Improved conversion efficiency of XeCl radiation to the first stokes at high pump energy

An XeCl laser beam has been used to investigate stimulated Raman scattering in H₂ and in various H₂-foreign gas mixtures. Helium, neon, argon, and nitrogen have been tested as foreign gases. In all the investigated mixtures with 50% of H₂, the energy conversion efficiency to the first Stokes (353 nm) was more than 70% higher than that obtained in H₂ at the same total pressure (40 bar) and pump energy (60 mJ). The dependence of the energy conversion efficiency on pump beam divergence has also been investigated.     

Investigations of active medium and of optical resonators of gasdynamic lasers

In the article is described the construction of a cw GDL based on combustion of CO, with the mixture exhausted to the atmosphere through a supersonic diffuser, as well as apparatus for the investigation of the physical properties of the active medium. The flow rate of the vibrational quanta converted into laser radiation at the input to the optical resonator is determined by calculation and experimentally. The main properties of the GDL active medium are investigated. The total losses in the optical resonator are determined and their influence on the output power is calculated. The operating conditions of the gasdynamic layer are experimentally optimized. A resonator with additional feedback is proposed.Translated from Trudy Ordena Lenina Fizicheskogo Instituta im. P. N. Lebedeva, Vol. 113, pp. 115–149, 1979.     

Influence of cavity configuration on the pulse energy of a high-pressure molecular fluorine laser

We report an investigation of a high-pressure molecular fluorine laser operating at 158 nm. Several cavity configurations were studied, including one employing a roof prism as the high reflector. A maximum VUV pulse energy of 237 mJ, corresponding to a specific output of 3.3 J/1 was obtained when the laser was operated as a double-ended device. With single-ended operation the largest output energy was 176 mJ at a specific output of 2.5 J/1.     

A conceptual design of a high-efficiency rep-rated pulsed power system for KrF laser drivers of inertial fusion energy

A conceptual design of a high efficiency, high repetition-rated (rep-rated) pulsed power system for an electron-beam (e-beam) pumped KrF laser driver for inertial fusion energy (IFE) is presented. The proposed pulsed power circuit incorporates linear induction voltage adders to charge pulse forming lines for the generation of 900 kV, 260 ns e-beamsat several Hz. This rep-rated power system meets the pulsed power requirements of the future IFE drivers that necessitate high amplifier efficiency as well as high laser energy. Received: 3 March 2000 / Published online: 16 June 2000     

An optimization analysis on the molecular vibrational energy eigenvalues of a diatomic gasdynamic laser

We study briefly the eigenvalue spectrum corresponding to the vibrational-energy levels of the molecules as anharmonic oscillators in a diatomic gasdynamic laser by calculating the maximum eigenvalue when all the possible diatomic configurations are considered within the context of gasdynamic lasers. In this context, a parameter which characterizes the anharmonicity of a given diatomic molecule as a one-dimensional oscillator is used in our calculations.     

A continuous-mode model of the mode locking in a pump-modulated laser

The active mode-locking process of the multimode laser with an external pump modulation is theoretically investigated in the frequency domain within the framework of the continuous-mode approximation. Intermode interaction and mode-coupling effects, including both AM and FM modulations, are naturally considered in a hierarchical equation of the mode components derived from the multimode Maxwell-Bloch equations. It is reduced to a continuous-mode equation that can be solved analytically in a stationary case, and used to discuss the spectral line shape and the phase dynamics of mode-components as a function of modulation amplitude and detuning of the modulation frequency. We predict a novel oscillation existing below the threshold of the ordinary complete mode-locking: The intensity of the total electric field yields a stable pulse train but its phase varies irregularly in time. This semi-locked state is characterized by a nonlinear chirping, an asymmetric spectrum, and drifting phases of the field mode-components.     

Theoretical study of a new energy extraction scheme of a chemically pumped pulsed iodine laser amplifier

A new energy extraction scheme of a chemically pumped pulsed large-scale iodine laser based on a high-pressure pulsed singlet oxygen generator is proposed. In previous investigations only low-pressure oxygen generators have been considered. Since they require a high iodine density for an efficient amplifier operation, the lifetime of the stored energy is correspondingly small and thus only small-sized iodine amplifiers appear to be technically feasible. We found, however, that when the singlet oxygen is generated at high-pressure, the iodine density required can be considerably reduced so that the lifetime of the stored energy becomes sufficiently long to fill up large amplifier cells. A numerical model is developed and the extractable energy is theoretically estimated. It is shown that 0.2J/1·pass can be extracted when an input pulse of 20 ns duration (FWHM) and 1 J/cm² fluence is fed into the amplifying medium.     

Development of a dual-wavelength dye-laser system for the UV and its application to simultaneous multi-element detection

In this paper, the design and performance characteristics of a pulsed tunable dye laser system for the simultaneous generation of two UV wavelengths are presented. The system is composed of an oscillator and an amplifier stage, pumped by the second harmonic of a commercial Nd:YAG laser. Dual-wavelength operation is achieved with one additional tuning mirror introduced to the prism expanded grazing incidence oscillator. The two obtained wavelengths are independently tunable, their separation is only limited by the gain profile of the dye. Both wavelengths are frequency doubled by Second-Harmonic Generation (SHG) in two KDP or BBO crystals. Performance characteristics such as bandwidth, efficiency, tuning range and wavelength separation are reported. As application two such systems are used for the simultaneous detection of the four elements cadmium, nickel, manganese and lead by Laser-Excited Atomic Fluorescence Spectrometry in a graphite furnace (ETA-LEAFS).     

