Efficient doubling and CW difference frequency mixing in the infrared using the chalcopyrite CdGeAs2

We have obtained fifteen percent average internal power conversion efficiency for second harmonic generation in CdGeAs₂ of radiation from a TEA CO₂ laser operating at 10.6 μm. This is the highest reported doubling efficiency for a CO₂ laser. We have also observed cw difference frequency mixing in CdGeAs₂ at wavelengths between 11.4 and 16.8 μm using grating-tuned CO and CO₂ lasers. The CdGeAs₂ crystals are significantly improved in size and optical quality over those previously available.     

Beam quality of a high-power CO2 laser MOPA system

In this paper, the effects of amplification of diffraction-limited pulsed CO₂ laser radiation over several meters of amplification length on beam quality and pointing stability are documented. Millijoule pulses are amplified up to 3 J. Generation and amplification of the 10 μm wavelength pulses were performed in the discharge volume of an e-beam sustained CO₂ laser. Beam quality is measured according to the ISO/DIS 11146 standard in terms of the beam quality factor M². Fluence distributions were recorded with a beam analysing system of 100 μm spatial resolution. M² parameter values ranged up to 1.55 for amplified pulse energies of 3 J. The necessity of beam-quality restoring techniques is inferred for the multijoule pulse energy regime.     

Characterization and frequency measurement of a new far infrared laser line from CHin2Fin2

We present the discovery and frequency measurement of a new FIR laser line from CH₂F₂ optically pumped by a waveguide CO₂ laser. This new line has the same CO₂ laser pump line (9R32), offset (+5 MHz) and relative polarization of the strongest FIR laser line of CH₂F₂, namely the 184.3μm. The frequency is only 19,454 MHz apart from that of this line. We got a frequency measurement of 1,646,196.6 (10) MHz, which corresponds to a wavelength of 182.112 μm.     

Absorption coefficients of O3 at CO2 laser wavelengths

The O₃ absorption coefficients for the rotational lines P(12)–P(28) of the 9.4 μm emission band of the CO₂ laser are presented. Measurements were made in O₃–air dilute mixtures (20–600 ppm) at 25°C and a total pressure of 1013.25 h Pa using a frequency stabilized cw CO₂ laser and values have been determined with greater precision than in previously reported studies.     

A continuously variable attenuator for the CO2 laser

A continuously variable attenuator for the CO₂ laser, causing minimal degradation of beam quality, is implemented using rotating ZnSe wedges, and is capable of transmissivities between 0.3% and 18%, and between 27% and 89%. The transmissivity at any particular setting was measured to be essentially constant for wavelengths from 9.27 μm (9R20) to 10.77 μm (10P36).     

Photo-operated two-photon absorption effects in the GeSe2–Ga2S3–PbI2 glasses

The possibility to operate the two-photon absorption (TPA) of newly synthesized GeSe₂–Ga₂S₃–PbI₂ glasses using the CO laser beam (λ=5.5 μm) as a photoinducing one has been demonstrated. As the fundamental laser beam we have used the illumination of 10.6 μm passively modulated 0.5 ns CO₂ laser with a rate repetition of about 10 Hz. We have established that the maximal photoinduced TPA is observed for the 8% doped samples (up to 14 cm/GW), which is achieved at a pump CO laser pump power density equal to about 0.6 GW/cm². The undoped PbI₂ samples show the TPA maximum at a pump power density of about 0.2 cm/GW. The minimal TPA values were observed for the samples with 5% of PbI₂. The obtained results show that these materials can be used as effective optically operated optical limiters.     

XPS investigation on Upilex-S polyimide ablated by pulse TEA CO2 laser

Laser ablation of Upilex-S polyimide films 80 μm thick was performed in air using a pulse TEA CO₂ laser with wavelength 9.3 μm. A halo surrounding the hole was observed, which is covered with sub-micro particles. Pieces of ablation products protrude from the ablated surface, leading to considerable roughness of the ablated area. Chemical and structural changes of Upilex-S polyimide film surface irradiated by the pulse TEA CO₂ laser in air were analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Relative C content in the ablated area was found to be higher, whilst both O and N contents were lower than in the untreated area. This means that TEA CO₂ laser ablation released both the O and N atoms. Also, the peak areas corresponding with carbonyl group (C=O) in the imide system were reduced much more and a new component at 287.0 eV assigned to the amide structure (N---C=O) was detected after laser ablation. These suggest that the pyrolysis of the Upilex-S polyimide was the decomposition of the imide ring between the nitrogen/aromatic carbon atom and carbonyl carbon atom. In addition, another new component arising from >C=O groups was also detected for higher fluence (7.83 J/cm²), and its peak areas is very small. This result indicates that the slight oxidation may take place with higher fluence during laser ablation in air. Based on above-mentioned experimental results, a possible thermally-induced decomposition path of Upilex-S polyimide ablated by TEA CO₂ laser is presented.     

