Laser emission in Nd:YVO<Subscript>4</Subscript> channel waveguides at 1064 nm

In this work, we report 1064 nm laser emission in Nd:YVO₄ channel waveguides fabricated by carbon implantation. Typical threshold pump powers (∼808 nm) were ≥45 mW. Maximum conversion efficiency was 11.5% (29.6% slope efficiency), and up to 9 mW of signal was delivered. Sample lengths of 4 mm were sufficient to completely absorb the pump power. The special spectral characteristics of this material such as broad absorption band and superior cross sections compared to the YAG crystal makes it suitable for developing compact sources to be integrated in optoelectronic devices.     

Low-threshold mid-infrared optical parametric oscillation in periodically poled LiNbO3 synchronously pumped by a Ti:sapphire laser

We report the generation of tunable high-repetition-rate optical pulses in the mid-infrared using synchronously pumped parametric oscillation in periodically poled LiNbO₃ (PPLN). Using a Kerr-lens-mode-locked Ti:sapphire laser as the pump source and a PPLN crystal incorporating grating periods of 21.0–22.4 μm, we have achieved wavelength conversion in the -–4 6μm spectral range in the mid-infrared. The use of a semi-monolithic cavity design and hemispherical focusing has permitted pulse generation in the strong idler absorption region of PPLN, resulting in a simple, compact, all-solid-state configuration with a pump power threshold as low as 17 mW and mid-infrared idler powers of up to 64 mW at 9% extraction efficiency. Signal output powers of up to 280 mW at 35% extraction efficiency are available over the -–1.004 1.140μm spectral range at 80.5 MHz and pulse repetition rates at harmonics of the fundamental frequency up to 322 MHz have also been obtained. Received: 5 December 2000 / Revised version: 23 January 2001 / Published online: 27 April 2001     

Optimization of erbium-doped fiber MOPA laser

An erbium-doped fiber laser (EDFL) constructed in a master oscillator and power amplifier (MOPA) configuration is analyzed. The pump powers for the fiber cavity laser and the booster amplifier stages are managed properly to achieve maximal pump conversion efficiency. Our design achieves a pump conversion efficiency of 91.4%, corresponding to a quantum efficiency of 96.6%, for a 1565.8 nm MOPA laser pumped by a total power of 300 mW at 1480 nm. The optimized MOPA laser shows a 25% enhancement in the pump conversion efficiency, compared to a non-MOPA fiber laser. A side lobe suppression ratio of 48 dB for the optimized MOPA laser is observed.     

Characteristics of Cladding-Pumped Short Er3+/Yb3+ Codoped Single Mode Phosphate Glass Fibre

We experimentally investigate the laser characteristics of a series of short pieces of newly-developed Er³⁺/Yb³⁺ codoped single mode phosphate glass fibres via the cladding pump of a 976nm multimode laser diode. A stablecontinuous-wave single transverse mode laser with over 85mW at 1553nm is generated from a 5.5-cm-long active fibre. Single mode laser output power per unit length is up to 15mW/cm. Moreover, the slope efficiency is 11.8% when the pump power is below 940mW and the 3dB linewidth is 0.06nm at the maximum pump power. The numerical simulation results show that the laser emission slope efficiency can exceed 20% by means of increasing the coupling efficiency of the pump to the fibre core further.     

Second harmonic generation in inhomogeneous MgO:LiNbO3 waveguides

A fibre laser at 1111.6 nm is frequency doubled by two inhomogeneous MgO:LiNbO3 waveguides and the output powers of 85 mW and 49 mW at 555.8 nm have been generated with the conversion efficiencies of 47% and 27% respectively. By analysing the second harmonic generation temperature tuning curves, we investigate the influence of the optical inhomogeneities upon the conversion efficiency. The final result shows that the efficiency difference is mainly affected by the optical inhomogeneities in our case.     

连续变量1.34 μm量子纠缠态光场的实验制备

设计研制了连续单频671 nm/1342 nm双波长激光器,并通过模式清洁器降低了激光器额外噪声.利用该低噪声连续单频激光器抽运由Ⅱ类准相位匹配晶体构成的双共振非简并光学参量放大器,实验制备出纠缠度达3 dB的光通信波段1.34μm连续变量量子纠缠态光场.该波段量子纠缠态光场在光纤中传输损耗低且相散效应小,与现有的光纤通信系统相兼容,可用于实现基于光纤的实用化连续变量量子通信.     

