Development of narrow-linewidth diode lasers by use of volume holographic transmission gratings

We present two diode laser setups that employ volume holographic transmission gratings to provide optical feedback. The advantage of this kind of grating is high diffraction efficiency and the possibility to place optical elements on both sides of the grating. This allows for advanced external cavities and adjustable feedback efficiency. The first setup is a diode laser in the Littman configuration with the transmission grating replacing the conventional reflection grating. The second setup improves the frequency selectivity by substituting the feedback mirror with a passive resonator. This grating-enhanced external cavity diode laser (GECDL) achieves excellent frequency stability. A prototype of the GECDL setup demonstrates an intrinsic linewidth of 7 kHz and an operation range that covers the full amplification profile of the laser diode.     

窄线宽、高光束质量的外腔双反馈激光二极管阵列(英文)

设计了一种离轴双反馈外腔能够有效地改善激光二极管阵列的线宽和光束质量。闪耀光栅和高反镜之间形成了一个共振腔。通过调整光栅和高反镜之间的倾角可以选定一个空间模在共振腔中放大。将一个半波片插入外腔中的光栅反馈支路,来控制反馈光的数量,激光从光栅反馈支路输出。运用这项技术,在工作电流16 A,可以把激光二极管阵列的输出线宽压缩到0.15 nm,光束束宽积减小到283 mm.mrad。由于光栅的锁定作用,中心波长几乎不随温度的变化而改变。在工作电流17A时,输出激光的功率为2.44 W,斜率效率为0.5 W/A。     

Dynamic single-mode and modulation characteristics analyses for λ/4 phase-shifted distributed feedback lasers with chirped grating

The dynamic single-mode and modulation performance of λ/4 phase-shifted distributed feedback laser diode with chirped grating (QWS-CG-DFB) are analyzed theoretically. The numerical simulation shows that, in contrast to purely QWS-DFB laser, the enhanced dynamic single-mode suppression ratio (SMSR) can be reached by QWS-CG-DFB laser. Under the smaller biasing current, the modulation band-width in presence of chirped grating is narrower, this difference shrinks for larger biasing current. For large signal modulation, the chirped grating is helpful to increase the output extinction ratio, but worsens the frequency chirping. The good dynamic characteristic can be obtained by selecting system parameters reasonably.     

Coherent beam combination of broad-area laser diode array using off-axis external cavity with double feedback

In this letter, we demonstrate coherent beam combination of laser diode array using the external Talbot cavity with double feedback. The double feedback elements consist of grating and high-reflection plane mirror. Compared with single high-reflection plane mirror feedback, the external Talbot cavity with double feedback reduce the number of interference strips in the far-field pattern and narrow spectral line-width of the laser diode array. The results indicate that the application of the external Talbot cavity with double feedback produces a clear far-field interference pattern. In addition, line-width is reduced to 0.15 nm full-width at half-maximum (FWHM).     

Frequency comb-referenced narrow line width diode laser system for coherent molecular spectroscopy

We analyze in detail the frequency noise properties of a grating enhanced external cavity diode laser (GEECDL). This system merges two diode laser concepts, the grating stabilized diode laser and the diode laser with resonant optical feedback, thus combining a large tuning range with an excellent short-term frequency stability. We compare the frequency noise spectrum of a GEECDL to that of a grating stabilized diode laser and demonstrate a 10-fold reduction of the frequency noise linear spectral density. The GEECDL is phase locked to a similar laser and to a fs-frequency comb with a servo loop providing an open-loop unity-gain frequency of only 237 kHz, which is a tenth of the bandwidth typically required for grating stabilized diode lasers. We achieve a residual rms phase error as small as 72 mrad (≈ 200 mrad) for stabilization to a similar laser (to the fs-frequency comb). We demonstrate that the novel diode laser can phase-coherently track a stable optical reference with an instability of 1.8×10^-16 at 1 s. This laser system is well suited for applications that require phase locking to a low-power optical reference under noisy conditions. It may also be considered for the implementation of optical clock lasers. PACS 42.55.Px; 42.60.Jf; 42.50.Gy     

