1444-nm Q-switched pulse generator based on Nd:YAG/V:YAG microchip laser

Q-switched microchip laser emitting radiation at eye-safe wavelength 1444 nm was designed and realized. This laser was based on composite crystal which consists of 4 mm long Nd:YAG active medium diffusion bonded with 1 mm long V:YAG saturable absorber. The diameter of the composite crystal was 5 mm. The initial transmission of the V:YAG part was T ₀ = 94% @ 1440 nm. The microchip resonator consists of dielectric mirrors, directly deposited onto the composite crystal surfaces. These mirrors were specially designed to ensure desired emission at 1444 nm and to prevent parasitic lasing at other Nd³⁺ transmissions. The output coupler with reflectivity 94% for the generated wavelength 1444 nm was placed on the V³⁺-doped part. The laser was operating under pulsed pumping for the duty-cycle up to 50%. With increasing value of mean pumping power a strong decrease of generated pulse length was observed. The shortest generated pulses were 4.2 ns long (FWHM). Stable pulses with energy 34 μJ were generated with repetition rate up to 1.5 kHz. Corresponding pulse peak power was 8.2 kW. The wavelength of linearly polarized TEM₀₀ laser mode was fixed to 1444 nm.     

Counterintuitive versus regular inversionless gain in a coherently prepared ladder scheme

In this research we study lasing without population inversion from a three-level atom interacting with two laser fields, in the ladder or cascade scheme. We investigate counterintuitive sequencing as well as regular sequencing of the time of laser fields application. In a counterintuitive sequence scheme a short probe pulse is introduced prior to the application of the coupling field, in contrast, to a standard sequence scheme, where both fields are introduced at the same time. The influence of varying the probe pulse width and time delay between the initiation of probe and coupling fields on transient probe gain is investigated. The calculations indicate the potential of producing gain without inversion via counterintuitive sequence scheme.     

纳米ZnO粉末中随机激光现象

实验采用三倍频Nd:YAG(波长355 nm，脉宽8ns，频率30Hz) 脉冲激光器作为抽运光源，在ZnO纳米粉末(直径～100 nm)中发现了类似激光现象.并用环形腔理论模拟了ZnO的颗粒密度对平均自由程的影响，从理论上证明在纳秒级激光器的抽运下，ZnO纳米粉末也可以发射激光. 关键词： 类似激光 ZnO纳米粉末 平均自由程     

Sheet metal welding using a pulsed Nd: YAG laser-robot

This paper presents a pulsed Nd: YAG laser-robot system for spot and seam welding of mild steel sheets. The study evaluates the laser beams behaviour for welding, and then investigates pulsed Nd: YAG laser spot and seam welding processes. High pulse power intensity is needed to initiate the key-hole welding process and a threshold pulse energy to reach full penetration. In seam welding, a weld consists of successive overlapping spots. Both high pulse energy and high average power are needed to keep the key-hole welding going. A 70% overlap is used to define overlapping spot welding as seam welding and to optimize process parameters because a high tensile strength joint compatible with the strength of the base material can be obtained when the overlap is ≥70%; at the same time a smooth seam with full penetration is obtained. In these cases, the joints in pulsed Nd: YAG laser welding are comparable in strength to those obtained with CO₂ laser welding. Robot positioning and motion accuracies can meet the demands of Nd: YAG laser sheet metal welding, but its cornering accuracy affects the welding processes. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the YAG laser-robot system for production in the automotive industry.     

Investigation of Cr:YAG passive mode-locking in a pulsed Nd:YAG laser

Passive mode-locking of a pulsed Nd:YAG laser using a Cr⁴⁺:YAG saturable absorber was realized for the first time in a nearly critical stable resonator containing an antiresonant ring structure. The output energy and pulse duration are 13.5 mJ and 180 ps, respectively. The recovery time and saturable intensity for excited-state absorption of Cr⁴⁺:YAG under the action of strong laser pulses were calculated from rate equations.     

