Limitations of an optically pumped rubidium laser imposed by atom recycle rate

A rubidium laser pumped on the 5²S_1/2–5²P_3/2 D₂ transition by a pulsed dye laser at pump intensities exceeding 3.5 MW/cm² (>1000 times threshold) has been demonstrated. Output energies as high as 12 μJ/pulse are limited by the rate for collision relaxation of the pumped ²P_3/2 state to the upper laser ²P_1/2 state. More than 250 photons are available for every rubidium atom in the pumped volume during each pulse. For modest alkali atom and ethane spin–orbit relaxer concentrations, the gain medium can only process about 50 photons/atom during the 2–8 ns pump pulse. At 110°C and 550 Torr of ethane, the system is bottlenecked in the ²P_3/2 state and all of the incident photons cannot be absorbed. The output energy is linearly dependent on pump pulse duration for a given pump energy. The highly saturated pump limit of the recently developed three-level model for diode pumped alkali lasers (DPALs) is developed. The system efficiency based on absorbed photons approaches 36% even for these extreme pump conditions.     

Emission spectra of the tunable Raman CH3F optically pumped fir laser

The six-level model using a density matrix approach to simulate properties of a gas resorant media in optically pumped FIR lasers was developed. The model accounts for multiphoton as well as parametric processes. Advantages of the developed model are demonstrated by calculation and discussion of the gain and saturated emission spectra of CH₃F laser when transitions with different J rotational numbers of CH₃F are pumped.     

Investigation for long wavelength fir laser lines for EPR studies: New lines from CH2=CF2

The results described in this work are part of a systematic search for long wavelength laser lines to be used in high magnetic field EPR applications and in plasma diagnostic. Four new far-infrared laser lines of CH₂ = CF₂ (1,1 difluoroethylene), optically pumped by a waveguide CO₂ laser, have been discovered and characterized in wavelength, polarization relative to the pumping radiation and offset relative to the CO₂ center frequency. New measurements of polarization and offset of 5 already known laser lines are also reported. A table of all of the known CO₂ pumped FIR laser lines from this molecule is given.     

全固化自锁模飞秒Ti:S激光器实验研究

首次在国内系统报道了以腔内LBO倍频Nd:YVO₄激光器为泵浦源的全固化自锁模飞秒钛宝石激光器的实验结果.设计了一种热不敏腔内LBO倍频线性折叠腔结构,获得到了25.5%的光转换效率,泵浦功率为22W时得到了5.6W的基模绿光输出功率;以该激光器为泵浦源,在线性Z型腔的基础上,使用了一种能够通过改变腔内凹面聚焦镜折叠角消除象散的方法,直接由钛宝石激光器得到了脉冲宽度为22fs、功率为300mW的光脉冲.整个激光系统稳定性好,噪音明显低于Ar³⁺激光器的泵浦情况.     

Efficient quasi-three-level Nd:YAG laser at 946 nm pumped by a tunable external cavity tapered diode laser

Using a tunable external cavity tapered diode laser (ECDL) pumped quasi-three-level Nd:YAG laser, a fivefold reduction in threshold and twofold increase in slope efficiency is demonstrated when compared to a traditional broad area diode laser pump source. A TEM₀₀ power of 800 mW with 65% slope efficiency is obtained, the highest reported TEM₀₀ power from any 946 nm Nd:YAG laser pumped by a single emitter diode laser pump source. A quantum efficiency of 0.85 has been estimated from experimental data using a simple quasi-three-level model. The reported value is in good agreement with published values, suggesting that the model is adequate. Improvement of the 946 nm laser due to the ECDL's narrow spectrum proves to be less significant when compared to its spatial quality, inferring a broad spectrum tapered diode laser pump source may be most practical. Experimental confirmation of such setup is given.     

Ultrashort pulse generation by distributed feedback dye lasers. I

The N₂-laser pumped distributed feedback dye laser is a new type of picosecond light source. A rate equation model describing the ultrashort pulse formation is presented. The temporal behavior of the distributed feedback dye laser predicted by the model has been compared with experimental results obtained with a streak camera system. The observed good agreement allows application of the theoretical model for the engineering of an inexpensive picosecond laser     

Superradiance effects on the infrared absorption and vibrational temperature of optically pumped molecules

Using controlled feedback and coincident far infrared absorption, we have shown that the superradiant emission process in NH₃ pumped by the 9R16 line of a CO₂ TEA laser has a marked effect on the absorption of laser energy and vibrational heating of the gas. Since many polyatomic molecules pumped by IR laser are efficient superradiant far infrared sources, the effect is important for laser induced fluorescence studies in these polyatomics.     

