Laser diode pumped actively Q-switched Nd:GdVO4 self-Raman laser operating at 1173 nm

A laser diode pumped actively Q-switched Nd:GdVO₄ self-Raman laser operating at 1173 nm is presented. The maximum output power was 2.26 W at an incident pump power of 18 W, with the corresponding optical conversion efficiency of 12.6%. Two different resonator configurations were investigated in order to achieve high output power and efficiency.     

Diode-end-pumped composite Nd:YVO4 yellow laser based on intracavity frequency-doubled self-Raman laser

We report an intracavity frequency-doubled Q-switched self-Raman yellow laser at 587 nm. A composite Nd:YVO₄ crystal was utilized as self-Raman gain medium. The maximum average output power of yellow light obtained was 1.5 W at the incident pump power of 30 W and at a repetition rate of 50 kHz, corresponding to the optical conversion efficiency of 5%. The shortest pulse width, the maximum pulse energy and the highest peak power were measured to be 5.8 ns, 46.7 μJ and 5.9 kW, respectively.     

An efficient continuous-wave YVO_4/Nd:YVO_4/YVO_4 self-Raman laser pumped by a wavelength-locked 878.9 nm laser diode

We report an efficient continuous-wave self-Raman laser at 1176 nm based on a 20-mm-long composite YVO_4/Nd:YVO_4/YVO_4 crystal and pumped by a wavelength-locked 878.9 nm diode laser.A maximum output power of 5.3 W is achieved at a pump power of 26 W,corresponding to an optical conversion efficiency of 20%and a slope efficiency of 21%.The Raman threshold for the diode pump power was only 0.92 W.The results reveal that in-band pumping by a wavelength-locked diode laser significantly enhances output power and efficiency of self-Raman lasers by virtue of improved pump absorption and relieved thermal loading.     

Thermal lens measurements in a Nd:GdVO4 self-Raman laser

A method to characterize the thermal lens in a Nd:GdVO₄ self-Raman laser is presented. The thermal focal length was measured to be as short as 180 mm with a self-Raman laser output power of 0.95 W. For comparison, the thermal focal lengths in the cases of fundamental operation and first-Stokes operation were measured experimentally, indicating that the heat generated in the SRS process exacerbated the thermal loading of the Nd:GdVO₄ crystal.     

YVO4/Nd:YVO4/YVO4 self-Raman laser at 1,764 nm

A diode-end-pumped composite YVO₄/Nd:YVO₄/YVO₄ crystal self-Raman laser at the second-Stokes wavelength of 1,764 nm is demonstrated. The maximum average output power of second-Stokes radiation was up to 0.99 W at a pump power of 34 W and a pulse repetition frequency of 20 kHz, corresponding to an optical conversion efficiency of 2.9 %. The highest peak power and the shortest pulse duration were 21.5 kW and 1.92 ns, respectively.     

Passively Q-switched <Emphasis Type="Italic">a</Emphasis>-cut Nd:YVO<Subscript>4</Subscript> self-Raman laser

A passively Q-switched a-cut Nd:YVO₄ self-stimulating Raman laser using a Cr:YAG saturable absorber has been demonstrated for the first time. The maximum average output power of the self-Raman laser at 1176 nm is 347 mW at the incident pump power of 10 W with a pulse repetition frequency (PRF) of 66 kHz. The pulse width, pulse energy of the 1176 nm are found to be 10 ns and 5.6 μJ. The conversion efficiency from diode laser input power to Raman output power is 3.47%.     

1097 nm Nd:YVO4 self-Raman laser

An acousto-optically Q-switched self-Raman laser emitting at 1097 nm is demonstrated with a c-cut Nd:YVO₄ crystal, using a fiber-coupled 880 nm diode laser as the pumping source. Raman laser performances in concave-plane and plane-plane oscillating cavities are studied and compared. With an absorbed diode power of 12.4 W and a pulse repetition rate of 50 kHz, the highest output power of 1.45 W is obtained from the plane-plane cavity, corresponding to an optical-to-optical conversion efficiency of 11.7%.     

激光二极管抽运的Nd:YVO_4连续自拉曼1175nm激光器

报道了采用激光二极管端面抽运的Nd:YVO4晶体连续自拉曼激光器的实验研究.通过对晶体掺杂浓度及晶体结构的选择优化,减轻自拉曼晶体的热效应,实现了结构紧凑的1175 nm连续自拉曼激光器的高效运转.最终以两端键合的复合Nd:YVO4晶体作为自拉曼介质,在25.5 W的抽运功率下,获得了最高3.4 W的1175 nm连续拉曼光输出,光光转换效率为13.3%,拉曼阈值低至2.21 W,斜效率为14.6%.     

