离轴光线对电光晶体退偏的影响

 对离轴光线通过电光晶体时产生的退偏情况作了理论和实验研究。理论计算表明：当晶体厚度一定时，退偏损耗在一定范围内随离轴角度的增加而增加，随着入射光偏振方向偏离竖直方向的增大而增大。采用厚度为10mm的KDP晶体，实验测试了入射光偏振方向在竖直方向以及同竖直方向成45°时的退偏损耗。实验结果与理论计算的结果符合较好。     

边界主动加热管理平均功率普克尔盒热效应

建立了平均功率激光辐照下,边界主动加热的电光晶体内3维各向异性热传输有限元模型及其热应力双折射模型,在此基础上分析了等离子体普克尔盒热效应。提出了边界主动加热控制电光晶体横向温度梯度热管理思想,并给出平均功率普克尔盒的光开关性能。结果表明:对于50J/10Hz、光束口径为50mm×30mm的激光系统,普克尔盒最大退偏损耗为3.58%,平均退偏损耗为0.9%,波前畸变为1.59λ。采用边界加热控制后,当加热功率密度为500W/m2时,最大退偏损耗为0.17%、平均退偏损耗为0.05%、波前畸变为0.26λ,普克尔盒热效应显著降低,满足设计要求。     

激光二极管抽运氦气冷却钕玻璃叠片激光放大器热致波前畸变和应力双折射的数值模拟和实验研究

热效应仍是限制激光放大器向高功率、高光束质量进一步发展的瓶颈问题, 高效的热管理是抑制热效应的重要技术途径. 研究了基于激光二极管抽运氦气冷却的钕玻璃叠片激光放大器的热效应. 利用有限元数值模拟的方法, 分析了钕玻璃的温度、应力应变和应力双折射分布, 并计算了热致波前畸变和退偏损耗, 与实验结果符合得较好, 在热沉积为0.7 W/cm³的条件下, 6片钕玻璃总的热致波前畸变为6.77λ , 最大退偏量大于90%.     

2 μm Cr,Tm,Ho:YAG激光热退偏效应的数值模拟及实验研究

理论分析了Cr,Tm,Ho:YAG激光晶体的热退偏效应, 模拟计算了该晶体棒端面退偏度的分布, 并进行了偏光干涉实验验证. 结果表明, 数值模拟和实验研究结果完全一致, 热致退偏效应随抽运能量增大而增强, 退偏度分布呈十字形, 最大退偏度发生在晶体棒端面上与起偏器偏振方向成45°方位处. 以此提出了高能量Cr,Tm,Ho:YAG激光器的热退偏补偿方法, 获得了激光脉冲能量提高24%以上的实验效果.     

一种新型空间伪退偏器的设计与研究

为实现单色线偏振光的退偏,设计了一种双折射晶体材料四元结构空间伪退偏器。为了分析简便,采用光波叠加的思想,分析得到退偏器正反向应用时退偏度表达式,揭示了它们的不同特性:正向应用时,退偏度随入射线偏振光方位角及入射角具有周期变化,而在某些特定的入射角情况下,可使退偏度达到理想值且没有偏振相关性。反向应用时,退偏度理论值为100%,且不随方位角和入射角变化。制作了石英晶体的样品进行实验测试,结果充分验证了理论分析的正确性。对405nm激光光源,正向在yoz面内以3.7°入射时,退偏度超过99.25%;反向应用时,退偏度均在99.21%以上,与理论分析相符。     

高功率法拉第隔离器多模退偏特性

理论分析了隔离器在高功率多模激光入射时的自退偏特性.结果表明:线性双折射致退偏与圆双折射致退偏均与入射光功率的平方成正比,线性双折射致退偏与光斑大小无关,而圆双折射致退偏随光斑半径的增大而减小.当光斑半径与旋转晶体半径相比很小时(R0/r0≥80)圆双折射引起的退偏大于线性双折射引起的退偏,当光斑半径接近旋转晶体半径(R0/r0≤3)时,与线性双折射引起的退偏相比,圆双折射引起的退偏可以忽略.对比单模激光入射,在同种条件下,多模入射使得线性双折射致退偏减小了0.4倍, 最小圆双折射致退偏减小为0.05倍.     