Identification and prediction of optically pumped laser lines in ozone

Three previously observed optically pumped submillimeter laser lines are shown to be pure rotational transitions in the v₃ = 1 vibrational level of ozone. Using other anticipated coincidences between CO₂ laser lines and ozone absorption lines, a number of optically pumped laser transitions are predicted.     

Efficient 1.06 μm laser operation in an unprocessed Nd3+:BaGd2(MoO4)4 cleavage microchip

A 1.2 mm thick microchip cleaved from a 1.2 at.% Nd³⁺: BaGd₂(MoO₄)₄ crystal was used as the laser gain medium directly. The laser cavity mirrors were coated on the microchip without cutting and polishing. In the 1.06 μm quasi-CW laser operation, the microchip was pumped by a Ti:sapphire laser with a duty cycle of 10%, the threshold is 10 mW, and the slope efficiency is 50%. In the CW laser operation pumped by a diode laser, the threshold and slope efficiency are 140 mW and 33%, respectively. The results demonstrate that the unprocessed surfaces of the cleaved microchip have good enough flatness and parallelism for laser operation.     

Pressure dependence of laser oscillation and superfluorescent emission from an optically pumped CF4 laser

Experiments on pressure dependence of a CF₄ laser have been carried out to elucidate dynamic characteristics of CF₄ molecules pumped by CO₂ lasers. The results are followed by a model calculation which characterizes collisional quenching of the energy levels related to the stimulated emission. The enhancement of the laser output induced by buffer-gas addition, which was found under specific conditions, is discussed in relation to the competition between laser and superfluorescent emissions.     

Efficient blue emission of ytterbium-doped Sr<Subscript>5</Subscript>(PO<Subscript>4</Subscript>)<Subscript>3</Subscript>F under quasi-three-level intracavity pumping

We report an Yb:Sr₅(PO₄)₃F (Yb:S-FAP) laser emitting at 985 nm intracavity pumped by a 912 nm diode-pumped Nd:GdVO₄ laser. A 808 nm diode laser is used to pump the Nd:GdVO₄ crystal emitting at 912 nm, and the Yb:S-FAP laser emitting at 985 nm intracavity pumped at 912 nm. With incident pump power of 17.5 W, intracavity second harmonic generation has been demonstrated with a power of 131 mW at 492.5 nm by using a LBO nonlinear crystal.     

Frequencies of cw FIR laser lines for use in laser magnetic resonance spectroscopy

A transversely pumped far-infrared laser cavity has been used to discover two optically pumped laser lines: the 357.7 μm line from H₂C=CF₂ and the 242.3 μm line from CH₃OH. Using heterodyne techniques, the frequencies of fourteen far-infrared laser emissions have been measured, six for the first time. PACS  07.57.Hm; 42.55.Lt; 42.62.Eh     

Diode-pumped Nd:LuVO<Subscript>4</Subscript>-Nd:YVO<Subscript>4</Subscript> laser at 492 nm with intracavity sum-frequency-mixing in LiB<Subscript>3</Subscript>O<Subscript>6</Subscript>

We present for the first time a Nd:YVO₄ laser emitting at 1064 nm intracavity pumped by a 916 nm diode-pumped Nd:LuVO₄ laser. A 809 nm laser diode is used to pump the Nd:LuVO₄ crystal emitting at 916 nm, a Nd:YVO₄ laser crystal was pumped at 916 nm and lased at 1064 nm. Intracavity sum-frequency mixing at 916 and 1064 nm was then realized in a LiB₃O₆ (LBO) crystal to reach the blue range. We obtained a continuous-wave output power of 216 mW at 492 nm under 19.6 W of incident pump power at 809 nm.     

Comparison of eye-safe KTA OPOs pumped by Nd:YVO4 and Nd:YLF lasers

An eye-safe KTA OPO pumped by a Nd:YLF laser is demonstrated and a comparison with that pumped by a Nd:YVO₄ laser is performed. Although the slope efficiency of the continuous-wave free-running Nd:YLF laser is lower than that of the Nd:YVO₄ laser, the performance of KTA OPOs pumped by the Q-switched Nd:YLF laser is better, especially at lower repetition rates. The slope efficiency of KTA OPO pumped by a Nd:YLF laser is 14.6% at 30 kHz and 11.04% at 10 kHz. The better energy storage ability of Nd:YLF makes it an excellent laser medium in IOPOs.     

