Experimental investigation of pulsed electron-beam-controlled carbon monoxide lasers

Experimental facilities and tests are described for the investigations of the energy, temporal, and spectral characteristics of the emission of pulsed high-pressure CO lasers excited by the electron-beam-controlled discharge method, with emission energy up to 400 J and efficiency up to 35%, and with an excitation volume of 5 liters. The dependences of the output parameters of such lasers on the excitation power and duration, as well as on the composition and density of the working gas mixturej are investigated. It is shown that the results of numerical calculations of the parameters of pulsed electron-beam CO lasers agree qualitatively with the experimental data. The greatest discrepancies are observed for a laser with an uncooled gas mixture and for a pure carbon monoxide laser.Translated from Trudy Ordena Lenina Fizicheskogo Instituta in. P. N. Lebedeva Akademii Nauk SSSR, Vol. 116, pp. 54–97, 1980.     

Hollow-core photonic crystal fibres for delivery and compression of ultrashort optical pulses

We describe the use of tapered hollow-core photonic crystal fibres for delivery and compression of ultrashort optical pulses. We demonstrate delivery of transform-limited pulses with less than 100 fs pulse length and above 50 nJ energy through 8 m of fibre, in a single transverse mode.     

Optical fibres for material processing lasers

Fibre transmission of high-power radiation has opened the laser a new dimension of material processing applications. The three-dimensional treatment revolutionised a far field of the production technology. One impressed example is the laser welding process in the automotive industry. The Nd–YAG solid state laser in combination with the optical fibre increase the automation and the flexibility of a whole industry. The next generation of Audis aluminium alloy car body is mainly welded by fibre-guided Nd–YAG laser beams. Since the past 10 years the maximum average laser power transmitted through optical fibres increase from some 100 W up to 10 kW. For industrial application only Nd–YAG lasers and recently the diode lasers are economically suited for fibre transmission.     

Beam delivery of femtosecond laser radiation by diffractive optical elements

Received: 4 February 1998/Accepted: 22 April 1998     

Fluoride fibres for optical transmission

Optical fibres made from heavy metal fluorides have been under development for much of the past decade. There have been significant advances in understanding the fundamental characteristics of these materials. Progress towards achieving low optical losses and in optimizing the design of fluoride fibres for use in long transmission systems is reviewed.     

Nonlinear optical characteristics of carbon disulfide

The nonlinear refractive index γ of CS₂ is studied using laser pulses of various durations (from 110 fs to 75 ns). It is found that γ increases with increasing pulse duration within the picosecond region (from (3 ± 0.6) × 10^?15 cm² W^?1 at 110 fs to (3.5 ± 0.7) × 10^?14 cm² W^?1 at 75 ns) due to orientational nonlinearities. Variations in the sign of γ caused by the thermal effect at different pulse durations and repetition rates are analyzed. It is demonstrated that the fast electronic component, the component associated with molecular processes, causing positive nonlinear refraction, and the acoustic component, responsible for negative nonlinear refraction, manifest themselves simultaneously. The results of a study of the nonlinear absorption of carbon disulfide are presented. The two-and three-photon absorption coefficients of CS₂ are determined to be (5 ± 1.5) × 10^?11 cm W^?1 and (2.8 ± 0.8) × 10^?23 cm³ W^?2, respectively.     

Laser-induced photodissociation of carboxyhemoglobin: An optical method for eliminating the toxic effect of carbon monoxide

We propose and examine an optical method for eliminating the toxic effect of carbon monoxide. The developed method is based on laser-induced photodissociation of carboxyhemoglobin in blood vessels and capillaries. By numerical simulation of the interaction of laser radiation with tissue, we calculate the spectra of the action of carboxyhemoglobin and oxyhemoglobin in cutaneous blood vessels. We show that, despite the sufficiently strong overlap of the action spectra of carboxyhemoglobin and oxyhemoglobin, the substantial difference in the quantum yield values makes it possible to develop an optical method for eliminating the toxic effect of carbon monoxide. We determine the criteria for the efficiency of laser-induced photodissociation of carboxyhemoglobin under direct action on lung alveoli through the skin tissue and intravenously.     

