Feasibility analysis of radiation balanced laser

An end-pumped slab laser model is analyzed to evaluate the feasibility of radiation balanced laser (RBL) when the laser crystal is chosen to be Yb:KGW. The ratio between fluorescence and stimulated photon number is first introduced to help estimate the output power of RBL. Through the analysis it turned out to be difficult to build high power RBL, but the idea of radiation balance can be used to reduce the waste heat for all laser design.     

边缘抽运复合Yb:YAG/YAG薄片激光器设计与功率扩展

设计了边缘抽运复合Yb:YAG/YAG薄片激光器.薄片激光器的显著优点是热梯度和激光传输方向相同，减小了横向的温度梯度，解决了高功率激光器冷却和高功率抽运的矛盾，避免了放大的自发辐射. 与高功率棒状和板条激光器相比，一维空间冷却理论和边缘抽运理论可以获得更高的功率输出，列举了两种高功率Yb:YAG/YAG薄片激光器设计实例. 关键词： 固体激光器 薄片激光 边缘抽运 功率扩展     

4.81 W Yb:YAG/1 030 nm薄片激光器优化设计

设计了四程泵浦的Yb:YAG薄片激光器。晶体掺杂原子数分数为10%,几何尺寸为直径10 mm、厚340 μm,提出了Cr/Au金属化方案, 采用铟焊工艺将其焊接到微通道水冷热沉上。耦合系统为四程泵浦结构,球面镜规格为直径30 mm、曲率半径50 mm。利用LightTools软件模拟计算了泵浦光斑半径,选用曲率半径200 mm输出镜以使泵浦光斑半径与基模光斑半径比符合模式匹配原则。在激光二极管阵列泵浦功率为18.73 W 时,获得了最高功率为4.81 W的1 030 nm连续激光输出,光-光转换效率为25.7%。     

A 12.1-W SESAM mode-locked Yb:YAG thin disk laser

Pumped by a 940 nm fiber-coupled diode laser, a passively mode-locked Yb:YAG thin disk oscillator was demonstrated with a semiconductor saturable absorber mirror(SESAM). 12.1 W mode-locked pulses were obtained with pulse duration of 698 fs at the repetition rate of 57.43 MHz. Measurement showed that the beam quality was close to the diffraction limit.     

Yb：YAG晶体中的荧光浓度猝灭现象

在Ｙｂ：ＹＡＧ晶体中发现浓度猝灭现象,对猝灭机制进行了分析研究,指出退火前晶体的荧光浓度猝灭现象主要由Ｙｂ＾２＋、色心和由此产生的晶格畸变所致高掺杂浓度时痕量稀土杂质离子的存在也将导致浓度猝灭,确定了Ｙｂ：ＹＡＧ晶体中Ｙｂ＾３＋的理想掺杂浓度。     

Three-dimensional modeling of thermo-mechanical finite element analysis in edge-pumped composite Yb:YAG/YAG thin-disk laser

A study of the thermo-mechanical analysis in edge-pumped composite Yb:YAG disk laser is presented. A three-dimensional model of disk and cooling system was created in ANSYS software. Heat load density applied on active medium was 14.6% of power absorption density. Temperature, stress and strain analysis showed a uniform distribution in the upper surface and maximum in the center. Finally, optimum heat exchanger coefficient and temperature of cooling system were obtained by comparing with different analyses and results.     

Yb∶YAG晶体的荧光特性研究

测量了不同掺杂浓度Yb∶YAG晶体氧化和还原气氛退火前后的色心吸收光谱、荧光光谱和荧光寿命.研究了色心对Yb∶YAG晶体的荧光强度和荧光寿命的影响.结果表明,只有当Yb的掺杂浓度大于10 at.%时,色心吸收的加强对发光强度和荧光寿命有明显猝灭作用.     