Transversely pumped laser using F 3 + and F2 mixed color centers in a LiF crystal at room temperature

A stable laser with F₃⁺ and F₂ mixed color centers in LiF crystal is constructed using a transversely pumped cavity at room temperature. The mixed color center laser is pumped with a nitrogen-laser-pumped dye laser. A pulse output of the laser is 0.23 mJ. The pulse widths of the F₃⁺ and F₂ color center lasers are about 12 and 8.5 ns, respectively. The optical–optical conversion efficiency is about 5.0%. The divergence of the F₃⁺ color center laser beam is about 2.2 mrad and that of the F₂ color center laser beam about 3.5 mrad. The polarization of the mixed color center laser is about 0.97. The output of the F₃⁺ color center laser extends from 515 to 575 nm and peaks at 540 nm, while that of the F₂ color center laser extends from 633 to 705 nm and peaks at 667 nm.     

全固态紫外激光器研究

本文报道了具有增强谐振倍频腔的全固态紫外激光器研究半导体激光二极管(LD)泵浦的Nd:YVO₄激光晶体产生波长为1064nm的近红外光,腔内倍频输出波长为532nm的绿光,再送入增强谐振腔进行四倍频,输出波长为266nm的深紫外激光产生深紫外激光的基频绿光输入阈值可低到2.5mW据我们所知,这是国内首次报道的全固态紫外激光器.     

Assignments of optically pumped CD3OH laser lines

Six FIR laser lines from CD₃OH pumped by the 10R(36) and the 10R(18) CO₂ laser lines are assigned to specific rotational energy levels in the excited C–0 stretch state. It is found that their upper laser levels are shifted by a Fermi resonance between the C–0 stretch vibration and the third and forth harmonics of the torsional mode. The Fermi resonance shifts are +0.332 cm^–1 and +2.251 cm^–1 for the upper laser levels pumped by the 10R(36) and the 10R(18) CO₂ laser lines, respectively. Calculated frequencies of the pump and the laser transitions agree with those of the pump CO₂ laser lines and the observed FIR laser lines within estimated accuracy.     

Study on the Spectrum of Miniature Optically Pumped NH3 Submillimeter-Wave Laser

By means of an iteration method and taking into account the broadening of the infrared pumping laser, the spectrum of a miniature, optically pumped, superradiant NH₃ submillimeter-wave(SMMW) gas laser pumped by CO₂-10R(8) has been calculated and studied by solving density matrix equations. Experimentally, the interferogram of miniature SMMW laser pumped by a TEA-CO₂ laser with 10R(8) line is measured. This is the first time that the theoretical spectrum has been in good agreement with experimental results.     

Manufacturing of Nd:Gd3Ga5O12 ridge waveguide lasers by pulsed laser deposition and ultrafast laser micromachining

Laser radiation is used both for the deposition of the laser active thin films and for the micro structuring to define wave guiding structures for the fabrication of waveguide lasers. Thin films of crystalline and amorphous neodymium doped Gd₃Ga₅O₁₂ are grown on single crystal yttrium aluminium garnet by pulsed laser deposition using excimer laser radiation.Manufacturing of the laser active waveguides by micro structuring is done using femtosecond laser ablation of the deposited films. The structural and optical properties of the films and the morphology of the structured waveguides are determined in view of the design and the fabrication of compact and efficient diode pumped waveguide lasers. The resulting waveguides are polished, provided with resonator mirrors, pumped using diode lasers and the waveguide lasers are characterized. The spectroscopic properties of the amorphous waveguide are investigated and an infrared waveguide laser is demonstrated. To our knowledge, there have been no reports by other groups of the successful operation of a structured waveguide laser fabricated by this technique or of a waveguide laser made from amorphous neodymium doped Gd₃Ga₅O₁₂.     

Generation of a single tunable ultrashort light pulse

A novel system for generating single tunable ultrashort light pulses of high power is described. The pulse train from a mode-locked flashlamp pumped dye laser passes through an amplifier, which is pumped by an N₂ laser. As gain is only available for a few nsec, only one pulse in the train gets amplified. The energy of the resulting single pulse is about 100 μJ.