1μm全光纤MOPA结构激光器输出特性研究

主振荡功率放大（main oscillation power amplification, MOPA）结构由于其光束质量良好和参数可调的优点,已成为高功率光纤激光器的主流设计之一。为了改善高功率掺镱光纤激光器（ytterbium-doped fiber laser, YDFL）的输出性能,提高系统的光-光转换效率,文中报道了一台基于915 nm泵浦激光器和双包层掺镱光纤（ytterbium-doped fiber, YDF）的MOPA结构全光纤高功率激光器。该高功率光纤激光器由电调制激光二极管（laser diode, LD）泵浦的种子激光器和掺镱光纤放大器（ytterbium-doped fiber amplifier, YDFA）组成。连续光（continuous wave, CW）工作模式下,激光种子源经过YDFA后,实现了中心波长为1 069.96 nm的激光输出,最大平均输出功率可达945.9 W,MOPA激光器整机的斜率效率高达74.12%,具有良好的稳健性。该研究方案对研制高功率MOPA光纤激光器具有参考意义。     

高功率光纤激光的时间部分相干性对相干合成的影响

 将多个光纤激光器的输出光束进行相干合成是获得高功率、高光束质量激光的有效途径。利用准部分相干光(PPCB)模型，计算了高功率光纤激光器阵列发出的部分相干光在远场的能量分布，分析了激光的时间部分相干性对相干合成的影响。计算结果表明，随着单根激光器输出光束线宽的增大，远场光斑的图样基本保持不变，但峰值功率和Strehl比随之减小。对于采用的算例，要保证远场光斑的Strehl比大于0.8，单根光纤激光器的线宽不能超过5 nm。     

简单MOPA结构窄线宽激光突破5 kW近单模输出

高功率窄线宽光纤激光器在非线性频率转换、光谱合成以及相干合成等领域有着重要的应用前景。本文基于自研的复合腔结构窄线宽振荡器作为种子,采用单级主振荡功率放大技术（MOPA）,实现了5 kW高效率的近单模窄谱激光输出。通过优化振荡器的时序特性和放大级结构,受激拉曼散射、光谱展宽和热致模式不稳定效应得到综合抑制。在最高功率时,信号光的3 dB和20 dB线宽分别为0.48 nm和2.1 nm,放大器的斜率效率约为86.1%,拉曼抑制比为28.3 dB,光束质量M2约1.35。本研究工作对于高功率窄线宽光纤激光的发展和研究具有重要的指导意义。     

主振荡功率放大器结构光纤激光相干合成系统对谱线需求的实验研究

主振荡功率放大器(MOPA)结构光纤激光相干合成通常被认为需要种子源保持单频输出,而由此引入的非线性效应限制了单链路光纤激光的输出功率。采用宽谱种子源和多波长种子源是抑制非线性效应的有效方式。利用随机并行梯度下降法对三路宽谱光纤放大器和三路多波长光纤放大器相干合成进行了实验研究,取得了理想的相干合成效果。实验结果表明,谱线宽度不是制约MOPA结构相干合成的因素,宽谱放大器和多波长放大器的使用有望使MOPA结构光纤激光相干合成系统获得更高功率的输出。     

1018 nm短波长掺镱光纤激光高功率自组织相干合成

搭建了两台高功率、低量子损耗的1018 nm短波长掺镱光纤激光器,进行了全光纤结构下两路光纤激光器的相干合成实验。获得了功率为55 W、合成效率为90.2%的相干输出,这是当前严格单模1018 nm光纤激光器的最高功率水平。同时,验证了Michelson腔自组织相干合成技术能够实现光纤激光器的高功率单模输出。     

飞秒光纤激光相干合成技术最新进展

飞秒光纤激光器具有平均功率高、散热性能佳、光束质量好和空间体积小等优势,在基础研究、工业加工、生物医疗等方面得到越来越广泛的应用.相干合成技术能够有效克服光纤中有害的非线性效应和热效应的影响,进一步提高飞秒光纤激光器输出的脉冲能量和平均功率.本文介绍高功率飞秒光纤激光器相干合成的基本技术路线,重点阐述相干合成技术中关于填充孔径相干合成与平铺孔径相干合成的最新研究进展,并详细介绍相干合成技术中不同类型主动相位锁定技术的基本原理.相信在不远的将来,飞秒光纤激光相干合成系统的单脉冲能量和平均功率将不断攀升,从而开创许多崭新的研究领域.     

