Multiwatt optically pumped ammonia laser operation in the 12–13 μm

Design and operating caracteristics of high pulse repetition rate NH₃ laser producing up to 20 W of average output power are described. The NH₃ laser, operating in the 12–13 μm region was optically pumped with a high pulse repetition rate TEA CO₂ laser. Dependences of the NH₃ laser output on the pump energy, ammonia and buffer gas pressures and pulse repetition rate have been studied. The conversion efficiency of up to 16% has been received.     

Operating parameter optimization of optically pumped CH3OH far-infrared laser

By solving the density matrix equations of a quantum system, the output power intensity of an optically pumped CH₃OH FIR laser (CH₃OH-OPFIRL) was calculated by means of iteration method, and the spectral characteristics were got. Base on the calculation, optimization of operating parameters including operating gas pressure, pumped power and output coupling coefficient of the CH₃OH cavity laser were systematically studied. Experimental, a series of FIR emissions of the CH₃OH cavity laser pumped by TEA-CO₂ laser with 9P(16) line were measured. The experimental results were in good agreement with theoretical calculations. The project was supported by the Special Research Foundation of Doctorate Station in University of P.R.C.     

Study of miniature optically pumped NH3 fir cavity laser

A miniature NH₃ molecule FIR cavity laser of 15cm in length pumped by a TEA CO₂ laser was built. The spectral characteristics of the cavity laser and the optimum operating parameters were studied.Supported by the National Natural Sciences Foundation of China     

Raman Effect in Two-Longitudinal-Mode Superradiant Terahertz Laser

Multi-Raman effect in optically NH₃ pumped superradiant two-longitudinal-mode CO₂-9R(30) laser was theoretically studied. And with different pumping power, operating gas pressure and length of laser tube, the rule of multi-Raman interaction and its effect to THz laser spectral characteristics were discussed.     

Diode-pumped high-repetition-rate acousto-optically Q-switched Nd:YVO<Subscript>4</Subscript> laser operating at 914 nm

A diode-pumped high-repetition-rate acousto-optically (A-O) Q-switched Nd:YVO₄ laser operating at 914 nm was reported in this paper. Employing a compact linear laser cavity, at an operating repetition rate of 10 kHz, a maximum average output power of 2.2 W 914 nm laser was obtained at an incident pump power of 45.3 W, corresponding to an optical conversion efficiency of 4.9% and a slope efficiency of 8.8%. Minimum pulse width of 24 ns and maximum peak power of 8.0 kW of 914 nm laser was also achieved at an incident pump power of 40.8 W. To the best of our knowledge, this is the highest peak power of 914 nm laser at 10 kHz by far. Moreover, the highest operating repetition rate of pulsed 914 nm can even reach 100 kHz.     

Operating Parameters Optimization of Miniature Optically Pumped Cavity NH3 Submillimeter Wave Laser

By means of the iteration method, the output power density of the miniature optically pumped NH₃ submillimeter wave (SMMW) laser was calculated based on the density matrix equations of a quantum system. Optimization of operating parameters including operating gas pressure, reflection coefficients of input and output meshes of the laser were studied systematically. In the paper, the concepts of the average activated length and the synthetical optimum value were defined, and some rules of the optimization were explained successfully. Experimentally, a cavity NH₃ SMMW laser that was composed of a pair of inductive metallic meshes and pumped by TEA-CO₂ 10R(8) line was used. The experimental results were in good agreement with our theoretical calculations.     

Continuous-wave diode-laser end-pumped Nd:YVO4/KTP high-power solid-state green laser

A simple folded-cavity used for intracavity frequency-doubled Nd:YVO₄ laser was analyzed by transmission matrix and numerical calculation. We have selected a set of proper cavity parameters which can be used readily by operating at high power levels with low threshold, high efficiency, and wide dynamic operating range. 5.6-W TEM₀₀ green laser has been obtained at a 22-W pumping power and with an optical–optical conversion efficiency of 25.5%.     