3.1 W laser-diode-end-pumped composite Nd : YVO4 self-Raman laser at 1176 nm

We report a laser-diode-end-pumped acousto-optical Q-switched double-end diffusion-bonded Nd?:?YVO₄ self-Raman laser at 1176 nm. The maximum average output power at the first-Stokes wavelength of 1176 nm was obtained to be 3.1 W at the incident pump power of 25 W and the repetition rate of 90 kHz, with the corresponding optical conversion efficiency of 12.4%. The shortest pulse width, the maximum pulse energy and the highest peak power were measured to be 5 ns, 42 μJ and 7.5 kW, respectively.     

A compact efficient continuous-wave self-frequency Raman laser with a composite YVO4/Nd:YVO4/YVO4 crystal

We report a low-threshold continuous-wave self-Raman laser with a composite YVO₄/Nd:YVO₄/YVO₄ crystal. The use of the composite crystal can reduce the thermal effects and achieve the low-threshold and high Raman output operation. The Raman threshold is as low as 2.2 W for the 808-nm diode pump. Under the pump of a diode power of 25.5 W, the highest Raman output of 2.8 W is obtained at 1175 nm, corresponding to a slope efficiency of 12% and a diode-to-Stokes optical conversion efficiency of 11%. The power fluctuation is less than 1.1% under the highest Raman output.     

Highly efficient double-ended diffusion-bonded Nd:YVO4 1525-nm eye-safe Raman laser under direct 880-nm pumping

A highly efficient 880-nm diode-pumped actively Q-switched eye-safe laser at 1525 nm with a double-ended diffusion-bonded YVO₄–Nd:YVO₄–YVO₄ crystal as the self-Raman medium is demonstrated. As high as 19.2% diode-to-Stokes optical conversion efficiency is obtained with an absorbed pump power of 5.2 W at a pulse repetition rate of 20 kHz.     

LD end-pumped c-Cut Nd:YVO<Subscript>4</Subscript>/KTP self-Raman laser at 560 nm

Intra-cavity sum frequency generation (SFG) of c-cut Nd:YVO₄ self-Raman laser was investigated for the first time. A 4 × 4 × 10 mm³ KTP crystal with a type-II phase-matching cutting angle (θ = 83.4°, φ = 0°) was used for SFG between the fundamental light at 1066 nm and first-Stokes light at 1178 nm. The laser system with different curvature radii of output couplers and different pulse repetition frequencies were investigated. At a pump power of 14 W and pulse repetition frequency of 20 kHz, the average output power of yellow-green laser at 560 nm up to 840 mW was achieved, corresponding to a slope efficiency of 7.6% and a conversion efficiency of 6% with respect to diode pump power.     

Low threshold, actively Q-switched Nd:YVO4 self-Raman laser and frequency doubled 588 nm yellow laser

We reported an actively Q-switched, intracavity Nd³⁺:YVO₄ self-Raman laser at 1176 nm with low threshold and high efficiency. From the extracavity frequency doubling by use of LBO nonlinear crystal, over 3.5 mW, 588 nm yellow laser is achieved. The maximum Raman laser output at is 182 mW with 1.8 W incident pump power. The threshold is only 370 mW at a pulse repetition frequency of 5 kHz. The optical conversion efficiency from incident to the Raman laser is 10%, and 1.9% from Raman laser to the yellow.     

Output power and intracavity intensity profiles of a quasi-continuous end-pumped Nd:YVO4 self-Raman mini laser

The paper presents experimental investigation and modeling of an end-pumped quasi-continuous-wave YVO₄/Nd:YVO₄ mini self-Raman laser. The dependence of the Stokes output power on the pump power in the range from 3 to 17.5 W has been measured. As much as 1.76 W of an average Stokes power, corresponding to a total optical-to-optical conversion efficiency of about 10%, has been obtained. The transverse profiles of the laser (at the fundamental wavelength) and the Stokes beam intensity have been recorded at the output mirror and in the vicinity of the boundary between the pure and Nd-doped parts of the Raman crystal. These distributions have been approximated by the sum of Gaussian and super-Gaussian distributions with corresponding weights. We propose a model of such lasers that takes into account the features of intracavity self-frequency Raman conversion in lasers with highly inhomogeneous non-Gaussian spatial distributions of the pump, laser, and Stokes beam intensity in the cavity. The results of modeling are in good agreement with the experimental data.     