Beam scanning and switching characteristics of twin-striped lasers with a reduced stripe spacing

The output-beam scanning and switching characteristics of lasers with separately controlled twin-stripe electrodes are reported. The spacing between the stripes is small (5m from centre to centre) and the spacing region is either etched or ion-implanted for better current isolation. The implanted laser oscillates in the fundamental mode. The output beam of this laser can be scanned over a radiation angle range of 7° almost linearly with injection currents. The etched laser oscillates in the first-order mode. The output beam of this laser can be switched with a deflection angle as large as ±8°.     

The Van Cittert-Zernike theorem for optical fibres

The Van Cittert-Zernike theorem determines the degree of coherence γ of light from a source radiating in a uniform medium in terms of the angular size α of the source. For the fields within an optical fibre far from the source, γ is found by replacing α by the critical angle for total internal reflection.     

Single-mode hollow optical fibres for atom guiding

We present a novel design for a single-mode, hollow optical fibre, which is suitable for use as a waveguide for atomic de Broglie waves. The design, development and characterisation of such a fibre are discussed, as well as an optimised method for coupling light into the fibre. Received: 22 May 2001 / Revised version: 5 September 2001 / Published online: 29 November 2001     

Photonic switches for lasers and optical processors

Editorial

Photonic switches for lasers and optical processors     

Transmission properties of all-silica fibres for high-power Nd:YAG lasers

The transmission properties of two different types of all-silica fibres, step index and graded-index fibres, are investigated using a multimode high-power cw Nd:YAG rod laser. The reflections from the fibre surface back into the laser cavity affect the laser power and the beam parameters, waist diameter and divergence. A set-up for simultaneously measuring these values in front of and behind a fibre is presented. The maximum laser power transmitted by fibres is dependent upon the beam parameters, the fibre design and the surface conditions. An upper limit for the maximum divergence which can be coupled into a fibre with a certain numerical aperture without loss is given. The beam parameters behind the fibre, related to the input parameters, are presented.     

Characterization of probe lasers for thin-film optical measurements

The peak-power-density stability and beam-wander precision of a probe laser are important factors affecting the inspection results in precise thin-film optical measurements. These factors are also key to evaluating a probe laser for in-line long-time operation of precise thin-film optical measurements. The peak-power density and beam wander of liner helium–neon (He–Ne) lasers, random He–Ne lasers, and diode lasers as functions of time are investigated experimentally using a beam profiler. It is found that the linear polarized He–Ne laser is considered to be a promising candidate for a probe laser employed in precise thin-film optical measurements due to better peak-power-density stability and beam-wander precision. Both the peak-power-density stability and beam-wander precision of He–Ne lasers are usually better than that of diode lasers, but an adequate warm-up of He–Ne laser for 30 min is required before thin-film optical measurements are made. After 12 h operation, the linear polarized He–Ne laser is suitable for precise thin-film optical measurements because both the peak-power-density stability and the beam-wander precision reach the minimum level. A cost-effective system composed of two linear polarized He–Ne lasers for long-term operation is proposed. This system can operate for around 0.5–1.2 years in precise thin-film optical measurements under the normal operating life of a He–Ne laser by switching the probe laser every 18 h.     

Bend radiation of optical fibres

Theoretical and experimental investigations of the radiation far field from a curved optical fibre have been carried out for the lowest order LP-modes. The investigations concern the characteristics of pure bend loss radiation in a direction orthogonal to the plane of the bend. Possible applications involving the bend radiation are briefly discussed.     

调频微片Nd:YAG激光器光回馈特性的研究

研究了调频微片Nd：YAG激光器的光回馈特性.在没有光回馈的情况下，激光频率每改变一个纵模间隔，激光器输出功率变化一个条纹.有光回馈时，同时改变激光频率和外腔相位，激光器输出功率波动频率正比于内、外腔长度之比.基于三镜腔等效模型的理论分析和实验结果相符合.并且讨论了这一现象在精密测量领域的潜在应用.     

Loss-coupled distributed-feedback lasers with amplified optical feedback for optical microwave generation

Multisection semiconductor lasers for optical microwave generation have been fabricated that consist of a loss-coupled distributed feedback (LC-DFB), a phase control, and an amplifier section. High-frequency self-pulsations are generated according to the concept of a single-mode laser with short optical feedback. The effect of the optical feedback via the phase control and the amplifier section on the self-pulsation is apparently shown as a result of the superior single-mode characteristic of the LC-DFB section. Continuous frequency tuning is achieved in the range of 17-35 GHz.