Structure and properties of the bronze laser alloyed with titanium

The paper describes the microstructure and properties (microhardness and wear resistance) of the bronze laser alloyed with titanium. The laser alloying was done using a pulsed Nd:YAG laser with a generated beam energy of 25-35 J. A very fine microstructure was formed under such rapid solidification conditions like laser treatment. The high chemical homogeneity and fine structure of the melted zone were attributed to high cooling rates due to the short interaction time with Nd:YAG pulsed laser radiation and relatively small volume of the melted material. The structure obtained in the surface layer after laser alloying permits to get a high level of hardness and an improved wear resistance.     

LD端面抽运Nd:YAG 1319/1338nm双波长激光器研究

从LD端面抽运固体激光器的激光阈值公式出发,建立了双波长激光同时振荡的阈值条件,理论计算了腔镜对于两个波长的透过率关系,实现了LD端面抽运Nd:YAG 1319nm/1338nm双波长激光连续和准连续输出.双波长激光连续输出功率可达6W,斜效率为30%;准连续输出功率在重复频率50kHz时可达4.75W,斜效率为24.73%,脉冲宽度为55.05ns;腔内插入布儒斯特片,在重复频率为50kHz时,双波长激光准连续线偏振输出功率可达2.22W,不稳定性小于0.52%,M² 关键词： 端泵Nd:YAG激光器 1319nm/1338nm双波长 声光调Q 太赫兹波     

Titanium plasma spectroscopy studies under double pulse laser excitation

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) was applied for parametric studies of titanium (Ti) plasma using single and double pulsed laser excitation scheme. Here a pulsed Nd:YAG laser was employed for generation of laser produced plasma from solid Ti target at ambient pressure. Several ionized titanium lines were recorded in the 312–334 nm UV region. The temporal evolution of plasma parameters such as excitation temperature and electron number density was evaluated. The effect of incident laser irradiance, position of the laser beam focal point with respect to the surface of illumination, single and double laser pulse effect on plasma parameters were also investigated. This study contributes to a better understanding of the LIBS plasma dynamics of the double laser pulse effect on the temporal evolution of various Ti emission lines, the detection sensitivity and the optimal dynamics of plasma for ionized states of Ti. The results demonstrate a faster decay of the continuum and spectral lines and a shorter plasma life time for the double pulse excitation scheme as compared with single laser pulse excitation. For double pulse excitation technique, the emissions of Ti lines intensities are enhanced by a factor of five which could help in the improvement of analytical performance of LIBS technique. In addition, this study proved that to avoid inhomogeneous effects in the laser produced plasma under high laser intensities, short delay times between the incident laser pulse and ICCD gate are required.     

Coupling of focused laser pulse to surfaces of transparent materials studied by time-resolved imaging technique

Short and intense laser pulse can process the surface and the inside of transparent materials by focusing the pulse at the desired position. Here we report the interaction of fundamental radiation (1064 nm) of the Q-switched Nd:YAG laser to the surface of PMMA as observed by an imaging system with nanosecond time resolution. The system used fundamental radiation of a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser as a processing laser and second harmonic radiation (532 nm) of another Nd:YAG laser as illuminating light. We observed shock waves which propagate into the material and into the atmosphere by shadowgraph and photoelastic method. Surface roughness of a sample is expected to affect the coupling of light and transparent materials for both normal and focused laser light. Our results have revealed the effects visually. For roughness larger than 0.6 m, all energy is absorbed at the surface, while the larger part of the energy is absorbed inside the material as the surface becomes smoother. PACS 52.38.MF; 79.20.DS; 87.63.Lk     

LD端面抽运Nd:YAG 1319nm/1338nm双波长激光器研究

从LD端面抽运固体激光器的激光阈值公式出发，建立了双波长激光同时振荡的阈值条件，理论计算了腔镜对于两个波长的透过率关系，实现了LD端面抽运Nd:YAG 1319nm/1338nm双波长激光连续和准连续输出.双波长激光连续输出功率可达6W，斜效率为30%；准连续输出功率在重复频率50kHz时可达4.75W，斜效率为24.73%，脉冲宽度为55.05ns；腔内插入布儒斯特片，在重复频率为50kHz时，双波长激光准连续线偏振输出功率可达2.22W，不稳定性小于0.52%，M²     

