A theoretical analysis of the effects of erbium ion pair on the dynamics of an optical gain stabilized fiber amplifier

In this paper, the effects of ion-pair formation on the gain dynamics of multi cavity optical automatic gain control erbium doped fiber amplifier is modelled. The inhomogeneous Cabezas simple model is used to write the rate and propagation equations for the active medium. The solution of the governing equations shows that in high concentration of the erbium ions, depending on the pumping rate, the relaxation oscillations are converted to nT-Periodic or even to chaotic behavior. Although the high concentration erbium ion in the optical amplifiers decreases the conversion efficiency and increases the threshold pump power, amplitude of the transient effects is reduced in the multi feedback-loop WDM amplifiers relative to the low concentration erbium ions multi feedback-loop optical amplifiers and ion-pairs, which act as a saturable absorber to compensate the gain tilt caused by the OAGC laser spectral hole burning. The theoretical results are in complete agreement with the previous published experimental results.     

Pulsed and cw laser oscillations in LiF:F-2 color center crystal under laser diode pumping

Continuous-wave laser oscillations in LiF:F-2 crystal optically pumped by a laser diode at 970 nm were demonstrated for what is believed to be the first time. The slope efficiency of 14% and conversion efficiency of 5.5% were achieved for 80 micros pump pulse duration and 5 Hz pulse repetition rate. An efficiency twice as low was measured at a 6.25 kHz pulse repetition rate (50% off-duty factor) and in cw mode of laser operation.     

热散焦效应对甲烷后向受激喇曼散射的影响

采用单纵模Nd:YAG二倍频激光泵浦,研究了CH4气体中的受激喇曼散射．实验发现,当激光的重复频率为2 Hz,1．1 MPa CH4中,泵浦能量为95 mJ时,后向一级斯托克斯(BS1)的量子转化效率可达73％,并且由于激光脉冲的张弛振荡,BS1的脉宽被压窄到1．2 ns,峰值功率达到了泵浦光功率的2．7倍,其光束质量大大优于泵浦光．在同样条件下,而重复频率为10 Hz时,BS1的量子转化效率降低为36％,但对光束质量影响不大,这是因为BS1呈现为与泵浦光波前翻转的复制光波,可以补偿热畸变．研究结果表明,如果设计一个CH4／He混合气体的带封闭循环冷却系统的高性能630 nm喇曼激光器,可能有其实际应用价值．     

Tunable feedback loop for suppression of relaxation oscillations in a diode-pumped Nd: laser

An optoelectronic noise suppression circuit connected to the RF input of a commercial diode laser mount is presented. Adjustable phase shift and amplitude control enable efficient suppression of the relaxation oscillations of a diode laser-pumped Nd:YVO₄ laser at variable frequencies between a few hundred kHz and 1.8 MHz. At least 25 dB reduction of the relaxation oscillations at 500 kHz and 1.5 MHz noise peaks is demonstrated.     

Dynamics of Yb-doped double clad pulsed fiber amplifier based on slow motion dynamic rate equations

A special slow motion dynamic equations are presented especially adapt to the fiber laser analyze in which a long working cycle simulation and acute state changing are both needed. It can greatly save the calculation time while keep the output result relatively accurate. Then the dynamics of nanosecond high energy low repetition rate pulsed fiber amplifier is analyzed which indicate that most energy is wasted by means of self emission between pulses and the amplified self emission (ASE) is no longer the main cause of energy depletion with proper pulsed pump. Hence, unless a relatively large input seed source is used, the light conversion efficiency of a low repetition rate pulsed laser is usually much lower than the quantum efficiency even with a pulsed pump.     