A phase-sensitive technique to measure small changes in laser frequency: application to measure the shift and broadening of a saturated absorption line of OsO4

A phase-sensitive technique was used to measure the sensitivity to operating conditions of the output frequency of a highly stable carbon dioxide laser, which operated on the 10-μmm R(0) transition (28.8 THz) and was locked to the saturated absorption of the Q(15) transition of OsO₄. Periodic changes in the operating conditions were imposed on the laser and the resulting changes in the output frequency were measured through phase-sensitive demodulation of the heterodyne beat with a second CO₂ laser of much lower stability. Shifts as small as 50Hz could be detected by this technique. The results are in good agreement with previous measurements which employed an infrared frequency chain.     

Additives as ionizing elements in N2 TE UV lasers

This work reports the role some additives have in pre-ionizing a N₂ TE UV laser (337.1 nm). The modifications in both stimulated radiation characteristics and excitation-pulse period prove the different ionizing power of each element. The laser operating without a pre-ionizing wire device and with N₂ plus different additives was able to generate pulses with a temporal width of the same order than those obtained when it was operating with N₂ and a pre-ionizing wire device. Also, a relation between ionization efficiency and interelectrode distance has been established allowing the prediction of conditions for optimum laser-pulse width generation.     

Comparison Between Single-Longitudinal-Mode and Two-Longitudinal-Mode Pumping Cavity OPSMMWL

A CO₂ infrared laser system with a etalon to be the longitudinal mode select equipment was set up to be the optically pump source, as well as a mini NH3 with 20cm long sample tube to be the sub-millimeter wave laser. CO2-9R(16) line was chose to pump the mini-NH3 SMMW laser, and 90.4um SMMW line was obtained by single-longtudinal-mode or two-longitudinal-mode pumping. Experimental comparison of output power and operating gas pressure between single and two-longitudinal-mode OPSMMWL were studied. It was found that the two-longitudinal-mode OPSMMWL could get higher output power and broader spectrum, existed a lower operating gas pressure and wider range of operating gas pressure. These experimental results verified the theoretical calculations before.     

Laser diode photoacoustic and FTIR laser spectroscopy of formaldehyde in the 2.3 μm and 3.5 μm spectral range

The room temperature operating GaInAsSb/AlGaAsSb based diode laser and 66 K InAsSb/InAsSbP laser diode both operating in spectral range of formaldehyde absorption 4350-4361 cm⁻¹ and 2821-2823 cm⁻¹ have been characterized and compared. Very precise arrangement of laser absorption together with high resolution Fourier transform technique was tested. The photoacoustic technique was employed to determine the detection limit of formaldehyde (less than 1 ppmV) diluted by nitrogen for the strongest absorption line of the ν₃ + ν₅ band in the emission region of the GaInAsSb/AlGaAsSb diode laser. The detection limit (less than 10 ppbV) of formaldehyde was achieved in the 2820 cm⁻¹ spectral range in case of InAsSb/InAsSbP laser (fundamental bands of ν₁, ν₅)_.     

Multi-Raman Effect and Longitudinal-Mode Structure in Optically Pumped Submillimeter Wave Laser

Based on semi-classical density matrix theory, multi-Raman interaction in multi-longitudinal-mode CO₂-9R (30) optically pumped NH₃ molecules laser was studied theoretically. With different parameters such as pumping power and operating gas pressure, the effect of multi-Raman interaction and the longitudinal-mode structure of submillimeter wave laser were also discussed.     

Effects of Buffer Gas on the Output of Optically Pumped NH3 Far-Infrared Cavity Laser

By solving the semi-classical density matrix equations and developing a buffer gas mechanism model, the effects of buffer gas on the output power of optically pumped NH₃ far-infrared cavity laser were calculated and verified by experiment. Our results showed that: the output power of NH₃ far-infrared laser could be increased when certain buffer gas was added into the laser medium, and there existed an optimum ratio of gases mixture and an optimum operating gas pressure which could make the output power of far-infrared laser reach maximum.     

Theoretical Study on NH3 Superradiant Miniature Optically Pumped Far-Infrared Laser with Buffer Gas

A miniature superradiant NH₃ optically pumped far-infrared laser (OPFIRL) with buffer gas N₂ was theoretically studied. Base on the mechanism model of buffer gas, synthetical relaxation time was calculated. By solving the semi-classic density matrix equations, spectra of NH₃ superradiant OPFIRL with buffer gas N₂ was calculated, also the operating gas pressure. It was found that by adding buffer gas, FIR power could be raised, and there existed an optimum ratio of gases mixture and an optimum operating gas pressure which was higher than that of pure NH₃ operating.     

