond pulsed laser ablation of diamond-like carbon films on silicon

Femtosecond pulsed laser ablation (τ = 120 fs, λ = 800 nm, repetition rate = 1 kHz) of thin diamond-like carbon (DLC) films on silicon was conducted in air using a direct focusing technique for estimating ablation threshold and investigating the influence of ablation parameter on the morphological features of ablated regions. The single-pulse ablation threshold estimated by two different methods were ?_th(1) = 2.43 and 2.51 J/cm². The morphological changes were evaluated by means of scanning electron microscopy. A comparison with picosecond pulsed laser ablation shows lower threshold and reduced collateral thermal damage.     

Surface modifications of crystalline silicon created by high intensity 1064 nm picosecond Nd:YAG laser pulses

A study of silicon modification induced by a high intensity picosecond Nd:YAG laser, emitting at 1064 nm, is presented. It is shown that laser intensities in the range of 5 × 10¹⁰-0.7 × 10¹² W cm⁻² drastically modified the silicon surface. The main modifications and effects can be considered as the appearance of a crater, hydrodynamic/deposition features, plasma, etc. The highest intensity of ∼0.7 × 10¹² W cm⁻² leads to the burning through a 500 μm thick sample. At these intensities, the surface morphology exhibits the transpiring of the explosive boiling/phase explosion (EB) in the interaction area. The picosecond Nd:YAG laser-silicon interaction was typically accompanied by massive ejection of target material in the surrounding environment. The threshold for the explosive boiling/phase explosion (TEB) was estimated to be in the interval 1.0 × 10¹⁰ W cm⁻² < TEB ≤ 3.8 × 10¹⁰ W cm⁻².     

Picosecond laser amplification system with 93 W high average power

A high average power picosecond laser amplification system with diode-end-pumped Nd:YVO₄ and diode-side-pumped Nd:YAG is described. Laser with power up to 92.7 W, repetition frequency of 73.3 MHz, pulse duration of 26.5 ps, and beam quality of M² < 3.5 is generated in the amplification system. Thermal-birefringence-induced depolarization in the Nd:YAG rod laser head amplifier is measured to be 21.9 W though birefringence compensation is performed.     

Eleven-wavelength switchable fiber ring laser with a dispersion compensation fiber and a delayed interferometer

We demonstrate a fiber ring laser with a dispersion compensation fiber (DCF) and a delayed interferometer (DI) with temperature control, which is able to switch eleven wavelengths one by one. In ring cavity, DCF supplies different effective cavity lengths for different wavelengths, DI generates a wavelength comb corresponding to the ITU grid, a flat-gain erbium-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA) provides uniform gain for each lasting wavelength, and a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) not only acts as active modulator, but also alleviates homogeneous broadening effect of EDFA. Stable pulse trains with a pulsewidth about 40 ps at 10 GHz have been obtained by injecting external optical control signals into the laser. Wavelength switching process among eleven wavelengths is achieved by merely tuning an intracavity optical delay line.     

Diode-pumped passively Q-switched 912 nm Nd:GdVO4 laser and pulsed deep-blue laser by intracavity frequency-doubling

A diode-end-pumped passively Q-switched 912 nm Nd:GdVO₄/Cr⁴⁺:YAG laser and its efficient intracavity frequency-doubling to 456 nm deep-blue laser were demonstrated in this paper. Using a simple V-type laser cavity, pulsed 912 nm laser characteristics were investigated with two kinds of Cr⁴⁺:YAG crystal as the saturable absorbers, which have the different initial transmissivity (T_U) of 95% and 90% at 912 nm. When the T_U = 95% Cr⁴⁺:YAG was used, as much as an average output power of 2.8 W 912 nm laser was achieved at an absorbed pump power of 34.0 W, and the pulse width and the repetition rate were ∼ 40.5 ns and ∼ 76.6 kHz, respectively. To the best of our knowledge, this is the highest average output power of diode-pumped passively Q-switched Nd³⁺-doped quasi-three-level laser. Employing a BiBO as the frequency-doubling crystal, 456 nm pulsed deep-blue laser was obtained with a maximum average output power of 1.2 W at a repetition rate ∼ 42.7 kHz.