LD end-pumped c-Cut Nd:YVO<Subscript>4</Subscript>/KTP self-Raman laser at 560 nm

Intra-cavity sum frequency generation (SFG) of c-cut Nd:YVO₄ self-Raman laser was investigated for the first time. A 4 × 4 × 10 mm³ KTP crystal with a type-II phase-matching cutting angle (θ = 83.4°, φ = 0°) was used for SFG between the fundamental light at 1066 nm and first-Stokes light at 1178 nm. The laser system with different curvature radii of output couplers and different pulse repetition frequencies were investigated. At a pump power of 14 W and pulse repetition frequency of 20 kHz, the average output power of yellow-green laser at 560 nm up to 840 mW was achieved, corresponding to a slope efficiency of 7.6% and a conversion efficiency of 6% with respect to diode pump power.     

Highly efficient Raman conversion in O2 pumped by a seeded narrow band second-harmonic Nd:YAG laser

The first-Stokes conversion efficiency for a stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) is usually very low in gaseous oxygen media. In 3.0 Mpa O₂, a single longitudinal mode second harmonic Nd:YAG laser pump source gives a typical vibrational first-Stokes conversion efficiency of only 2.5%, In comparison, the accompanying stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) attains a reflectivity of 67%. However, by seeding an OPO beam into the Raman cavity, the first-Stokes photon conversion efficiency now attains a peak value of 54%, while the SBS reflectivity reduces to 5% in a 6.1 Mpa 41:59 O₂/ He mixture. This 54% efficiency was obtained for a seeder laser pulse-width less than one half that of pump laser (6.8 ns). A first-Stokes peak power conversion efficiency as high as 88% has been obtained when the pump and seeder pulse peaks coincide. So, we may expect a higher first-Stokes photon conversion efficiency if the seeder pulse-width can be made equal to or larger than that of the pump pulse. On the other hand, the beam quality of the first-Stokes in an O₂/ He mixture excels that of the pump laser for a seeder energy of 5 mJ and pump energy of 50 mJ. However, at pump energies higher than 105 mJ and a pump laser repetition rate of 10 Hz, the thermal defocusing effect worsens the first-Stokes beam quality. This thermal defocusing effect is a result of the Raman heat release and could be eliminated by fast circulating and cooling the Raman gas medium.     

1018nm光源及光纤激光同带抽运实验研究

设计了级联式全光纤1018nm光源。该光源采用两级级联放大方案,实现了对低功率1018nm种子光的放大,获得了4.2W的最大输出功率,并分析了影响放大效率的因素。以获得的1018nm激光为抽运源,进行了1070nm信号光的同带抽运放大器实验研究,测量了放大器的输出特性。在纤芯抽运实验中,获得了明显的放大效果和较高的功率转换效率。进行了瓦量级包层同带抽运的实验研究,分析了导致包层抽运实验中功率转换效率偏低的原因并提出了解决方案。     

Efficient 15-W CW Nd:YVO4 Solid-state Laser Single-end-pumped by a Fiber-coupled Diode-laser-array

A diode-laser-array single-end-pumped CW Nd:YVO4 laser,capable of producing maximum TEM00 mode output power of 15 W,has been demonstrated. At the incident pumping power of 24 W,the output power of 13.8 W was obtained,leading to an optical conversion efficiency of 57.5%,and the slope efficiency of 66.7%. It is shown that only with Nd:YVO4 crystals of low Nd3+ concentration,the laser can be operated efficiently under high pump power levels.     

Generation of high-power blue light in periodically poled LiNbO(3)

We report the generation of 450-mW average blue (473-nm) power by frequency doubling of a diode-pumped 946-nm Nd:YAG laser. We achieved pulsed operation at a high repetition rate (~160kHz) by driving the relaxation oscillations of the laser. A 40% conversion efficiency to the second harmonic was obtained in a single-pass, extracavity, first-order, quasi-phase-matched process in which periodically poled lithium niobate (period 4.5microm , thickness 0.5mm , and length 15mm) at 140 degrees C was used. The resulting high-power blue beam was circular in profile and nearly diffraction limited, indicating that photorefractive effects do not appear to limit device performance.     