Generation of dual-wavelength domain-wall rectangular-shape pulses in HNLF-based fiber ring laser

The generation of dual-wavelength domain-wall rectangular-shape pulses in a highly nonlinear fiber (HNLF)-based fiber ring laser is experimentally demonstrated. The dual-wavelength lasing operation is realized by employing the intracavity birefringence-induced spectral filtering effect. An 85 m long HNLF is introduced into the fiber ring laser to enhance the nonlinear effect, which is favorable for the cross coupling between the two lasing beams. Experimentally, it was found that the interval of two domain walls in the time domain could be adjusted by simply tuning the linear cavity phase delay, which results in the achievement of different output pulse shapes. By properly rotating the polarization controller (PC), the dual-wavelength rectangular-shape pulses could be efficiently obtained. The proposed fiber laser provides a simple and efficient way to generate rectangular-shape pulse.     

Theory of group synchronism in free-electron waveguide lasers fed a sequence of short electron pulses

A theory of free-electron lasers fed a sequence of short electron pulses is developed. It is assumed that the group velocity of the electromagnetic pulse that develops in the cavity is the same as the translational velocity of the particles, and the repetition period of the electron pulses equals the transit time of the electromagnetic radiation in the cavity. Under these conditions of group synchronism, the principal factors governing the feasibility of establishing a stationary pulsed lasing regime are found to be the dispersive spread of the electromagnetic pulse and the channeling properties of an electron bunch. The conditions for self-excitation are found, and the characteristics of the stationary lasing regimes are determined assuming that the cavity has a high Q and using a parabolic equation for the evolution of the electromagnetic pulse shape. Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 69, 78–83 (February 1999)     

Comparative study of pulsed laser diode end-pumped thulium-doped 2-µm Q-switched lasers

We report pulsed laser diode(LD)end-pumped acoustic Q-switched Tm:YAG laser,Tm:LuAG laser,and Tm:LuYAG laser and the physical properties and spectra of Tm:YAG,Tm:LuAG,and Tm:LuYAG are analyzed.The Tm:LuYAG laser is pumped by 785-nm and 788-nm pulses separately,and is compared with Tm:YAG laser.Different output energy values and output wavelengths of Tm:LuAYG lasers pumped by LDs with different wavelengths are obtained and compared with each other.When the repetition frequency is 100 Hz,the pulsed Tm:YAG laser has single pulse energy of 15.9 mJ,pulse width of 126.7 ns,and the center wavelength of 2013.36 nm,and the pulsed Tm:LuAG laser possesses single pulse energy of 11.8 mJ,pulse width of 252.4 ns,and the center wavelength of 2023.65 nm,and the pulsed Tm:LuYAG laser output energy values are 12.32 mJ and 12.25 mJ with the slope efficiencies of 12.5%and 11.85%,the center wavelengths of 2017.89 nm and 2027.11 nm,respectively,while the pump sources are 785-nm and 788-nm pulsed LDs,respectively.     

The first-stokes pulse generation in Nd:KGW intracavity driven by a diode-pumped passively Q-switched Nd:YAG/Cr<Superscript>4+</Superscript>:YAG laser

The operation of an all solid-state pulsed Nd:KGW Raman laser pumped by compact passively Q-switched Nd:YAG/Cr:YAG laser is demonstrated. The first-Stokes radiation of stimulated Nd:KGW Raman scattering at the 1178 nm is generated. The average output power of 336 mW at Stokes wavelength was obtained under the laser diode pump power of 5.74 W. The corresponding optical efficiency from the diode light to the Raman output is 9.85%. The pulse width of 1.65 ns and a pulse repetition rate of 10 kHz were also obtained.     

