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.     

A monochromatic and frequency stabilized cw source in the 5 μm region obtained by doubling the frequencies of a cw laser in tellurium

In this paper we describe the construction of a monochromatic and frequency stabilized continuous wave (cw) source in the 5 μm region. It is built up by a cw single line, single-mode frequency and amplitude stabilized CO₂ laser. This primary CO₂ laser source is then frequency-doubled in a tellurium crystal using second harmonic generation (SHG). The obtained emission is monochromatic (half-width 50 kHz). The frequency can be varied discreetly from 4.6 μm to 5.5 μ depending on the CO₂ laser line chosen.     

An injection-locked single-mode tea CO2 laser for SMM laser pumping

A D₂O laser has been developed for collective Thomson scattering measurements of ion temperature in high temperature plasmas. A pulse duration and a spectral width of a high power D₂O laser has been successfully controlled for this purpose, by using a TEA CO₂ laser injection-locked by an etalon-tuned TEA CO₂ laser as a pump source.     

An all-solid-state laser source at 671 nm for cold-atom experiments with lithium

We present an all-solid-state narrow-linewidth laser source emitting 670 mW output power at 671 nm delivered in a diffraction-limited beam. The source is based on a frequency-doubled diode-end-pumped ring laser operating on the ⁴ F _3/2→⁴ I _13/2 transition in Nd:YVO₄. By using periodically poled potassium titanyl phosphate (ppKTP) in an external buildup cavity, doubling efficiencies of up to 86% are obtained. Tunability of the source over 100 GHz is accomplished. We demonstrate the suitability of this robust frequency-stabilized light source for laser cooling of lithium atoms. Finally, a simplified design based on intra-cavity doubling is described and first results are presented.     

Investigation of 13CH3OH methanol: new laser lines and assignments

We have reinvestigated ¹³CH₃OH as a source of far-infrared (FIR) laser emission using a CO₂ laser as a pumping source. Thirty new FIR laser lines in the range 36.5 μm to 202.6 μm were observed and characterized. Five of them have wavelengths between 36.5 and 75 μm and have sufficient intensity to be used in LMR spectroscopy. Using Fourier-transform spectroscopic data in the infrared (IR) and FIR regions we have determined the assignment for 10 FIR laser transitions and predict nine frequencies for laser lines which have yet to be observed. Received: 17 July 2000 / Published online: 6 December 2000     

The Intra-cavity Mode Competition and Laser Absorption Spectroscopy with CO2 Laser

A mathematical model is developed for analysis the dynamics of an intra-cavity laser spectroscopy and mode competition using the CO₂ laser as the coherent source. The governing equations of system are derived and effect of the absorbing material on the laser modes, as a time-dependent term is considered. Thus, the application of the CO₂ laser for intra-cavity laser spectroscopy with considering an inhomogeneous medium and effect of the absorbing material is investigated.     

CO2 laser drives extreme ultraviolet nano-lithography — second life of mature laser technology

It was shown both theoretically and experimentally that nanosecond order laser pulses at 10.6 micron wavelength were superior for driving the Sn plasma extreme ultraviolet (EUV) source for nano-lithography for the reasons of higher conversion efficiency, lower production of debris and higher average power levels obtainable in CO₂ media without serious problems of beam distortions and nonlinear effects occurring in competing solid-state lasers at high intensities. The renewed interest in such pulse format, wavelength, repetition rates in excess of 50 kHz and average power levels in excess of 18 kiloWatt has sparked new opportunities for a matured multi-kiloWatt CO₂ laser technology. The power demand of EUV source could be only satisfied by a Master-Oscillator-Power-Amplifier system configuration, leading to a development of a new type of hybrid pulsed CO₂ laser employing a whole spectrum of CO₂ technology, such as fast flow systems and diffusion-cooled planar waveguide lasers, and relatively recent quantum cascade lasers. In this paper we review briefly the history of relevant pulsed CO₂ laser technology and the requirements for multi-kiloWatt CO₂ laser, intended for the laser-produced plasma EUV source, and present our recent advances, such as novel solid-state seeded master oscillator and efficient multi-pass amplifiers built on planar waveguide CO₂ lasers.     