Compact, Low Threshold Nd^3＋：YVO4 Self-Raman Laser at 1178 nm

A compact low-threshold Raman laser at 1178 nm is experimentally realized by using a diode-end-pumped actively Q-switched Nd^3＋ ：YVO4 self-Raman laser. The threshold is 370mW at a pulse repetition frequency of S kHz. The maximum Raman laser output is 182 m W with the pulse duration smaller than 20 ns at a pulse repetition frequency of 30kHz with 1.8 W incident power. The optical efficiency from the incident power to the Raman laser is 10% and the slope efficiency is 13.5%.     

被动调Q自拉曼Nd∶GdVO4激光器

对激光二极管(LD)抽运的自拉曼Nd∶GdVO4被动调Q激光器进行了详细的理论和实验研究。实验中采用Nd∶GdVO4晶体同时作为激光介质和拉曼晶体,分别用了两块不同初始透射率的Cr4 ∶YAG晶体,得到并比较了采用不同初始透射率的Cr4 ∶YAG晶体时被动调Q自拉曼激光器的性能。测量了平均输出功率、脉冲宽度和脉冲重复率随抽运功率的变化关系。当Cr4 ∶YAG的初始透射率为0.91,输入功率是5.7 W时,得到的拉曼光的最高功率为244.6 mW,相应的转换效率为4.3%。通过数值求解基频光和拉曼光空间分布的速率方程并应用到被动调Q自拉曼Nd∶GdVO4激光器。获得的理论结果与实验结果大致相符。     

Nd:GdVO4 self-Raman laser using double-end polarised pumping at 880 nm for high power infrared and visible output

We report and evaluate a novel double-end polarised 880?nm pumping scheme for a Nd:GdVO₄ self-Raman laser, aimed at efficiently generating high output powers in the near-infrared and visible. Compared to conventional single-end pumping, this pump scheme has significant benefits in terms of absorption efficiency, temperature effects in the crystal, and mode-matching between the pumping beam and TEM₀₀ resonator mode. The maximum first-Stokes output powers were 4.1?W for CW operation and 5.63?W for quasi-CW (50?% duty-cycle) operation, with the diode-Stokes conversion efficiency of 11.2?% and 10.3?%, respectively. Visible emission was also realised by intra-cavity frequency-doubling (586.5?nm) or sum-frequency-generation (559?nm) using BBO or LBO crystals. For CW operation, the maximum output power was 3.46?W at 586.5?nm and 4.05?W at 559?nm, with diode-visible conversion efficiency of 10.7?% and 12.5?%; while for quasi-CW operation (50?% duty-cycle), the maximum output peak power was 6.5?W at 586.5?nm and 9.2?W at 559?nm, corresponding to 13.1?% and 18.9?% diode-visible conversion efficiency.     

High-power diode-pumped actively Q-switched Nd:YVO4 self-Raman laser: influence of dopant concentration

Efficient self-Raman frequency conversion from a diode-pumped actively Q-switched Nd:YVO4 laser at 1064 nm to Stokes emission at 1176 nm is achieved for the first time to the author's knowledge. With a 0.2-at.% Nd:YVO4 crystal, greater than 1.5 W of power at a wavelength of 1176 nm at a repetition rate of 20 kHz was generated with a diode pump power of 10.8 W, corresponding to a conversion of 13.9%. Pulse width and peak power were 18 ns and 4.2 kW, respectively.     

LD抽运Nd∶YVO4自喇曼倍频黄光激光器

报道了LD抽运的自喇曼c切Nd∶YVO4调Q腔内倍频黄光激光器.Nd∶YVO4晶体同时作为激光介质和喇曼晶体，通过声光调Q技术，产生了1 178.7 nm的喇曼激光，经过KTP腔内倍频，输出589.4 nm黄光.测量了平均输出功率随抽运功率和脉冲重复率的变化.典型的1 066.7 nm基频光、1 178.7 nm喇曼光和589.4 nm倍频光的脉冲宽度分别为24.9 ns、11.2 ns和6.8 ns.在脉冲重复率为15 kHz，抽运功率为7.56W时，产生了平均功率为151 mW的589.4 nm光的输出.     

Compact efficient self-frequency Raman conversion in diode-pumped passively Q-switched Nd:GdVO<Subscript>4</Subscript> laser

I report the first demonstration of the generation of efficient sub-nanosecond self-stimulated Raman pulses by a diode-pumped passively Q-switched Nd:GdVO₄/Cr⁴⁺:YAG laser. The conversion efficiency for the average power is 7% from pump diode input to self-Raman output and the slope efficiency is up to 14%. At an incident pump power of 2.0 W, the pulse duration, pulse energy, and peak power for the Stokes wavelength of 1175.6 nm were found to be 750 ps, 6.3 J, and 8.4 kW, respectively, with a pulse-repetition rate of 22 kHz. PACS 42.55.Ye; 42.55.Xi; 42.60.Gd