高功率隔离器单模与多模工作退偏特性

以传统结构隔离器为模型,应用琼斯理论,比较分析了单模与多模激光入射时高功率隔离器热致退偏特性。研究结果表明:高功率隔离器热致退偏可分为线性双折射致退偏与圆双折射致退偏;两种退偏均与入射激光功率的平方成正比;在光功率一定的条件下,线性双折射致退偏不随光斑半径的变化而变化,圆双折射致退偏随光斑半径的增大而减小;在其它条件相同的条件下,多模光场能够有效地降低隔离器热致退偏,多模时线性双折射致退偏仅为单模时退偏的60%,圆双折射致退偏也比单模时要小,减小幅度随光斑半径的增加而增加。     

具有热补偿的内腔KTP光参量振荡器

在电光调Q Nd:YAG激光抽运内腔KTP光参量振荡器中,由于在抽运光的谐振腔内插入了起偏器,当工作在高重复频率时,Nd:YAG棒热致双折射效应致使起偏器产生退偏损耗,导致抽运光能量下降和光束质量变差,最终光参量振荡器的激光输出能量也将下降.为了补偿热致双折射引起的起偏器退偏损耗,提出了基于λ/4波片的具有热补偿的内腔光参量振荡器结构,实验结果表明在高重复频率工作时,具有热补偿的内腔光参量振荡器较无补偿内腔光参量振荡器的激光输出能量提高了20%左右.     

在YAG:Nd晶体中位错对激光特性的影响

本文用双折射貌相法和化学腐蚀法测定了六根晶体棒中的位错分布和位错密度,用光学方法检验了晶体的光学质量,晶体的激光性能是在一台Q开关YAG激光装置上测定的。实验表明当位错密度增加到一定程度时,位错形成的应力场会引起明显的双折射,以致探测光通过晶体时波面会发生畸变。在干涉仪上可观察到干涉条纹的增加。同样,在位错应力场区消光比亦下降。因此,作为结构缺陷的位错也是晶体光学不均匀的来源之一。晶体激光性能的实验结果指出:位错对激光输出特性有很大的影响,从激光近场光斑图看出,在位错应力场区,因为高的激光阈值而不能产生激光振荡,并且由于应力双折射效应产生光的退偏性。由于存在高位错密度,晶体的激光发散度增加,倍频效率下降。当晶体中存在缀饰位错(decorated dislocation)时,激光输出特性的变化尤为明显.     

高功率法拉第隔离器多模退偏特性

理论分析了隔离器在高功率多模激光入射时的自退偏特性.结果表明：线性双折射致退偏与圆双折射致退偏均与入射光功率的平方成正比,线性双折射致退偏与光斑大小无关,而圆双折射致退偏随光斑半径的增大而减小.当光斑半径与旋转晶体半径相比很小时（R0/r0≥80）圆双折射引起的退偏大于线性双折射引起的退偏,当光斑半径接近旋转晶体半径（R0/r0≤3）时,与线性双折射引起的退偏相比,圆双折射引起的退偏可以忽略.对比单模激光入射,在同种条件下,多模入射使得线性双折射致退偏减小了0.4倍, 最小圆双折射致退偏减小为0.05倍.     

高平均功率电光开关晶体热畸变分析

 深入分析了方板构型的电光开关晶体在高功率载荷条件下的热畸变行为，讨论了光强分布对热效应的影响。以KDP晶体为例，分别计算了激光束光强为高斯分布和均匀分布时晶体的温升、相应的热应力分布、波前畸变以及热退偏。结果表明，光强的分布形式对波前畸变和热退偏的影响是不同的。相对于光强均匀分布的激光束，高斯光束减缓了光斑边沿处的温度梯度，产生的热应力较小，因此可以减弱热退偏效应；另一方面，在光束口径范围内，高斯光束产生了附加的温度分布非均匀性，因而波前畸变会大一些。     

Thermal effects in high-power Nd:YAG disk-type solid state laser

An investigation of thermal effects in a high-power Nd:YAG disk-type solid state laser pumped with different pump beam transverse profiles is carried out by numerical simulation based on the finite element method (FEM). Impact of the heat sink on the thermal effects is included in the simulation. The distribution of first principle stress, thermally induced birefringence, including the distribution and variation of the birefringence loss, are studied. The characteristics of the phase variation are analyzed with consideration of the temperature gradient, deformation, strain and thermal stress. Thermal lensing is explored as a function of pump power and of the radius pumped with different pump beam transverse profiles. The non-parabolic part of optical phase distortion is simulated. Furthermore, the characteristics of the bi-focus of the disk laser are also studied. Experiments on the maximum tensile stress distribution and depolarization loss are carried out. The presented calculations are in qualitative agreement with the experimental observations.     