Rabi-oscillation-enhanced frequency conversion in quantum-dot semiconductor optical amplifiers

We investigate the nonlinear light propagation in InAs/InGaAs quantum-dot-in-a-well semiconductor optical amplifiers in the limit of strong optical excitation where Rabi oscillations are excited in the active medium. The amplifier is analyzed in a degenerate four-wave-mixing setup and characterized by its frequency conversion and creation performance. Our simulations show that the interplay between the nonlinear four-wave-mixing process and the coherent Rabi oscillations greatly influences the frequency conversion process. Rabi oscillations can be resonantly excited by the correct choice of the frequency detuning between pump and probe signals, which greatly enhances the nonlinear frequency conversion efficiency at frequencies up to several THz. We furthermore show that the coherent pulse shaping of ultrashort optical pulses in the quantum-dot medium can greatly enhance their spectral bandwidth, potentially allowing for ultra-broad-band frequency comb generation.     

Instability control in microwave-frequency microplasma

This paper introduces comprehensive large-signal analyses of modulation dynamics and noise of a chaotic semiconductor laser. The chaos is induced by operating the laser under optical feedback (OFB). Control of the chaotic dynamics and possibility of suppressing the associated noise by sinusoidal modulation are investigated. The studies are based on numerical solutions of a time-delay rate equation model. The deterministic modulation dynamics of the laser are classified into seven regular and irregular dynamic types. Variations of chaotic dynamics and noise with sinusoidal modulation are examined in both time and frequency domains over wide ranges of the modulation depth and frequency. The results showed that chaotic dynamics can be converted into five distinct dynamic types; namely, continuous periodic signal (CPS), continuous periodic signal with relaxation oscillations (CPSRO), periodic pulse (PP), periodic pulse with relaxation oscillations (PPRO) and periodic pulse with period doubling (PPPD). The relative intensity noise (RIN) of these types is characterized when the modulation frequencies are much lower, comparable to, and higher than the resonance frequency. Suppression of RIN to a level 8 dB/Hz higher than the quantum limit was predicted under the CPS type when the modulation frequency is 0.9 times the resonance frequency and the modulation depth is 0.14.     

New efficient laser dye for pulsed and CW operation in the UV

A new laser dye for pulsed and cw operation has been synthesized which can be tuned from 362 nm up to 412 nm. For pulsed excitation with a XeCl excimer laser an energy conversion of 18.5% has been measured at the tuning maximum of the dye; this is the highest efficiency for any known dye in the UV. For cw operation a low laser threshold and a goof efficiency have been observed. The range of tuned cw dye lasers is extended by 30 nm to shorter wavelengths. The dye shows high photochemical stability even at high pump laser power.     

半导体激光泵浦Nd：YVO4激光器的1.34μm输出特性

报道了半导体激光泵浦Ｎｄ：ＹＶＯ４激光器在１．３４μｍ的输出特性，当入射的泵浦光功率为５１５ｍＷ时，最大１．３４μｍ激光输出功率达１５７ｍＷ，光－光转换效率为３０．５％，研究了激光器的纵模特性及弛豫噪声与泵浦功率的关系，发现不同的纵模具有各自不同的弛豫振荡频率。     

High-repetition-rate mid-infrared optical parametric oscillator based on PPMgOLN

A compact source of high-repetition-rate, high-efficiency, mid-infrared optical parametric oscillator (OPO) based on periodically poled MgO-doped lithium niobate (PPMgOLN) was reported. To ensure high conversion efficiency at high repetition rate, a high beam quality and high peak power Q-switched pump source was developed specially. The performances at different repetition rates were compared and average output power of 8.7 W at 3.8 ??m was obtained when the pump power was 48 W at the repetition rate of 120 kHz with an optimal plane-concave resonator configuration. The conversion efficiency from the 1.06 ??m laser to the 3.8 ??m laser was 18.1%.     