Spectral Characteristics of Miniature Two-Longitudinal-Mode Optically Pumped FIR Laser

With the assumption that the pump source was two-longitudinal-mode, the semiclassical density matrix equation of a three-energy-level system was solved. By means of iteration method, the spectral characteristics of miniature two-longitudinal-mode optically pumped NH₃ far-infrared cavity laser, which was pumped by CO₂-9R(16) line, were calculated numerically. The influences of operating parameters on laser spectrum were studied intensively.     

Theoretical study of multi-mode optically pumped NH3 FIR laser

The two or multi-mode optically pumped NH₃ FIR laser had been studied theoretically. The NH₃ molecular gas was assumed to be a three-level system and obeyed the time-dependent behavior of the density matrix equations. Considering the situation of playing the two or multi-mode optical pumping and the FIR laser field were same polarized. The gain coefficient and the output FIR power of the system could be calculated by using the iteration method.It had been predicted that the two or multiple longitudinal mode optically pumped NH₃ FIR laser could have a greater output power or higher lasing efficiency than single mode pumped FIR laser under suitable selected operating parameters of laser.Supported by The Education Foundation of PRC.     

8.1 W/670.7 nm and 5.1 W/669.6 nm cw red light outputs by intracavity frequency doubling of a Nd:YAP laser with LBO

In this paper, the continuous-wave intracavity second harmonic generation of a laser diode side-pumped Nd:YAP laser operating in the 1.3-μm region is demonstrated. A type-I critical phase-matched LiB₃O₅ (LBO) crystal was used as the frequency doubler. 8.1 W/670.7 nm and 5.1 W/669.6 nm continuous-wave red light outputs were achieved from the 1341.4-nm laser beam polarized along the c crystalline axis and the 1339.2-nm laser beam polarized along the a crystalline axis, respectively. The stability of the 670.7-nm red laser is better than 3% at the output power of 7 W in an hour.     

High efficiency 1341 nm Nd:GdVO<Subscript>4</Subscript> laser in-band pumped at 912 nm

A high-efficiency 1341 nm Nd:GdVO₄ laser in-band pumped at 912 nm is demonstrated for the first time. Using an all-solid-state Nd:GdVO₄ laser operating at 912 nm as pump source, 542 mW output was obtained with 1.14 W absorbed pump power. The slope efficiency with respect to the absorbed pump power was 56.6%, and the fluctuation of the output power was better than 2.6% in the given 30 min. The beam quality factor M ₂ is 1.15.     

Demonstration of a widely tunable digital supermode distributed Bragg reflector laser as a versatile source for near-infrared spectroscopy

In this paper we report the characterization of a novel, widely tunable, diode laser source operating over the full telecom L-band (1563–1613 nm), namely the digital supermode distributed Bragg reflector (DS-DBR) laser, and its application to multi-wavelength gas sensing via absorption strategies. The spectroscopic performance of the laser has been assessed by investigating the ro-vibrational spectrum of CO₂, and wavelength modulation spectroscopy was accomplished for proof-of-principle sensitive measurements in discrete spectral regions.     

Diode array pumped, non-linear mirror Q-switched and mode-locked Nd : YVO4 laser — a good tool for powder SHG measurement

A non-linear mirror consisting of a lithium triborate crystal and a dichroic output coupler are used to mode-lock (passively) an Nd : YVO₄ laser, pumped by a diode laser array. The laser can operate both in cw mode-locked and simultaneously Q-switched and mode-locked (QML) regime. The peak power of the laser while operating in QML regime is much higher but pulses suffers from poor amplitude stability. The incorporation of an acousto-optic modulator as an active Q-switch enhances the stability of the QML pulse envelope. The second-order non-linearity of powdered crystalline urea is conclusively measured with respect to KDP while the laser is operating in passively Q-switched and passively mode-locked regime as well as in actively Q-switched and passively mode-locked regime.