Two color oscillations of TE-CO2 laser and applications to two photon process of optically pumped FIR laser

We have developed the resonance system which is able to operate a TE-CO₂ discharge tube in two color emission source. The two color source is excellent in pumping efficiency, spacial overlap and time synchronization of the two emission CO₂ lines.We indicate that the competitive operation of the two emissions is well explained by a simple model.When a TE-CO₂ laser operates at the total pressure of below half atmospheric pressure, we make clear in this work that the operation of a TE-CO₂ laser forms depression like hole burning, with regards to the J of the upper laser level by J-J collisional relaxation during the laser emission.As an example of the two-photon source, two-photon pumping of NH₃ and FIR emissions are given in this paper.     

双泵染料激光器

本文讨论了双泵染料激光器的可能性和途径。讨论表明,引进辅助的T₁→S₁抽运,对于降低激光器的阈值,提高增益和荧光量子效率,扩大激光染料的种类和调频波段,将是有益的。 关键词：     

A low debris laser plasma soft X-ray source

Low debris laser plasma soft X-ray source is of great importance to micro-lithography and microscopy. In this paper, a 1.06 μm YAG laser with 2 J energy, 10 ns duration is employed to irradiate a CO₂ cryogenic target. Soft X-ray spectra from the CO₂ cryogenic target are obtained. Experimental results of debris measurement from both CO₂ cryogenic and Cu targets demonstrate that the light source based on the CO₂ cryogenic target shows great improvement over conventional metal targets in debris reduction.     

New laser lines from CHD2OH methanol deuterated isotope

Through the optical pump technique we have reinvestigated the CHD₂OH molecule as a source of far-infrared (FIR) laser lines using for the first time a CO₂ laser lasing on regular, hot, and sequence bands. As a consequence, we present here spectroscopic data of 16 new FIR laser transitions from this molecule. Furthermore, we also present a catalogue of all FIR laser lines generated from CHD₂OH. Received: 13 July 2001 / Revised version: 25 October 2001 / Published online: 14 May 2002     

EFFECTS OF PUMP SOURCE ON SPECTRA OF OPTICALLY PUMPED SUB-MILLIMETER WAVE LASER

The output power intensity of optically pumped sub-millimeter wave laser(OPSMMWL) increased with increasing of power intensity of pump source, till to its maximum; and decreased with increasing of the frequency off-set of pump source, if frequency off-set reached or exceeded its Raman threshold, no SMMWL could be obtained; the infrared pumping laser with collision broadening was considered in our computing model, which made our theoretical calculations agreed with the practical. Spectra of CO₂-9R(16) pumped NH₃ 90.4 μm laser was used to be a practical case. Supported by Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province, P.R.China(04300458)     

Morphology and composition on Al surface irradiated by femtosecond laser pulses

We study the surface chemicals and structures of aluminum plates irradiated by scanning femtosecond laser pulses in air for a wide range of laser fluence from 0.38 to 33.6 J/cm². X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction analyses indicate clearly that crystalline anorthic Al(OH)₃ is formed under femtosecond laser pulse irradiation. Besides aluminum hydroxide, crystalline Al₂O₃ is also found in the samples irradiated at high laser fluence. Field emission scanning electron microscopy demonstrates that the surfaces of the samples irradiated with low laser fluence are colloidal-like and that nanoparticles with a few nanometers in size are embedded in glue-like substances. For high laser fluence irradiated samples, the surfaces are highly porous and covered by nanoparticles with uniform size of less than 20 nm.     

Nitridation of iron by the mixing technology with laser and plasma beams

Iron nitride (Fe_xN) is obtained by the mixing technology with laser and plasma beams coaxially on the surface of pure iron in atmosphere. In this technology, laser and plasma provide heat source and nitrogen ion source, respectively, easily to nitriding the sample. The feasibility of the method is analyzed in theory. Small-angle X-ray diffraction measurements reveal formation of iron nitride in the as-treated sample, and scanning tunneling microscope measurements describe the surface profiles of the irradiated area, at different laser energy densities or different scanning velocities.     