Global rate equation description of a laser

The global integro-differential rate equations describing a multimode laser are analyzed. Expressions for the relaxation oscillation frequencies and their damping rates in the single-mode and two-mode regimes are obtained without specifying either the cavity geometry or the longitudinal pump profile. On the same level of generality, we prove the existence of universal relations relating the peaks of the power spectra in the two-mode regime. For a Fabry-Perot with arbitrary longitudinal pump profile, series expansions of all the physical functions are derived in powers of the pump moments. These moments are averages of the pump profile over cavity modes at linear combinations of the lasing frequencies and their harmonics. These results apply to end-pumped and/or partially filled lasers. For a single mode Fabry-Perot laser, we prove that the contribution to the steady state intensity from the lasing mode varies from 75% close to the lasing threshold to zero at high intensity. The remainder comes from the harmonics of the lasing mode. Analyzing the steady state single mode intensity equation in terms of the pump gratings, we prove that close to the lasing threshold only the space average of the pump and its grating oscillating at twice the lasing wave number do not vanish. This provides a hint towards the justification of the usual modal rate equations which retain only these two functions in the dynamical evolution of a laser. For a Fabry-Perot with constant pump profile, an exact expression for the upper boundary of the stable single mode regime is derived. In that two-mode regime, we prove that there is a critical value of the pump at which the ratio of the two relaxation oscillation frequencies is 2, leading to an internal resonance.     

Generation of terahertz radiation in cubic non-centrosymmetric crystals

The conditions of parametric radiation generation on polaritons in cubic noncentrosymmetric crystals are studied. The possibility of such generation is theoretically justified. The polariton radiation frequencies are calculated for GaP, ZnSe, ZnTe, and GaAs crystals. The obtained generation frequencies are compared to the experimental results on Raman scattering on polaritons. The block diagram of the terahertz radiation generator operation using a GaP crystal and a pulsed laser with high peak power at low energy of laser pump pulses is presented. The lasing frequency shift is analyzed depending on the scattering geometry. The coefficient of exciting radiation conversion to the terahertz range is determined.     

Hybrid chirped-pulse amplification

Conversion efficiency in optical parametric chirped-pulse amplification is limited by spatiotemporal characteristics of the pump pulse. We have demonstrated a novel hybrid chirped-pulse amplification scheme that uses a single pump pulse and combines optical parametric amplification and laser amplification to achieve high gain, high conversion efficiency, and high prepulse contrast without utilization of electro-optic modulators. We achieved an overall conversion efficiency of 37% from the hybrid amplification system at a center wavelength of 820nm. Generation of multiterawatt pulses is possible by use of this simple method and commercial Q -switched pump lasers.     

多晶碲化锌薄膜载能子超快动力学实验研究

利用双波长飞秒激光抽运-探测实验方法测量了掺氮多晶ZnTe薄膜在飞秒激光加热情况下载能子超快动力学过程. 采用包含电子弛豫过程和晶格加热过程的理论模型拟合实验数据, 二者符合得很好. 拟合得到10 ps以内影响掺氮多晶ZnTe薄膜表面超快反射率变化的三个弛豫过程的时间常数均为亚皮秒量级. 其中, 正振幅电子弛豫过程是由电子-光子相互作用引起的载流子扩散和带间载流子冷却过程, 负振幅电子弛豫过程是由缺陷造成的光激载能子的俘获效应引起的, 晶格加热过程主要通过电子-声子耦合过程进行的.     

Der optische parametrische Oszillator. I. Berechnung von Photonenzahl,Schwellenergie und Wirkungsgrad bei resonanter Pumpwelle

The optical parametric oscillator is investigated theoretically for the general case of resonant pump, signal and idler waves. Mean photon numbers, threshold energies and conversion rates are calculated explicitly for different types of the waves (standing and running ones), where in the case of both signal and idler being standing waves the appearance of an oppositely running (“reflected”) pump wave is properly taken into account. In addition, from the equations of motion for the photon creation operators approximately valid rate equations are deduced which in certain cases predict a damped oscillating transition (analogous to the relaxation oscillations of a ruby laser) to the stationary state.