激光二极管泵浦的重复频率大能量低温Yb:YAG激光器设计

为实现重复频率大能量激光输出,基于Yb:YAG激光介质低温下良好的热特性和激光特性,设计了12 kW高功率激光二极管(LD)阵列泵浦的V型腔低温Yb:YAG激光器（液氮温度）。对于泵浦耦合系统和散热结构两个关键点,分别使用光线追迹方法和有限元方法进行了分析,提出了楔形真空窗口和低温热管等解决方案。模拟结果表明,该设计的激光器热效应较低,可实现重复频率大能量输出。     

激光二极管泵浦的重复频率大能量低温Yb:YAG激光器设计

为实现重复频率大能量激光输出,基于Yb:YAG激光介质低温下良好的热特性和激光特性,设计了12kW高功率激光二极管(LD)阵列泵浦的V型腔低温Yb:YAG激光器(液氮温度)。对于泵浦耦合系统和散热结构两个关键点,分别使用光线追迹方法和有限元方法进行了分析,提出了楔形真空窗口和低温热管等解决方案。模拟结果表明,该设计的激光器热效应较低,可实现重复频率大能量输出。     

Efficient tunable Yb:YAG ceramic laser

A high-power efficient ceramic Yb:YAG laser was demonstrated at a room temperature of 20 °C with an Yb concentration of 9.8 at.%, a gain medium of 1 mm, a pumping power of 13.8 W, an output coupler of T = 10%, and a cavity length of 20 mm. A 6.8 W cw output power was obtained with a slope efficiency of 72%. The ceramic Yb:YAG laser exhibited a continuous tunability in the spectral range of 63.5 nm from 1020.1 to 1083.6 nm for T = 1% at a maximum output power of 1.6 W. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study of the tunability of ceramic Yb:YAG lasers, except crystal Yb:YAG studies.     

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.     

LD side-pumped passively Q-switched Yb:YAG slab laser

A quasi-continuous wave laser diode side-pumped passively Q-switched Yb:YAG slab laser with Cr⁴⁺:YAG saturable absorber has been demonstrated in order to understand the pulse properties of Yb:YAG crystal. To our knowledge the maximum 69% extraction efficiency is achieved by the system. 44 μJ pulse energy and 1.64 KW peak power with near diffraction-limited beam quality are presented at 25 Hz repetition rate. The build-up time of the Q-giant in the passively Q-switched laser is shown.     

A 61-mJ, 1-kHz cryogenic Yb: YAG laser amplifier

We report a diode-pumped rod-type Yb:YAG laser amplifier operating at 1 kHz. Cryogenic cooling method was adopted to make the Yb:YAG crystal work with four-level behavior. A single-frequency fiber laser acts as the seed in an actively Q-switched Yb:YAG oscillator. The resonator delivers 5.75-mJ pulses at 1 kHz with a pulse duration of approximately 40 ns. The pulses were amplified to 61 mJ in a four-pass rod-type Yb:YAG amplifier with optical-to-optical efficiency of 24% in the main amplifier. The M² parameter of the output laser is <1.4.     

Nd:YAG薄片激光器热致波前畸变

 理论分析了激光二极管端面泵浦薄片Nd:YAG 激光器的激光介质热效应对波前相位分布的影响,给出了薄片激光器波前热畸变的计算公式。数值模拟了理想均匀泵浦及4阶超高斯泵浦下的波前分布,分析了介质厚度和泵浦均匀性与波前畸变量的关系。研究表明,介质越薄,激光泵浦光均匀性越好,泵浦功率密度越小,激光波前畸变越小;与介质厚度、泵浦功率密度相比,泵浦光光强分布对波前的影响更为显著。     

高效紧凑室温Yb:YAG板条全固态激光技术研究

报道了高效紧凑室温Yb:YAG板条全固态激光研究进展。建立了室温Yb板条激光动力学模型,分析了泵浦激光通量和注入激光亮度与光光效率的关系,以及板条边缘效应抑制方法。实验获得了输出功率22.3 kW、光光效率36%和光束质量优于2.4倍衍射极限的激光输出,为更高功率的Yb板条激光关键技术研究及开发小型化、轻量化、实用化的高功率激光器奠定了基础。     