高平均功率开关晶体热力学特性有限元分析

 基于有限元数值方法，就不同的光强分布模型以及电光晶体固定或自由的边界条件，模拟分析了KDP，DKDP，LiNbO₃，BBO开关晶体材料在高平均功率激光负载下的热力学特性。结果表明:激光作用数s后，温升分布基本与光强分布一致；晶体表面的最大轴向位移和最大拉应力随光斑填充因子增大而增大;晶体的力学边界约束对最大轴向位移及最大拉热应力的影响随着光斑填充因子的增大而增强;在相同的入射激光光源及相同的边界条件下,KDP上的温升最大，热畸变最严重，DKDP次之，而LiNbO₃和BBO具有较低的温升值或较低的热形变和热应力。     

KDP晶体微纳米加工表层缺陷对其激光损伤阈值的影响

使用有限元方法分析了在激光辐照条件下,KDP晶体已加工表面存在的残余内应力、微裂纹及微孔等多种微纳米加工表层缺陷对晶体激光损伤阈值的影响。通过分析发现:KDP晶体微纳米加工表层缺陷的存在,会影响晶体表面的温度场及热应力场的分布,使入射激光的能量积聚在缺陷附近的很小范围内,造成晶体缺陷处产生局部熔融现象,从而使KDP晶体产生损伤,降低KDP晶体的激光损伤阈值。针对微纳米表层的微裂纹进行了损伤阈值测试实验,结果表明微裂纹的存在会降低KDP晶体的激光损伤阈值(约降低3J/cm2),实验结果与仿真结果符合得很好。     

Study of contributions to temperature dependence of the phase shift in an electro-optic crystal

The spontaneous and electric field induced phase retardations have been measured as a function of temperature in a KDP crystal using an accurate method. The plots of these retardations versus temperature reveal unexpected undulations. We consider the various contributions which could be involved in these dependences, such as the thermo-optic effect, crystal dilatation and temperature dependence of the electro-optic coefficient. By means of calculations, the undulations are shown to be caused by an interference phenomenon related to light reflections on the surface of the crystal. This revised version was published online in November 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Investigation of the mode splitting induced by electro-optic birefringence in a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser by polarized electroluminescence

The mode splitting induced by electro-optic birefringence in a P-I-N InGaAs/GaAs/A1GaAs vertical-cavity surface- emitting laser （VCSEL） has been studied by polarized electroluminescence （EL） at room temperature. The polarized EL spectra with E｜｜[110] and E ｜｜ [150] directions, are extracted for different injected currents. The mode splitting of the two orthogonal polarized modes for a VCSEL device is determined, and its value increases linearly with the increasing injected current due to electro-optic birefringence; This article demonstrates that the polarized EL is a powerful tool to study the mode splitting and polarization anisotropy of a VCSEL device.     

High-energy Q-switched operation of a fiber-laser-pumped Er:YAG laser

A high-energy Q-switched Er:YAG laser in-band pumped by an Er,Yb co-doped fiber laser is reported. A simple two-mirror multi-mode resonator incorporating an electro-optic Q-switch and a multi-Brewster-plate polarizer was employed, together with a simple compensation scheme to reduce the depolarization loss due to thermally induced stress birefringence in the Er:YAG crystal at high pump powers. The laser yielded Q-switched pulses at 1617 nm with 30.5-mJ pulse energy and <20-ns pulse duration (FWHM) at 20-Hz repetition rate, corresponding to a peak power of >1.5 MW for 55 W of pump power at 1532 nm. The prospects for further improvement in Q-switched performance are discussed.     

考虑晶体应力情况下的单块非平面环形腔分析

简要分析了单块非平面环形腔单频激光器的基本原理,并采用琼斯矩阵计算了单块单向行波非平面环形腔内的本征偏振态。深入分析了磁场强度、输出面偏振反射系数、入射角、非平面角及腔内其它参量对各本征偏振态的损耗及两本征偏振态间损耗差的影响,并且指出如何选择各参量以降低本征偏振态的损耗且增大两本征偏振态间的损耗差。最后还通过计算晶体应力在两个本征偏振态方向引起的相位差,讨论了应力作用方向以及应力双折射系数对腔内本征偏振态的损耗和两本征偏振态间损耗差的影响。     

Self-heating effects in electro-optic light modulators

The performance of an electro-optic light modulator under high average laser power is studied theoretically and experimentally. Absorption of laser radiation produces a thermal gradient in the electro-optic crystal which degrades the performance of the modulator. Measurements on modulators using KDP and KD^*P crystals support the analytical results.     

Depolarization loss compensated resonator for electro-optic Q-switched solid-state laser

A novel laser resonator for compensating depolarization loss that is due to thermally induced birefringence in active rod is reported. As this new structure being applied to an electro-optic Q-switched LDA side-pumped Nd:YAG laser operating at a repetition rate of 1000 Hz, substantial reduction in depolarization loss has been observed, the output pulse energy is improved about 56% from that of a traditional resonator without compensation structure. With incident pump energy of 450 mJ per pulse, linearly polarized output energy of 30 mJ per pulse is achieved, the pulse duration is less than 15 ns, and the peak power of pulse is about 2 MW. The extinction ratio of laser beam is better than 10:1, and the beam divergence is 1.3 mrad with beam diameter of around 2.5 mm.