All-solid-state continuous-wave frequency doubling Nd:LuVO4/LBO laser with 9.6 W output power at 672 nm

An efficient and compact red laser at 672 nm is generated by intracavity frequency doubling of a continuous wave (CW) laser operation of a diode pumped Nd:LuVO₄ laser at 1344 nm under the condition of suppression the higher gain transition near 1064 nm. With 38 W diode pump power and a frequency doubling crystal LBO, as high as 9.6 W of CW output power at 672 nm is achieved, corresponding to an optical-to-optical conversion efficiency of 25.3% and the output power stability in 8 h is better than 2.38%. To the best of our knowledge, this it the highest conversion efficiency of watt-level laser at 672 nm generated by intracavity frequency doubling of a diode pumped Nd:LuVO₄ laser at 1344 nm.     

A 9.5-W 82-MHz-repetition-rate picosecond optical parametric generator with cw diode laser injection seeding

We report on an injection-seeded 9.5-W 82-MHz-repetition-rate picosecond optical parametric generator (OPG) based on a 55 mm long crystal of periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN) with a quasi-phase-matching (QPM) grating period of 29.75 μm. The OPG is excited by a continuously diode pumped mode-locked picosecond Nd:YVO₄ oscillator-amplifier system. The laser system generates 7 ps pulses with a repetition rate of 82.3 MHz and an average power of 24 W. Without injection-seeding the total average output power of the OPG is 8.9 W, which corresponds to an internal conversion efficiency of 50%. The wavelengths of the signal and idler waves were tuned in the range 1.57–1.64 μm and 3.03–3.3 μm, respectively, by changing the crystal temperature from 150 °C to 250 °C. Injection seeding of the OPG at 1.58 μm with 4 mW of single frequency continuous-wave radiation of a distributed-feedback (DFB) diode laser increases the OPG output to 9.5 W (53% conversion efficiency). The injection seeding increases the pulse duration and reduces the spectral bandwidth. When pumped by 10 W of 1.06 μm laser radiation, the duration of the signal pulses increased from 3.6 ps to 5.5 ps while the spectral bandwidth is reduced from 4.5 nm to 0.85 nm. Seeding thus improved the time-bandwidth product from 1.98 to a value of 0.56, much closer to the Fourier limit. Received: 29 April 2002 / Published online: 8 August 2002     

All-solid-state continuous-wave frequency doubling Nd:LuVO4/LBO laser with 9.6 W output power at 458 nm

An efficient and compact red laser at 458 nm is generated by intracavity frequency doubling of a continuous wave (CW) laser operation of a diode pumped Nd:LuVO₄ laser at 916 nm under the condition of suppression the higher gain transition near 1064 nm. With 30 W diode pump power and a frequency doubling crystal LBO, as high as 9.6 W of CW output power at 458 nm is achieved, corresponding to an optical-to-optical conversion efficiency of 32.0% and the output power stability in 8 hours is better than 2.35%. To the best of our knowledge, this it the highest conversion efficiency of watt-level laser at 458 nm generated by intracavity frequency doubling of a diode pumped Nd:LuVO₄ laser at 916 nm.     

半导体激光器波长稳定系统的反馈效率

反射式体布拉格光栅(VBG)是改善半导体激光器(DL)输出光谱特性的首选器件。对快轴准直透镜(FAC)的非球面方程进行了数值拟合,采用光线追迹的方法建立了DL波长稳定系统反馈效率的计算模型,分析了FAC透镜、反射式VBG的空间位置和旋转角度变化对DL波长稳定系统反馈效率的影响,给出了波长稳定系统中FAC和反射式VBG的装调容差范围。分析结果表明:反射式VBG的空间位置偏差对反馈效率影响不大,但FAC透镜的空间位置和旋转角度偏差、反射式VBG的旋转角度偏差会造成反馈效率的急剧下降。     

Narrow-wavelength-spread spectral combining laser with a reflector for a double pass with a single grating

