固体激光腔动力学稳定性的调控

在固体激光腔运行中热透镜的屈光度,1ft,作为谐振腔的动力学因子,对腔的运行特性有着关键性的影响作用.运用变换圆图解方法,对固体激光腔的光模特性的动力学稳定性作了详细的分析,给出了它对动力学因子及腔参数u1=L1(L1-R1)R1与u2=L2(L2-R2)R2的依赖关系.给出了腔参数u1与u2的直观物理图像描述;在此基础上,利用变换圆图解方法,进一步讨论,如何选择腔参数u1与u2,调节稳定区内运行的最小基模光斑尺寸和动力学稳定区的宽度,及调控动力学稳定区的‘位置’;提出了两倍拓宽动力学稳定区的一个可行方案;最后,还讨论了动力学敏感腔的存在及其在自调Q激光器与自Kerr透镜锁模激光器中的可能运用. 关键词： 固体激光器 热透镜 动力学稳定性的调控     

腔内双棒串接的基模动态稳定腔研究

为了获得大功率高亮度的激光光源,设计并实现了一种使用双棒串接的基模动态稳定谐振腔.通过补偿热致双折射效应以及合理地设计腔内参数,在使用闪光灯抽运的条件下获得了61W的基模连续输出.使用等效热透镜的方法分析了谐振腔参数对激光器性能的影响,解释了输出镜和全反镜的距离对激光器性能所起的不同作用. 关键词： 动态稳定腔 双棒 谐振腔模式     

高平均功率调Q准连续Nd:YAG激光器

通过选用低掺杂浓度的Nd:YAG晶体棒、热近非稳腔优化设计、双棒串接热致双折射补偿技术以及双Q开关正交放置结构，在LD抽运功率1116W时，实现调Q准连续全固态Nd:YAG激光器1064nm输出，平均功率达258W，光束质量M²～15.5，重复频率为10kHz，脉冲宽度为64ns，峰值功率达0.4GW，光光转换效率达23.1%. 关键词： Nd:YAG激光器 准连续波 激光二极管抽运 固体激光器     

动态热不敏感谐振腔分析

发展了热不敏感谐振腔的辅助参量处理方法,给出了可适用于任何多元件谐振腔新的严格的解析解法,详细分析了谐振腔的稳定性以及输出模式与功率的热稳特性。同时还引入了热敏感程度的概念,并进而求得了最佳热不敏感条件:g₁g₂=1/2,μ₁=0。 关键词：     

热不敏感腔的解与特征

本文发展了变换圆图解处理方法,并运用它求得了热不敏感腔的一般解:σ₁圆与π_f圆相切,清晰地阐明了它的主要特征;同时,澄清了有关它的特证的若干不确切的看法,进而,还求得了最佳热不敏感腔的特别解:g₁^*g₂^*=1/2;L₂=0或L₂=R₂。 关键词：     

高光学质量,高平均功率非稳腔Nd：YAG激光器

在分析含热透镜的非稳腔固体激光器普遍特性的基础上，分别定义了几何放大率和输出曲率半径的热敏感度，结合腔镜失调敏感度而成为设计该类谐振腔的重要依据，据此，进一步改善和发展的新型的棒成像非稳腔。     

固体激光器热透镜效应的调控

利用工作腔的热透镜模型, 分析了有激光发射下固体激光器的谐振腔配置对热透镜效应和稳定区的影响, 论述了通过改变谐振腔配置调控热效应的可行性.实验上, 使用一台Nd: YAG激光器对理论作了验证, 实现了对热透镜光焦度及稳定区分布的调控.     