紫外探针光信号与加速器负载电流脉冲的精密同步技术

 作为探针光源的Nd∶YAG激光器在其外触发控制线路固有延迟减小至100 ns后,从脉冲加速器形成线的主开关处选取Q开关的触发输入信号,利用示波器将激光器Q开关触发信号、加速器主开关触发信号、激光信号以及负载电流信号进行时间关联,测量结果作为调节系统延迟时间的依据,实现了探针光脉冲与加速器负载电流脉冲之间的精密同步,同步精度达到9.6 ns。     

脉冲激光与碲镉汞相互作用时的冲量耦合

在激光功率密度为４．０×１０８～５．０×１０９Ｗｃｍ－２的范围内，用冲击摆测量了ＮｄＹＡＧ脉冲激光（波长为１．０６μｍ，脉宽为１０ｎｓ）辐照大气中不同面积的ＨｇＣｄＴｅ样品时的冲量耦合系数。从理论上建立了等离子体爆轰模型，对激光结束后等离子体的膨胀过程进行了比较详细的描述，用此模型计算了不同能量的脉冲激光与不同面积的ＨｇＣｄＴｅ相互作用时的冲量耦合系数，计算值与测量值符合得较好。     

High-repetition-rate grazing-incidence pumped x-ray laser operating at 18.9 nm

We have demonstrated a 10 Hz Ni-like Mo x-ray laser operating at 18.9 nm with 150 mJ total pump energy by employing a novel pumping scheme. The grazing-incidence scheme is described, where a picosecond pulse is incident at a grazing angle to a Mo plasma column produced by a slab target irradiated by a 200 ps laser pulse. This scheme uses refraction of the short pulse at a predetermined electron density to increase absorption to pump a specific gain region. The higher coupling efficiency inherent to this scheme allows a reduction in the pump energy where 70 mJ long pulse energy and 80 mJ short pulse energy are sufficient to produce lasing at a 10 Hz repetition rate. Under these conditions and by optimizing the delay between the pulses, we achieve strong amplification and close to saturation for 4 mm long targets.     

Cr^4＋：YAG在对撞脉冲锁模的Nd：YAG激光器中实现被动锁模的研究

在理论上提出了Ｃｒ＾４＋：ＹＡＧ作为可饱和吸收体在Ｎｄ：ＹＡＧ激光器中实现被动锁模的可能性，运用速率方程组导出在强激光脉冲作用下Ｃｒ＾４＋：ＹＡＧ激发态吸收的恢复时间和饱和光强。实验上在带有抗共振环结构的接近于介稳腔的脉冲式Ｎｄ：ＹＡＧ激光器中用Ｃｒ＾４＋：ＹＡＧ作为可饱和吸收体实现被动锁模运转，得到能量１３．５ｍＪ、平均脉宽１８０ｐｓ的锁模脉冲序列。     

Investigation of a copper-vapor laser pumped by trains of damped sine pulses

A copper-vapor laser the lasing medium of which is pumped by damped sine voltage pulses is studied experimentally. It is shown that this laser can operate at megahertz lasing pulse repetition rates. Each current pulse in a train of damped sine excitation pulses generates a lasing pulse. The time between lasing pulses is no more than 224 ns, which corresponds to a lasing pulse repetition rate of more than 4.5 MHz. According to estimates, the use of the megahertz sine voltage to excite the copper-vapor laser may raise the specific power of laser radiation by at least an order of magnitude at an efficiency of ≈15%.     

Generation regimes of a pulsed Nd:YAG laser with transverse LED pumping and multiloop self-pumped phase-conjugate cavity

The generation regimes in a pulsed Nd:YAG laser with transverse LED pumping and multiloop self-pumped phase-conjugate cavity on the gain gratings are studied. The differential efficiency of laser is 27% in the free-running regime at a pulse energy of up to 1 J and quality parameter M ² of no greater than 1.5. The pulse energy under passive Q-switching is no less than 60% of the pulse energy in the free-running regime at the same beam quality. The generation of the narrow-band radiation is demonstrated. A generation band of no greater than 1.2 GHz corresponds to the primary single-frequency high-power laser pulse in the free-running mode under conditions for self-Q-switching on the gain gratings. When additional elements (F ₂ ^? :LiF and Cr⁴⁺:YAG crystals) are introduced in the optical scheme of the phase-conjugate cavity, similar narrowband single-mode generation is observed in the passive Q-switching regime as a pulse train or monopulse. The laser pulse power is up to 2 MW at a pulse duration of 20 ns.