Optically pumped 13CD3I: new TeraHertz laser transitions

We investigated the ¹³CD₃I isotopomer of methyl iodide as a source of TeraHertz laser radiation using the optical pumping technique. We used a pulsed waveguide CO₂ laser as the pump laser and an open Fabry–Pérot cavity for new laser line generation. We discovered 18 new laser lines with wavelengths ranging from 308.4 to 1132.7 μm, plus two lines previously assigned to ¹²CD₃I. All of the lines were characterized in wavelength, pump frequency offset, optimum pressure of operation, and relative polarization and intensity.     

A high power, 1.22 mm 13C H3 laser

Pulsed power levels in excess of 5 kW at wavelengths near 1.2 mm have been obtained via optical pumping of ¹³C H₃F in a 3 m, mirrorless waveguide laser, using a CO₂ TEA laser as a source of pump radiation.     

Spectroscopy of CH<Subscript>4</Subscript> with a difference-frequency generation laser at 3.3 micron for atmospheric applications

The 3.25 micron spectral region is very suitable for the in situ sensing of CH₄ in the troposphere and the lower stratosphere with light-weight laser sensors. Several transitions of the strong fundamental ν ₃ band of CH₄ are revisited in this spectral region using an ultra-compact Difference-Frequency Generation (DFG) laser. Accurate intensities as well as self-broadening coefficients are reported for several manifolds that are particularly relevant to the monitoring of CH₄. The study is extended to over hundred transitions reachable over the tunability range of the laser. Moreover, this DFG laser is the light source of a new, highly-compact CH₄ laser spectrometer to be operated from weather balloon. The CH₄ laser sensor is described and preliminary flight results are reported.     

X-ray generation from slanting laser–Compton scattering for future energy-tunable Shanghai Laser Electron Gamma Source

There is great interest in the generation of energy-tunable, bright, short-pulse X/γ-ray sources, which are required in various research fields. Laser–Compton scattering (LCS) is considered to be one of the most promising methods to implement this kind of X/γ-ray source. At the 100-MeV LINAC of the Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, a 2-J, 8-ns, 1064-nm, Q-switched Nd:YAG laser is brought to a slanting collision at 40° (44°) with an 112-MeV, 0.9-ns (rms) relativistic electron beam. We measured the LCS X-ray energy spectrum with a peak energy of 31.73±0.22_stat±1.64_syst keV and a peak width (rms) of 0.74±0.26_stat±0.03_syst keV. This preliminary investigation was carried out to understand the feasibility of developing an energy-tunable X/γ-ray source. Based on this study, the future Shanghai Laser Electron Gamma Source (SLEGS) at the Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility (SSRF) can be constructed to be not only an energy-tunable γ-ray source by guiding the laser incident angle from laser–Compton scattering, but also a high flux (～10¹⁰ photons/s or even higher) γ-ray source by adding a laser super-cavity.     

Development of portable laser machining system for laser writing applications

This study presents a portable laser machining system that consists of a fiber-optic diode laser source with a wavelength of 808 nm, optic/opto-mechanical components, a laser scanning module, and a laser energy control module. The laser beam quality was measured at different operation frequencies during system evaluation. The experimental results of beam profile evaluation indicate that the enlarged collimated beam was the TEM₀₀ mode with a roundness of approximately of 96%. The output laser power level increased as the pulse frequency increased during laser power evaluation. To control the rotating angle of the galvanometric scanning system, the deflective angle was adjusted using a 0.192 voltage to obtain a deflective value of 1mm and the maximum scan field of 100 × 100mm². The laser source operated at different frequencies, with pulse widths ranging from 530 to 48 μs. Finally, the proposed machine can also be used for black thick paper laser writing applications.