400 Hz高光束质量高功率短脉冲激光器

研制了大能量高光束质量短脉冲激光器,系统采用主振荡+预放大器+主放大器2级主振荡功率放大器(MOPA)结构。采用双棒热效应补偿改善光束质量的措施,在重复频率400 Hz时实现单脉冲能量40 mJ、光束质量因子约为1.2的激光输出。激光器放大后实现单路脉冲能量712.5 mJ、脉宽12.4 ns的激光输出,采用球差补偿的方法提高了激光器的光束质量,在最大输出功率下实现了光束质量因子小于2.3,光光效率27.7%。偏振合束后,激光器输出能量大于1.4 J。     

光纤激光共孔径光谱合成实现5kW高效优质输出

采用多层介质膜衍射光栅实现多路高功率光纤激光共孔径光谱合成有望成为光纤激光同时实现高功率、高效率和高光束质量的最具发展潜力的技术途径。搭建了一套基于双光栅色散补偿设计的5kW共孔径光谱合成系统。采用国产多层介质膜衍射光栅实现了5路kW级窄谱子束激光的高效优质共孔径光谱合成,最大输出功率达5.07kW,光束质量因子(M2)小于3,合成效率达到91.2%。初步研究表明:多层介质膜衍射光栅在较高功率水平、较宽光谱范围内均能保持较高衍射效率,是实现高功率光纤激光高效率光谱合成的重要器件;参与合成的子束自身的光束质量水平和线宽是影响合成输出光束质量的重要因素,光谱合成系统的输出功率主要受限于窄谱子束的输出功率和合成路数,增加窄谱子束的功率或合成路数均可进一步提升系统的输出功率。     

掺Yb光纤激光器阵列谱合成系统的光束传输模型及光束特性分析

建立了由掺Yb光纤激光器阵列、变换透镜、闪耀光栅和输出耦合镜组成的光束谱合成系统的光束传输模型.在考虑光栅角色散、光栅刻槽倾角误差和光栅衍射效率情况下,利用光线追迹法、衍射积分方法、光束非相干叠加原理和强度二阶矩方法,推导出高斯光束非平行倾斜入射到闪耀光栅的相位变化公式以及谱合成光束的光强分布解析表达式.分析了高斯光束非平行倾斜入射到光栅后,光栅角色散、光栅衍射效率和光栅刻槽倾角误差对掺Yb光纤激光器谱合成系统输出光束特性的影响.研究结果表明,谱合成光束具有与单根光纤激光器几乎相同的光束质量;光栅角色散对合成光束特性的影响可忽略;随着光栅刻槽倾角误差的增大,谱合成光束的光束质量明显变差;当光栅刻槽倾角误差较大时,必须考虑光栅衍射效率对合成光束特性的影响. 关键词： 掺Yb光纤激光器 非平行倾斜入射 光束谱合成 光束质量     

基于亮度的激光光束合成系统性能

光束合成是突破单路激光功率限制、获得高功率激光输出的重要手段。以亮度为判据,对不同光束合成方法的合成效果进行理论研究,给出了激光光束合成效果的预评价方法。分析了亮度、光束质量因子和Strehl比3个描述光束质量的重要参量之间的关系,给出了亮度与Strehl比的关系式,据此得出了相干合成系统与光谱合成系统亮度的定标放大公式,并对两种系统的功率与亮度定标放大能力进行了比较。     

Efficient power scaling of laser radiation by spectral beam combining

The possibility of achieving multikilowatt laser radiation by spectrally combining beams using volume Bragg gratings (VBGs) is shown. The VBGs recorded in a photothermorefractive glass exhibit long-term stability of all its parameters in high-power laser beams with power density >1 MW/cm2 in the cw beam of total power on a kilowatt level. We consider an architecture-specific beam-combining scheme and address the cross-talk minimization problem based on optimal channel positioning. Five-channel high efficiency spectral beam combining resulted in a >750 W near-diffraction-limited cw beam has been demonstrated experimentally.     

Beam combining of lasers with high spectral density using volume Bragg gratings

Incoherent combining of multiple laser beams with offset wavelengths into a single near-diffraction-limited beam is an effective solution to increasing energy brightness and scaling output power of high-power lasers. Volume Bragg gratings (VBGs) recorded in photo-thermo-refractive (PTR) glass allow spectral beam combining with a remarkably high spectral density of channels. Spectral beam combining (SBC) of five channels within 1-2 nm bandwidth around 1064 and 1550 nm into a single near-diffraction-limited beam with absolute efficiency 92-94% is demonstrated. Scaling of this technique to multi-kW power level is discussed.     

High-power high beam-quality multi-waveguide CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> amplifiers

The results from modeling the energy characteristics of a multi-waveguide power amplifier are presented. The optical schemes and calculations for the most promising circuits of multichannel waveguide CO₂ amplifiers are given. The amplifying system itself removes the problem of phase locking in individual channels of multichannel systems. The experimental results from the synchronization of arrays of multichannel waveguide CO₂ lasers allow the production of high-power (up to 15 kW) high beam-quality multibeam lasers. Technological lasers with such properties have yet to be produced anywhere in the world.     