Picosecond near- to mid-infrared optical parametric oscillator using KTiOAsO4

The operation and characterization of a high-repetition-rate singly-resonant picosecond optical parametric oscillator based on the non-linear material KTiOAsO4 and synchronously pumped by a Kerr-lens-mode-locked Ti:sapphire laser at 81 MHz is described. By utilizing non-critical type II phase-matching in a 10 mm crystal, average near-infrared output powers of 403 mW have been generated at 31% extraction efficiency. The oscillator exhibits a pump power threshold of 230 mW and with the available mirror set can provide signal tuning over 1.116–1.281 μm and idler tuning over 2.260–3.160 μm by tuning the pump wavelength over 770–896 nm. Without dispersion compensation, near-transform-limited signal pulses with durations of 1.01–1.03 ps and idler pulses with 1.61–2.91 ps duration have been obtained for 1.2 ps input pump pulses. This revised version was published online in November 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Highly stable and efficient KTP-based intracavity optical parametric oscillator with a diode-pumped passively Q-switched laser

We present in this paper a highly stable and efficient KTP-based intracavity optical parametric oscillator with a diode-end-pumped Nd:YVO₄/Cr:YAG passively Q-switched laser. At the incident diode pump power of 4 W, the signal (1.57 μm) and idler (3.29 μm) average output powers up to 580 and 100 mW, respectively, have been achieved. The corresponding conversion efficiency from the input diode pump power to the output signal power is 14.5%, while that to the total OPO output (signal+idler) reaches 17%. To the best of our knowledge, these are the highest conversion efficiencies reported to date. After more than four hours of investigation, the OPO power stability better than 2% has been obtained. In addition, efficient cavity dumping of the IOPO has inevitably led to the short pulse duration (1.6 ns) and high peak power output (8.3 kW) at the signal wave. Additionally, the amplitude and repetition rate fluctuations of the signal pulses are well within 5%. PACS 42.55.Xi; 42.60.Gd; 42.60.Lh; 42.65.Yj     

800 mW/1484 nm highly efficient two-cascaded phosphosilicate Raman fiber laser pumped by Nd:YVO4 solid-state laser

Using 1064 nm CW Nd:YVO₄ solid-state laser as a pump, 1-km phosphosilicate fiber and cascaded cavities with two pairs of fiber Bragg grating mirrors for 1239 and 1484 nm, we obtained a CW 800 mW/1484 nm Raman fiber laser (RFL) for an actual incident pump power of about 2 W (Nd:YVO₄ power of 6.90 W). The conversion efficiency is as high as 40%. To the best of our knowledge, this is the highest conversion efficiency of RFL pumped by solid-state laser. The output power instability at 1484 nm in half an hour is less than 3%. In addition, the numerical simulations are also performed. Good agreement between the results of numerical simulation and the results of the experiment has been demonstrated.     

Tm:Ho co-doped single mode optical fibre laser pumped by a 1600 nm Er fibre laser

An all-fibre Tm:Ho laser system is reported, using a 1600 nm Er fibre pump laser and 0.3 m length of the fibre through a two-stage optimization of both the pump source and laser configuration to achieve a low threshold operation. As a result a low threshold power of 33 mW and a slope efficiency of 0.6% have been achieved, in laser operation at a wavelength of 1870 nm and a cross-comparison with 785 nm laser diode pumping has been made.     

Compact mid-infrared trace gas sensor based on difference-frequency generation of two diode lasers in periodically poled LiNbO3

3 (PPLN) crystal pumped by two single-frequency diode lasers. A maximum DFG power of 1.6 μW at 3.6 μm was generated with a pump power of 61.4 mW at 832 nm and a signal power of 41.5 mW at 1083 nm incident on a 19-mm-long PPLN crystal, which corresponds to a conversion efficiency of 335 μW W^-2 cm^-1. Received: 16 June 1998     

High efficiency, dual-wavelength fibre Raman pump laser for U-band fibre Raman amplifiers

A dual-wavelength, continuous wave, high efficiency fibre Raman ring laser for pumping U-band (1625–1675 nm) fibre Raman amplifiers is demonstrated. Two fibre Bragg gratings were used as wavelength-selective elements resulting in lasing lines at 1529.7 and 1558.7 nm with respective maximum powers of 209.0 and 390.9 mW. A simple U-band Raman amplifier was constructed to test the dual-wavelength pump laser and on:off gain with a peak of 7.3 dB and a 3-dB bandwidth of 73 nm was obtained.     

LD端面抽运Nd:YLF/KTA连续光参量振荡激光

采用非临界相位匹配切割,尺寸5mm×5mm×20mm的KTA作为非线性光学晶体,进行了基于半导体激光端面抽运Nd:YLF/KTA的内腔式连续光学参量振荡激光研究,获得了中红外3.5μm波段的连续激光输出。为了提高连续光参量振荡腔内信号光的功率密度,降低激光输出阈值,采用对信号光高反射的单谐振腔结构进行激光实验。在8.35W的抽运功率下,分别获得了335mW和110mW的3440nm和1505nm的激光输出,对应的总转换效率达到了5.6%。该实验研究表明半导体激光端面抽运的内腔式KTA连续光学参量振荡也能获得高效的中红外激光输出。     

Highly efficient wavelength-tunable anti-Stokes signal conversion by phase-matched four-wave mixing in the second-order mode of photonic crystal fiber

Using the photonic crystal fiber (PCF) with zero dispersion wavelengths of the fundamental mode and the second-order mode at 985 nm and 885 nm designed and fabricated in our lab, the anti-Stokes signals from 586.5 to 558 nm are efficiently generated in the second-order mode. When the pump working wavelength λ ₀ increases from 830 to 880 nm and the input average power P _in reduces from 43 to 25 mW, the output power of anti-Stokes signal increases 1.76 times, the power ratio of anti-Stokes signal at 558 nm to the residual pump component at 880 nm is estimated as 5:1, and the maximal conversion efficiency P _as/P _p0 can be up to 36%. The possible reasons for the difference from theoretical results are discussed. The combined effects of the interval between the pump working wavelength and zero dispersion wavelength and the input power on the signal conversion process are analyzed.     