Application of the opto-acoustic effect to the operation of optically pumped far-infrared gas lasers

A method is reported which allows the operation of optically pumped farinfrared (FIR) gas lasers in a simple way: A spectrophone is used to control and to stabilize the pump laser frequency in order to achieve most efficient optical pumping of the FIR laser gas.     

Coupling laser radiation to a fabry-perot cavity with a single-mode optical fiber

Three aspects of coupling to Fabry-Perot cavities used in optical frequency standards are discussed: the use of a single-mode optical fiber to maintain coupling stability while improving vibration isolation of the cavity, the required stability of the coupling geometry, and the phase and polarization variations resulting from fiber movement. Optical fiber coupling should be useful when laser linewidths and stabilities at the Hertz level are desired.     

Wavelength-stable, narrow-spectral-width oscillation of an AlGaInP diode laser coupled to a BaTiO3:Co stimulated photorefractive backscattering phase conjugator

3 ) stimulated photorefractive backscattering (SPBS) phase conjugator. The SPBS process was successfully achieved by the combination of the short-wavelength diode laser and the highly doped photorefractive BaTiO₃:Co crystal. The spectral width of the diode laser is reduced to 7.2 pm because of the narrow spectral bandwidth of the gratings [with wave number of K=2k(2k gratings)] formed in the SPBS phase conjugator, compared with the transmission grating formed in the conventional cat conjugator, which was used previously. The SPBS phase conjugator was successfully used to suppress self-frequency scanning, and wavelength-stable oscillation of the SPBS phase-conjugator-coupled diode laser was achieved. Received: 4 November 1996/Revised version: 12 February 1997     

Two-wavelength operation of a femtosecond ring dye laser

We report on two-wavelength operation of a CPM ring dye laser employing Rhodamine 6G as gain medium and a new styryl dye as saturable absorber. Two trains of femtosecond pulses at different wavelengths are simultaneously generated under proper alignment of the laser. The secondary pulse train is attributed to the laser action of the absorber dye. Auto- and cross-correlation measurements are performed to determine the temporal characteristics of the laser in the double mode-locking regime.     

Fast frequency control of a cw dye jet laser

For frequency stabilization of a cw dye laser a very fast reacting piezo mirror translator with 350 kHz lowest resonance frequency has been developed. If it is driven by appropriate control electronics it allows to suppress efficiently fast frequency changes of the jet stream dye laser. The remaining frequency jitter is 270 kHz rms for full-bandwidth detection; it drops to a few kHz if a filter time constant of 100 μs is used.     

Design of a self-injected unstable cavity Nd: YAG Laser

A detailed analysis of a self-injected Nd: YAG laser with an unstable cavity is presented. With respect to the normal Q-switched laser-mode operation the pulse peak power is increased by a factor of eight with a pulse length of about 1 ns. Moreover single transverse mode operation is achieved, with divergence near the diffraction limit. An evaluation of the most significant parameters useful for the design of an unstable resonator for self-injection applications is also presented.     

Extension of frequency measurements with Schottky diodes to the 4 THz range

The 11th harmonic mixing signals between a 386 GHz oscillator and a 4.25 THz laser with a signal to noise ratio of 25 dB in 100 kHz bandwidth have been obtained with a Schottky diode.     

Waveform of the amplitude modulated laser light by means of a mechanical chopper

The model which reproduces accurately and conveniently the waveform of the amplitude modulated cw laser light in the TEM₀₀ mode by a mechanical chopper is developed. It is found that its predictions are in good agreement with the strict, completely accurate but rather lengthy and inconvenient treatment and with the experiment. The criterion for the efficient amplitude modulation of the laser light by a mechanical chopper is formulated.     

Investigations of a nonlinear energy harvester with a bistable potential well

This paper investigates a nonlinear energy harvester that uses magnetic interactions to create an inertial generator with a bistable potential well. The motivating hypothesis for this work was that nonlinear behavior could be used to improve the performance of an energy harvester by broadening its frequency response. Theoretical investigations study the harvester's response when directly powering an electrical load. Both theoretical and experimental tests show that the potential well escape phenomenon can be used to broaden the frequency response of an energy harvester.     

Calculation of the bulk electromagnetic properties of thunderclouds using a two-space scattering formalism

Received: 9 July 1997 / Revised version: 30 July 1998 / Published online: 24 February 1999     

A high power high energy pure N2 laser in the first and second positive systems

Simultaneous high energy lasing in the N₂ first and second positive systems is reported. 20.5 mJ (1.5 MW) UV and 5 mJ (0.4 MW) IR laser pulses were produced in pure N₂. The design is open and easy to improve.     

Amplitude modulation of the cw laser light in the TEM mn mode by means of a mechanical chopper

Amplitude modulation of the laser beam in a TEM _mn mode by means of a mechanical chopper is investigated on the basis of the chopping model represented by a moving system of infinitely long, parallel slots and mark spaces. The cases of rectangular and axial symmetry of the laser beam are both treated. The explicit expressions for the waveform of the modulated normalized transmitted laser power are deduced and their consequences investigated. It is found that in the case of rectangular symmetry, unlike the case of axial symmetry, the TEM _mn modes give, for a constant value of the mode numbern and for any value ofm, the same time dependence of the amplitude modulated laser power. The notion of the equivalent modulation widths is introduced and conditions for the efficient amplitude modulation are found.