We proposed a novel wavelength-spread compression technique for spectral beam combining of a diode laser array. A reflector, which is parallel to the grating, is introduced to achieve a double pass with a single grating.This facilitated the reduction of the wavelength spread by half and doubled the number of combined elements in the gain range of the diode laser. We achieved a power of 26.1 W under continuous wave operation using a19 element single bar with a wavelength spread of 6.3 nm, which is nearly half of the original wavelength spread of 14.2 nm, demonstrating the double-compressed spectrum capability of this structure. The spectral beam combining efficiency was 63.7%. The grating efficiency and reflector reflectance were both over 95%; hence, the efficiency loss of the double-pass grating with a reflector is acceptable. In contrast to double-grating methods,the proposed method introduces a reflector that efficiently uses the single grating and shows significant potential for a more efficient spectral beam combining of diode laser arrays.     

激光线宽对单次通过PPMgO:LN晶体倍频效率的影响

通过单次穿过PPMgO:LN晶体产生了2.06 W的780 nm可调谐的连续倍频光. 采用1560 nm的分布反馈式(DFB)半导体激光器、光栅外腔半导体激光器(ECDL)和分布反馈式掺铒光纤激光器(DFB-EDFL)分别作为掺铒光纤放大器(EDFA)的注入光源, 所用的EDFA具有保持窄线宽的功能, 因此可以忽略它对基波线宽的展宽. 研究了激光线宽对单次通过PPMgO:LN 晶体的倍频效率的影响. 控制三台激光器各自注入EDFA的功率一致, 同时也保持EDFA 的输出功率. 在基波功率为12.42 W 时, 使用DFB半导体激光器注入EDFA时得到了1.36 W的780 nm倍频光输出, 转换效率为11.0%; 使用ECDL作为种子源时得到了1.78 W 的780 nm倍频光输出, 转换效率为14.3%; 使用DFB-EDFL作为种子源时得到了2.06 W的780 nm倍频光输出, 转换效率为16.6%. 测得三台种子激光器的线宽分别为1.2 MHz (DFB), 200 kHz (ECDL)和600 Hz (DFB-EDFL). 线宽越窄, 倍频效率越高, 实验结果与理论分析一致.     

400 mW and 16.5% wavelength conversion efficiency at 488 nm using a diode laser and a PPLN crystal in single pass configuration

Continuous wave power of more than 400 mW at 488 nm has been generated by frequency doubling of 2.45 W at 976 nm obtained from a distributed Bragg reflector tapered diode laser. This results in a wavelength conversion efficiency of 16.5% and an electrical-to-optical efficiency of more than 4.5%. We used a 50 mm long periodically poled MgO:LiNbO₃ bulk crystal in single-pass configuration for the second harmonic generation. This is to the author’s knowledge the highest output power and the highest wavelength conversion efficiency at 488 nm generated by a monolithic semiconductor laser device in single pass configuration with a bulk crystal. A deviation from the quadratic dependency of the frequency doubling is explained by the decrease of the beam quality of the fundamental wave.     

Generation of tunable green radiation in bulk periodically poled KTiOPO4

We report a characterisation of a flux-grown periodically poled KTiOPO₄ crystal used for second-harmonic generation in a diode laser source, that operates with fundamental radiation tunable around 1083 nm wavelength. The conversion efficiency is measured for the three different grating periods of the crystal, as a function of input wavelength, crystal temperature and fundamental power. The measurements were fitted to the theoretical model of Boyd and Kleinman for frequency conversion of focused Gaussian beams. This enabled us to determine the temperature and wavelength dependence of the difference in refractive index between the interacting waves.     

基于液晶/聚合物光栅的高转化效率有机半导体激光器

采用有机半导体发光材料聚[2-甲氧基-5-(2-乙基己氧基)-1,4-苯乙炔]作为增益介质,低官能度光敏单体制备的液晶/聚合物光栅作为外部反馈谐振腔,制备出参数可独立控制的分离式结构的有机半导体激光器.液晶/聚合物光栅中液晶分子的取向影响光栅折射率调制量,从而影响光栅的反馈能力,最终影响激光器出射激光的性能.通过研究发现决定液晶分子取向的主要有两种与光栅周期有关的作用力,利用这一原理制备不同周期的光栅,光栅周期小于450 nm时,相分离出的液晶分子取向由光栅矢量方向变为光栅沟槽方向,此时光栅的折射率调制量增加,光反馈能力增强.采用周期为395 nm的液晶/聚合物光栅制备二级布拉格散射的有机半导体激光器,相较于大周期光栅(593 nm)制备的激光器,激光阈值由0.70μJ/pulse降低至0.18μJ/pulse,转化效率由2.5%提高到6.4%,且出射激光垂直于基板表面发射,有利于后续的处理及应用.     