Fine frequency tuning of a high power CO2 laser and its application to optically-pumped molecular lasers

We describe a novel technique for shifting the output frequency of a high power TEA CO₂ laser. The performance of a 16 μm laser is shown to be greatly improved when optically pumped by this tunable source.     

High-resolution measurements of molecular absorption line profiles at 10 micrometers

Absorption line profiles of CO₂, C₂H₄ and NH₃ have been measured around a wavelength of 10 μm and under various conditions using a passive heterodyne detection technique with a resolution of 6 × 10^-4 cm^-1.     

Accurate measurement of the refractive index of CO2, N2, He, O2, and air at 10.57 μ and T = 23 °C

The refractive index of carbon-dioxide, nitrogen, helium, oxygen and air have been measured at 23 °C temperature by means of a tunable CO₂ laser at 10.57 μm and of a differential interferometric technique. As the gas refractive index depends on the pressure P as n = 1 + _PP, the pressure coefficients _P has been measured with 5e–3 accuracy.     

Detection of small N2O concentrations using a frequency doubled CO2 laser

A reliable procedure for remote high-accuracy laser detection of N₂O as one of the principal destroyers of the protective ozone layer of the Earth has been developed. The procedure is based on using a CO₂-laser system emitting efficiently in the 4.5 μm range. In this case lasing from isotopic modification ¹²C¹⁸O₂ of carbon dioxide with its subsequent frequency doubling by a nonlinear crystal is used. With the object of reducing the price the composition of the active medium (both for TEA laser and low-pressure longitudinal-discharge-excitation laser) has been optimized. New high-efficiency intracavity frequency doubling schemes based on nonlinear AgGaSe₂ crystals have been developed for CO₂-lasers of both types. Low concentrations of N₂O and concentrations of the principal background gases CO and H₂O have been measured under real atmosphere conditions with the aid of the lidar complex built around these lasers.     

Optical fibre beam delivery of high-energy laser pulses: beam quality preservation and fibre end-preparation

This paper investigates the extension of optical fibre beam delivery to high-brightness applications, in particular laser percussion drilling, where both a good beam quality and high peak power are required. Beam quality preservation through a number of optical fibres is studied both experimentally and by using a ray propagation model. It is determined that in order to achieve the beam quality required for percussion drilling (M²<30) the largest fibre which can be used is 400 μm diameter. The laser-induced damage threshold is measured for a number of 400 μm fibres, and a CO₂ laser-annealing technique is shown to increase the damage threshold by a factor of 10, allowing 28 J, 1 ms pulses to be transmitted.     

Frequency stabilization of laser diodes using 1.51-1.55 μm absorption lines of 12C2H2 and 13C2H2

Frequency stabilization of an 1.5 μm distributed feedback laser diode (DFB-LB) is demonstrated using a vibrational-rotational absorption of acetylene ¹²C₂H₂ and ¹³C₂H₂ molecules (VRAM). Frequency stability within 2 MHz peak-to-peak fluctuation can be achieved in the wavelength region of 1.51-1.55 μm. Frequency-stabilized distributed feedback (DFB) laser compact modules have been constructed. When the fiber-pigtail-type acoustic optical modulator was used for small laser frequency scanning, frequency stability within 3 MHz peak-to-peak fluctuation was achieved without any broadening of laser spectral linewidth. In addition, temperature and pressure dependencies of the acetylene absorption lines are characterized.     

Reproducibility of optically stimulated luminescence measurements from single grains of Al2O3:C and annealed quartz

We have measured some aspects concerning the performance of a new instrument for the measurement of optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) from single sand-sized grains. The instrument uses a solid-state laser to stimulate OSL from each grain individually. These grains are placed in a regular grid of nine-by-nine holes, which are drilled in the sample disc. We report on tests carried out to determine the precision with which the laser beam can be directed at individual grains in these holes. Single grains of aluminium oxide (Al₂O₃:C) (90–180 μm) and annealed quartz (90–120 μm) were used to test the reproducibility with which the OSL signal can be measured. These experiments suggest that the laser beam can be positioned to within 30 μm and that the reproducibility of OSL measurement is 3.5% on an average.     