Experimental study on phase-locking of two high-power all-fiber lasers

By using a novel mutual injection technique, phase-locking and coherent combining of two high-power all-fiber lasers are realized and experimentally demonstrated. Steady interference strips with high visibility of 46% are observed. The coherent combined 407 W CW output power with a power-combining efficiency of up to 98% is obtained. The laser array works well with excellent stability. In the long time of high-power operation no thermal distortions or damages are observed. The proposed technique can be used to further scale up the coherent combined output power of high-power fiber lasers.     

110 W double-ended ytterbium-doped fiber superfluorescent source with M2 = 1.6

High-power operation of a broadband superfluorescent fiber source has been achieved via the process of amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) in a double-clad Yb-doped multimode-offset-core fiber by using a novel fiber-end termination geometry to suppress lasing. The fiber was cladding pumped by a high-power diode source at 976 nm and yielded a maximum ASE output of 63 and 47 W from the two ends of the fiber, respectively. The maximum combined ASE output was 110 W with slope efficiency with respect to launched pump power of up to 68%. The wavelength spectrum of the ASE source spanned the range from approximately 1032 to 1120 nm, and the bandwidth (FWHM) of the emission spectrum was 40 nm. The output beam was slightly multimode with a beam-quality factor (M2) of 1.6. The prospects for further improvement in performance are considered.     

Hamming切趾技术提高体光栅光谱合成功率的研究

体光栅光谱合成技术是获得高功率激光输出的一种有效途径,体光栅衍射旁瓣是影响合成光束数目的主要因素。采用了Hamming切趾技术对体光栅旁瓣进行抑制,建立了Hamming切趾体光栅的折射率分布模型,分析了Hamming切趾体光栅的衍射特性,给出了Hamming切趾体光栅光谱合成效率公式,分析了切趾光栅对光谱合成效率的影响。计算结果表明:体光栅切趾后有效减小了体光栅对相邻合成光束的衍射损耗,切趾后,在20 nm的带宽内,谱合成光束的数目由13束增加为20束,谱合成效率达75.3%,光谱合成功率提高为切趾前的1.5倍。     

Propagation Characteristics of a High-Power Microwave in Waveguide Filled with Plasma

Analytical theory of high-power microwave propagation in waveguide filled with plasma is presented in this paper. The ponderomotive force effect of high power microwave is taken into consideration and preliminary numerical calculations are carried out, the propagation characteristics of the high-power microwave and the influence of microwave power on the distribution of plasma density are calculated and discussed.     

二维固体激光阵列逆达曼光栅相干合束技术模拟研究

采用逆达曼光栅将二维锁相相干的激光阵列进行相干合束并进行孔径装填是获得远场单一主瓣大功率高光束质量激光输出的一种有效技术方案,将其应用于大尺寸5×5固体激光相干阵列相干合束中,并进行了固体激光阵列合束孔径装填的理论分析和原理性验证实验,测量了系统的实际合束效率,同时进行了后焦面逆达曼光栅的加工和放置误差对合束效率影响的详细分析。实验结果表明,逆达曼光栅用于固体激光阵列相干合束是一种有效的技术方案,且可以通过调节光栅周期和傅里叶透镜焦距来适应系统对激光阵列占空比的要求。这对于开发基于逆达曼光栅相干合束的高功率高光质量的全固态激光系统具有重要的意义。     

Switching speed effect of phase shift keying in SLED for generating high power microwaves

SLAC energy doubler(SLED) type radio-frequency pulse compressors are widely used in large-scale particle accelerators for converting long-duration moderate-power input pulses into short-duration high-power output pulses. Phase shift keying(PSK) is one of the key components in SLED pulse compression systems. Performance of the PSK will influence the output characteristics of the SLED, such as the rise-time of the output pulse, maximal peak power gain, and energy efficiency. In this paper, a high power microwave source based on power combining and pulse compression of conventional klystrons is introduced. The effects of nonideal PSK with slow switching speed and PSK without power output during the switching process are investigated, and the experimental results with nonideal PSK agree well with the analytical results.     

Stable, efficient diode-pumped femtosecond Yb:KGW laser through optimization of energy density on SESAM

An efficient high-power diode-pumped femtosecond Yb:KGW laser is repored. Through optimization of energy density by semiconductor saturable absorber mirror, output power achieved 2.4 W with pulse duration of 350 fs and repetition rate of 53 MHz at a pump power of 12.5 W, corresponding to an optical-to-optical efficiency of 19.2%. We believe that it is the highest optical-to-optical efficiency for single-diode-pumped bulk Yb:KGW femtosecond lasers to date.