Highly efficient single-pass frequency doubling of a continuous-wave distributed feedback laser diode using a PPLN waveguide crystal at 488 nm

A continuous-wave distributed feedback diode laser emitting at 976 nm was frequency doubled by the use of a periodically poled lithium niobate waveguide crystal with a channel size of 3 microm x 5 microm and an interaction length of 10 mm. A laser to waveguide coupling efficiency of 75% could be achieved resulting in 304 mW of incident infrared light inside the waveguide. Blue laser light emission of 159 mW at 488 nm has been generated, which equals to a conversion efficiency of 52%. The resulting wall plug efficiency was 7.4%.     

Simplified model for calculation of power and spectral characteristics of laser diode with fiber Bragg grating

A simplified model consisting of a laser diode, air gap, and optical fiber is used to calculate power and spectral characteristics and the band width of the radiation of laser with fiber Bragg grating. The results of the simplified model are in reasonable agreement with the experimental data on power and spectral characteristics. The radiation band width of the laser diode with fiber Bragg grating can be less than the band width for a single laser diode by four orders of magnitude.     

Frequency Doubling of a Laser Diode Using a Domain-Inverted LiTaO3Waveguide with a Monolithic Bragg Reflector

We report wavelength stabilization of a laser diode using a highly efficient distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) grating formed on a LiTaO₃ quasi-phase-matched second harmonic generation (QPM-SHG) device. Fabricating the second-order DBR on the LiTaO₃ waveguide, the reflectivity of 90% and FWHM wavelength bandwidth of 0.2 nm were obtained. By stabilizing the oscillation wavelength of the laser diode, 3.1 mW of blue light was generated in the QPM-SHG device with the monolithic grating.     

半导体激光器与光纤光栅对接耦合研究

半导体激光器管芯与光纤光栅的对接耦合对光纤光栅外腔激光器的特性起到关键作用。利用散射矩阵分析了激光器管芯与光纤光栅外腔的对接耦合，发现对接的距离以及对接的耦合效率决定了光纤光栅外腔激光器的性能。在强反馈情况下,激射波长在光纤光栅外腔有效反射率决定的布喇格波长内随对接耦合距离周期性的变化,对弱反馈情况则有些不同。同时对比了两种情况的边模抑制比。该分析为实际制作器件提供了指导。     

Characterization of the 46.9-nm soft X-ray laser beam from a capillary discharge

Intense lasing had been obtained from argon plasma in the soft X-ray region from a capillary discharge plasma system. Different diagnostics have been used to characterize the lasing properties by recording the temporal, spatial, and spectral profiles of the emission. The divergence measurement indicates that the soft X-ray laser beam has good directionality with a divergence of 3.5 mrad. The spectrum of the laser beam measured using a transmission grating showed intense lasing line at 46.9 nm. Diffraction orders as high as 10th orders were observed. The temporal profile recorded with a vacuum diode showed a distinct laser peak with a pulse width ~1.2 ns (FWHM). In addition, the coherence of the X-ray laser beam was also confirmed from the high-contrast interference fringes (visibility ~85 %) recorded using double slits.     

External-cavity diode laser in second-order Littrow configuration

In this Letter, we propose and demonstrate an external-cavity diode laser in second-order Littrow configuration. This topology utilizes a low-efficiency diffraction grating to establish a high-finesse external cavity, strong optical feedback, a high polarization discrimination, and a circular TEM₀₀ output mode. In our proof-of-concept experiment, we realized a cavity with a finesse of 1855, being, to the best of our knowledge, the highest value ever reported for a three-port-grating-coupled cavity. With optical feedback, the laser threshold of the laser diode employed was reduced by a factor of 4.