Temperature dependence of intensities and widths of N2-broadened lines in the 15 μm CO2 band from tunable laser measurements

Intensities and nitrogen-broadened widths of several low-J lines in the Q-branch of the 15 μm band of CO₂ have been determined over the temperature range 200–300 K. Measurements were made with a tunable infra-red diode laser spectrometer having a spectral resolution 10^-4 cm^-1. Measured intensities are uniformly about 7% lower than available calculations which were based on previous measurements of band intensity. Measured line widths are higher than available calculations and generally followed the relation

b_L⁰(T)=b_L⁰(T₀)(T₀|T)ⁿ

with n = 0.74 (standard deviation 0.08).     

Growth and laser properties of Nd:Ca4YO(BO3)3 crystal

Nd:Ca₄YO(BO₃)₃ (Nd:YCOB) crystal was grown by the Czochralski method, and its structure was measured by using a four circle X-ray diffractometer. The transparent spectrum from 200 to 2600 nm was measured at room temperature. The fluorescence spectrum near 1.06 μm showed that the main emission wavelength of Nd:YCOB crystal was centered at 1060.8 nm. Laser output at 1.06 μm has been demonstrated when it was pumped by a Ti:sapphire laser at the wavelength of 794 nm, the highest output power was 68 mW under pumping power of 311 mW, the pumping threshold was 163 mW and slope efficiency was 46.9%. The self-frequency doubled green light has been observed when it was pumped by a Ti:sapphire or a laser diode (LD). A 14.5 mm Nd:YCOB crystal sample cut at (θ, φ)=(90°, 33°) was used for type I second-frequency generation (SHG) of the 1.06 μm laser pulse. The SHG conversion efficiency was 22%.     

Near-infrared absorptions of monomethylhydrazine

The peak absorption coefficients for two near-infrared absorptions of monomethylhydrazine, CH₃-N₂H₃, (MMH) were measured. Absorption bands located at 1.524 μm (6560 cm^-1), 1.557 μm (6423 cm^-1), and 1.583 μm (6316 cm^-1) are assigned to the υ = 2 overtones of the infrared N-H stretching fundamentals at 3317, 3245 and 3177 cm^-1. An absorption band located at 1.04 μm (9620±100 cm^-1) is assigned to the υ = 3 overtone of one of these fundamentals. The peak absorption coefficients (₁₀) at 1.524 μm (6560±20 cm^-1) and 1.04 μm (9620±100 cm^-1) are 31 × 10^-3 and 0.97 × 10^-3 (cm atm)^-1, respectively. Uncertainties in these coefficients were estimated to be less than ±20% due primarily to uncertainties in the partial vapor pressure of MMH.     

A gigahertz tunable, high power, high repetition rate rf CO2 laser operating without He

This paper reports on a gigahertz mode-tunable waveguide CO₂ laser operating with high-pressure He-free mixtures (0.4 bar), with a long pulse (20 μs) high repetition rate (1 kHz) radio-frequency discharge. Single-mode tuning at 0.92 GHz with good mean laser linewidth (<40 MHz) and large peak power (150 W) have been obtained over 40 laser lines, with 0.3 W mean power. By using standard He reach mixtures both the laser line number and mean power are slightly increased.     

IR-FIR Transferred lamb-dip spectroscopy in optically pumped molecular lasers

Pump saturation effects are reported for CH₃ and CH₃F optically pumped molecular lasers. The Lamb-dip of the pumping transition is observed directly in the optoacoustic absorption signal and as a transferred Lamb-dip in the emission of various FIR laser lines (CH₃F 496 μm, CH₃OH 119, 70.5 and 96.5 μm) . The offset of the absorbing transitions and their Stark effect are directly investigated. Results are also reported for the unassigned CH₃OH 164 μm line.     

Stimulated four-photon mixing and efficient polychromatic visible light generation in SiO2-based single-mode optical fibers pumped at 1.319 μm

The generation of near-infrared and intense visible light through stimulated multi-wave mixing processes in single-mode silica-based optical fibers pumped by a Q-switched and mode-locked Nd:YAG laser operated at 1.319 μm is described. The experimental results show that intense infrared light around 1.2 μm is produced via selp-hase-matched four-photon mixing at the minimum group velocity dispersion region of pure SiO₂-core and P₂O₅-doped silica fibers. In the visible spectral region, from 580 nm to 600 nm, 20 W peak power 100-ps pulses were generated by pumping single spans of single-mode P₂O₅-doped and undoped SiO₂-core fibers with 1.319-μm laser pulses. The signal light generated in such fibers propagated in the LP₀₂ fiber mode and exhibited a threshold power that depended upon the fiber length and a critical length that was power dependent. Also, it exhibited an asymmetrical spectrum of a few nanometers bandwidth, with a long tail toward high frequencies. For GeO₂-doped silica-based fibers, a multiple-wavelength visible signal propagating in several high-order fiber modes was generated.