高平均功率六棒串接脉冲Nd:YAG激光器

报道了一种腔内六棒串接的脉冲Nd:YAG激光器。采用44矩阵对晶体棒失调角度对谐振腔光轴的影响进行了理论分析,给出了六棒串接脉冲激光器中晶体棒失调角度的允许范围。在串接实验中,谐振腔采用对称平平腔结构,通过调整每根晶体棒的失调角度到允许范围内,实现了六棒串接脉冲Nd:YAG激光器。在输入电功率86 kW,占空比17%时,获得了平均功率3 018 W的脉冲激光输出,峰值功率17.75 kW,最高单脉冲能量为66 J,光束参数乘积为26.3 mmmrad,电光转换效率3.5%,长时间工作不稳定性小于2%。     

多个激活元件激光器振荡模体积的匹配

本文利用矩阵方法研究了由多根YAG:Nd棒串接的高功率连续激光器,这些激光棒的几何尺寸和热聚焦特性可以是不同的。通过电子计算机计算求得了描述激光器运转特性的参量(特别是振荡模体积匹配参量)随激光谐振腔几何结构和激光棒热焦距变化的函数关系。同时,对两根不同的YAG:Nd棒的串接振荡进行了实验研究,获得了与理论分析一致的结果。 关键词：     

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。     

Design considerations and scaling laws for high power convective cooled CW CO2 lasers

Various criteria for designing high power convective cooled CO₂ lasers have been discussed. Considering the saturation intensity, optical damage threshold of the optical resonator components and the small-signal gain, the scaling laws for designing high power CW CO₂ lasers have been established. In transverse flow CO₂ lasers having discharge of square cross-section, the discharge lengthL and its widthW for a specific laser powerP (Watt) and gas flow velocityV (cm/s) can be given byL = 1.4 x 10⁴ p ^1/2 V ^-1 cms andW = 0.04P ^1/2 cms. The optimum transmitivity of the output coupler is found to be almost constant (about 60%), independent of the small signal gain and laser power. In fast axial flow CO₂ lasers the gas flow should be divided into several discharge tubes to maintain the flow velocity within sonic limit. The discharge length in this type of laser does not depend explicitly on the laser power, instead it depends on the input power density in the discharge and the gas flow velocity. Various considerations for ensuring better laser beam quality are also discussed.     

Peculiarities of emission of subminiature injection lasers

The emission spectrum of an injection GaAs laser with a four-sided resonator with a square cross section of size 13×13 μm² is presented. This laser is the world’s smallest laser, having the threshold current I_th=0.7 mA and a photon flight time in the resonator that is shorter than the thermal relaxation time T₂. It is shown that the emission spectrum of the laser drastically differs from the spectrum emitted by lasers of usual size.     

全固态激光器的热近半球面腔

理论与实验研究了激光二极管侧泵平-平非对称腔.理论分析表明,当谐振腔运行于热稳区边缘时,激光棒内基模半径随泵浦功率迅速增加,使光束质量快速提高并保持较高的输出功率.由于该谐振腔运行于热稳区边缘的特性与近半球面腔相近,所以将此设计称为热近半球面腔.与运行于稳区边缘的平-平对称腔相比,热近半球面腔设计有助于缩短谐振腔腔长.在对热近半球面腔实验研究中,光束质量随泵浦功率迅速增加以及输出功率饱和现象被观察,实验研究与理论分析吻合较好.     

Beam divergence and refractive power of directly coated solid state lasers

A relation between the far field divergence angle of a laser output beam and the elements of the laser resonator matrix is derived. This relation is applied to the resonator matrix of directly coated laser rods and yields an expression for the far field angle θ_m of the output beam in terms of the pump light induced refractive power D of the rod. By means of this expression D versus the average pumping power is calculated from the experimental values of θ_m for several laser rods and is found to be in good agreement with previously published values.     