Theoretical modelling of S-band thulium-doped silica fibre amplifiers

A comprehensive numerical model of a thulium-doped silica-based fibre amplifiers is presented. The model is spectrally and spatially resolved and is general in terms of pumping scheme used. The application of the model for predicting the S-band amplifier performance and for optimization of amplifier parameters is shown. For optimized Tm-doped fibre with ³H₄ level lifetime of 45 μs, which is the maximum value in the Tm-doped silica fibres prepared by the authors, above 20 dB of gain with 2000 mW pump power at the 1050 nm pump band can be expected according to the simulations.     

Modelling of a simple Dy<Superscript>3+</Superscript> doped chalcogenide glass fibre laser for mid-infrared light generation

A simple Dy³⁺-doped chalcogenide glass fibre laser design for mid-infrared light generation is studied using a one dimensional rate equation model. The fibre laser design employs the concept of cascade lasing. The results obtained demonstrate that efficient cascade lasing may be achieved in practice without the need for fibre grating fabrication, as a sufficient level of feedback for laser action is provided by Fresnel light reflection at chalcogenide glass fibre–air interfaces. Further enhancement of the laser efficiency can be achieved by terminating one of the fibre ends with a mirror. A numerical analysis of the effect of the Dy³⁺ doping concentration and fibre loss on the laser operation shows that with 5 W of pump power, at 1.71 μm wavelength, output powers above 100 mW at ∼ 4.5 μm wavelength can be achieved with Dy³⁺ ion concentrations as low as 3 × 10¹⁹ cm⁻³, when fibre loss is of the order 1dB/m.     

Compact low threshold Cr:YAG passively Q-switched intracavity optical parametric oscillator

We report a compact KTP-based intracavity optical parametric oscillator (IOPO) driven by a diode-end-pumped passively Q-switched Nd:YVO₄/Cr:YAG laser. For the first time, we take the thermal lens effect of the Cr:YAG into consideration and discuss its impact on the signal output. Diode pump threshold as low as 0.52 W has been achieved, which is the lowest result reported to date. At the incident diode pump power of 4 W, we obtained the maximum signal average and peak power of 358 mW and 12.5 kW, respectively, corresponding to a diode-to-signal conversion efficiency of 9%. Moreover, cavity-dumping characteristic and pulse transforming process from 1064 to 1573 nm are qualitatively analyzed.     

Room temperature operation of 2-μm microchip Tm,Ho:Lu2SiO5 laser

Room temperature operation of a c-cut microchip Tm,Ho:Lu₂SiO₅ laser end-pumping by a fibercoupled laser-diode is reported. A 4.03 W incident pump power is used to generate a maximum laser output of 98 mW, representing 2.43% optical-to-optical conversion efficiency and a 4.38% slope efficiency corresponding to incident power. In the experiment, the oscillating wavelengths shifting from 2.084 to 2.089 μm has been observed and approximately 10 mW single 2.087 μm wavelength oscillation has been obtained by changing the pump power to 1.43 W and the position of the pump focus.     

Efficient and wavelength-tunable anti-Stokes frequency conversion with good beam quality in the fundamental mode of photonic crystal fiber

Using the photonic crystal fiber (PCF) with the zero dispersion wavelength of 848 nm for the fundamental mode, the efficient anti-Stokes signal generations from 645 to 543 nm are realized by pumping in the normal dispersion region. When the pump average power increases from 200 to 500 mW, the output power of the anti-Stokes signal increases 8.46 times, the power ratio of the anti-Stokes signal at 543 nm to the residual pump is calculated as 22.6:1, and the conversion efficiency η in the experiment can be up to 46%. Moreover, good optical beam quality of the anti-Stokes signal can be achieved.     

Spectroscopic and laser properties of Nd:Gd0.8La0.2VO4 crystal

The polarised absorption and fluorescence spectra of Nd:Gd_0.8La_0.2VO₄ crystal are measured and compared to those of Nd:GdVO₄. CW laser properties of diode-pumped Nd:Gd_0.8La_0.2VO₄ crystal operating at fundamental wavelengths of 1.06 and 1.34 μm, as well as when intracavity frequency-doubled to 532 and 670 nm, have been studied. The maximum output powers at 1.06 μm, 1.34 μm, 532 nm and 670 nm are 1.18 W, 671 mW, 206 mW and 42 mW respectively, at a diode-launched pump power of 2.9 W. The threshold pump powers are 80, 267, 7 and 15 mW respectively.