一种用于Yb:YAG激光器的波长分离膜的研制

以1 030 nm高反,940,980 nm高透的波长分离膜作为实例,为提高该薄膜元件的波长分离效果,从膜系的优化方面做了一系列的研究,诸如采用带通滤光片的设计思想,在膜堆两侧加入了匹配层,调整膜堆的周期厚度,并用膜系设计软件对通带作进一步的优化.通过这一系列的优化设计后,利用RF双离子束溅射工艺在BK7玻璃基底上沉积样品薄膜,并在基底背面加镀通带增透膜.结果显示,透射带在940和980 nm处的透过率分别为97.73%和93.63%,反射带在1 030 nm的反射率为99.99%.对所制备的样品薄膜进行了激光损伤阈值测量,得到了35 J/cm2(1 064 nm,12 ns)的结果.     

Yb3+:YAG片状激光器的温度效应及金刚石窗口冷却设计

 基于准三能级速率方程分析了Yb³⁺:YAG 片状激光器的温度效应，结果表明随着激光介质的温度由300 K升高到400 K，激光器的储能提取效率由43%下降到26%。提出了利用热传导性能及优异的金刚石窗口对激光片的两端面进行冷却设计。模拟结果表明对掺杂11.6 %厚度为1.2 mm的激光片在泵浦功率密度为15 kW/cm²，重复频率为10 Hz的条件下，要将最高温度控制在可接受的范围内（比如320 K），周围冷却水的对流换热系数不应小于2 kW/(m²·K）。模拟结果还表明，在相同的热功率密度和冷却条件下，减小激光片的厚度同时增加抽运光的传输次数可以明显的降低激光片的温度。     

Yb3+:YAG片状激光器的温度效应及金刚石窗口冷却设计

基于准三能级速率方程分析了Yb3+:YAG 片状激光器的温度效应,结果表明随着激光介质的温度由300 K升高到400 K,激光器的储能提取效率由43%下降到26%。提出了利用热传导性能及优异的金刚石窗口对激光片的两端面进行冷却设计。模拟结果表明对掺杂11.6 %厚度为1.2 mm的激光片在泵浦功率密度为15 kW/cm2,重复频率为10 Hz的条件下,要将最高温度控制在可接受的范围内（比如320 K）,周围冷却水的对流换热系数不应小于2 kW/(m2·K）。模拟结果还表明,在相同的热功率密度和冷却条件下,减小激光片的厚度同时增加抽运光的传输次数可以明显的降低激光片的温度。     

LD end-pumped intracavity frequency doubled Yb:YAG laser

A laser diode end-pumped 10 at.% doped Yb:YAG microchip crystal intracavity frequency doubled all solid-stated green laser is reported in this paper. Using one plano-concave resonator, with the pump power of 1.2 W, 44.2 mW TEM₀₀ continuous wave (CW) laser at 525 nm was obtained, the optical conversion efficiency was about 3.7%. When a Cr:YAG crystal with initial transmission of 95.5% inserted in the resonator, the maximum output power of 6.4 mW, pulse duration width of 49.1 ns, pulse repetition rate of 2.45 kHz, and peak power of 53.1 W at 515 nm were achieved when the pump power was 1.2 W. The wavelength changed from 525 nm to 515 nm and the threshold was only 725 mW.     

Laser diode array pumped Yb:YAG/BIBO 515 nm thin disc laser with four-pass optical coupling system

We presented a new simple flat-concave cavity system to produce compact and low-cost 515 nm laser, and the validity has been demonstrated. The Yb:YAG crystal with 10% concentration was 300 μm thickness and 10 mm in diameter. The four-pass optical coupling system was well designed with two spherical imaging mirrors (ϕ = 30 mm, R = 50 mm). Taking into account mode matching, the pump-spot radius in the laser crystal was calculated by LightTools software. The 2 × 2 × 1.5 mm³ BIBO crystal cutting at a type-I phase-matching direction of (θ, φ) = (166.8°, 90°) was employed. With 4.4 W incident power, the maximum output power of 14.3 mW at 515 nm was obtained without optimization of soldering technique, and the single-frequency phenomenon was first observed when the output power was 3 mW.