Hard tissue ablation with a free running Er:YAG and a Q-switched CO2 laser: a comparative study

The Er:YAG and the CO₂ laser are competitors in the field of hard tissue ablation. The use of Er:YAG lasers (2.94 μm, pulse length _L of 100 to 200 μs) show smaller areas of thermal defects then ‘‘superpulsed’’ CO₂ lasers with pulse lengths of approximately 100 μs. Only the development of a Q-switched CO₂ laser (9.6 μm, τ_L=250 ns) allowed for similar results. In this paper new results for the Er:YAG and the Q-switched CO₂ laser under the influence of water spray will be presented. Several parameters are of special interest for these investigations: the specific ablation energy, which shows a minimum for the CO₂ laser at an energy density of 9 J/cm ² and a broad shallow minimum in the range of 10 to 70 J/cm² for the Er:YAG laser, and comparison of the cut-shape and depth. Surface effects and cutting velocity are discussed based on SEM pictures. Received: 19 July 2000 / Revised version: 1 November 2000 / Published online: 30 November 2000     

Very low frequency optical source for spectroscopy: Difference-frequency mixing of CO2 laser radiations

In order to develop a coherent optical source intended for very low frequency laser spectroscopy, we have studied, manufactured and then tested (calibrated) a device for generating submillimetric waves by frequency difference in a non linear crystal.The mounting is made of two single mode and single line T E A CO₂ lasers which, by means of an AsGa crystal, allows the difference f₃=f₁–f₂ of the two near frequencies f₁ and f₂ emitted by each laser to be obtained.We present a system using two CO₂ atmospheric lasers with a simple and efficient pre-ionization and an original treatment of the electrodes.Manufacturing characteristics of the primary sources are detailed and then the obtained Far Infra Red (F I R) emission is studied.     

Lasers for materials processing: specifications and trends

An overview is given of the types of lasers dominating the field of laser materials processing. The most prominent lasers in this field are the CO₂ and the Nd: YAG laser. The domain of CO₂ lasers is applications which demand high laser powers (up to 30 kW are available at present), whereas the domain of Nd:YAG lasers is micro-machining applications. In the kilowatt range of laser output power, the two types of lasers are in competition. New diffusion-cooled CO₂ laser systems are capable of output laser powers of several kilowatts, with good beam qualities, while still being quite compact. The output power and beam quality of Nd:YAG lasers has been improved in recent years, so that Nd:YAG lasers are now an alternative to CO₂ lasers even in the kilowatt range. This is especially true for applications that demand optical fibre transmission of the laser beam, which is possible with Nd:YAG laser light but not with the longerwavelength light emitted by CO₂ lasers. The main problem in solid-state lasers such as Nd:YAG is the thermal lensing effect and damage due to thermal stresses. In order to reduce thermal loading, cooling has to be enhanced. Several alternative geometries have been proposed to reduce thermal loading and, by this, thermal lensing effects. There are now slab and tube geometries which allow much higher output powers than the conventionally used laser rods. A very new scheme proposes a thin slab whose cooled side is also used as one of the laser mirrors, so that thermal gradients occur mainly in the direction of the beam propagation and not perpendicular to it, as is the case in the other geometries. As well as CO₂ and Nd:YAG lasers, semiconductor laser diodes are very promising for direct use of the emitted light or as pump sources for Nd:YAG and other solid-state lasers. When packaging together thousands of single laser diodes, output powers of several kilowatts can be realized. Major problems are collimation of the highly divergent laser beams and cooling of the laser diode bars.     

Role of optical resonator on the pointing stability of copper vapor laser beam

This paper presents a first comprehensive study on the pointing stability of copper vapor laser with an emphasis on bringing out the role of optical resonator. Long term (∼10 min), single pulse, far-field beam pointing stability of a 5.5 kHz repetition rate copper vapor laser (λ = 510 nm) with plane-plane, unstable and filtering resonators, is studied. It is established that the resonator optics largely decides the CVL pointing stability. Minimum beam pointing angle of 8 μrad from generalized diffraction filtered resonator (GDFR) is obtained in contrast to a maximum value of 120 μrad from the plane-plane resonator. The unstable resonators data is in between. The relative trends in CVL pointing stability are discussed in terms of wave-front distortions due to resonator mode build up from optical noise, thermal and mirror misalignment effects. The degree of optical resonator immunity to phase distortions dictates the net pointing stability achieved.