Light-shift suppression in laser optically pumped vapour-cell atomic frequency standards

We present a novel scheme for reducing the AC Stark effect in optical-microwave double-resonance spectroscopy and its application for efficient suppression of the light-shift-related instabilities in laser-pumped gas-cell atomic clocks. The method uses a multi-frequency pump light field that can be easily produced by frequency modulation of the single-frequency pump laser. We show theoretically that variations of the light shift with both laser frequency and light intensity can be strongly suppressed with properly chosen pump light spectra. Suitable modulation parameters can be found for both the case of pure frequency modulation as well as for pump light spectra showing amplitude-modulation contributions, as usually found for current modulation of diode lasers. We experimentally demonstrate the method for a Rb atomic clock using a frequency-modulated distributed Bragg-reflector laser diode as pump light source.     

Distributed fiber temperature sensor using a laser diode modulated by a pseudo-random bit sequence

We propose and demonstrate a scheme to measure the distribution of temperature along an optical fiber based on pseudo-random sequence modulation. In our experimental work, current modulation with a pseudo-random bit sequence(PRBS) is applied to a laser diode that serves as the Brillouin pump light and reference light. Because of the independence of the spatial resolution on the PRBS length, the measurement range can be extended while maintaining high spatial resolution using a long PRBS length. Temperature-induced changes in a Brillouin frequency shift of 250 m fiber sections are clearly observed with 54 cm spatial resolution by this method.     

Diode-pumped nonresonant continuous-wave Raman laser in H2 with resonant optical feedback stabilization

We demonstrate a nonresonant cw Raman laser pumped by an optically locked diode laser at 790 nm that produces cw Stokes (1178-nm) and coherent anti-Stokes (595-nm) emission. Considering the modest pump powers, relative low cost, and predicted spectral purity, we expect that frequency downconversion of tunable diode lasers through stimulated Raman scattering will provide an attractive source for remote sensing, spectroscopic, and atomic physics applications. The Stokes laser threshold is 240+/-19muW pump power, and emission is observed over a roughly 10-nm range by adjustment of the optical locking feedback phase. Photon-conversion efficiency rises throughout the pump-power region, with a peak value of 15+/-2% .     

Faraday laser at Rb 1529 nm transition for optical communication systems

We experimentally demonstrate a Faraday laser at Rb 1529 nm transition by using a performance-improved Rb electrodeless-discharge-lamp-based excited-state Faraday anomalous dispersion optical filter as the frequencyselective element. Neither the electrical locking scheme nor the additional frequency-stabilized pump laser are used. The frequency of the external-cavity diode laser is stabilized to the Rb 1529 nm transition, and the Allan deviation of the Faraday laser is measured by converting the optical intensity into frequency. The Faraday laser can be used as a frequency standard in the telecom C band for further research on metrology, microwave photonics, and optical communication systems.     

Femtosecond laser pumped by high-brightness coherent polarization locked diodes

We demonstrate, for the first time to our knowledge, the use of a coherent polarization locked diode as the high-brightness pump source for a femtosecond laser. Four diode emitters are coherently locked to produce more than 5 W linearly polarized, narrow linewidth, and single-lobed pump beam. This gives >10× brightness improvement over the conventional diode array. The diode beam is then used to pump a Yb:KYW laser to obtain 2 W output with 57% slope efficiency in cw laser operation. By using a saturable absorber mirror, we achieved cw mode-locking operation with a 177 fs pulse width at an average power of 0.55 W.     

High-Efficiency Diode-Resonantly-Pumped Tm:Lu2O3 Ceramic Laser with Near Diffraction-Limited Beam Quality

Journal of Russian Laser Research - We demonstrate an efficient diode-pumped Tm:Lu2O3 ceramic laser with resonant pumping scheme. A laser diode at 1.7 μm is employed as the pump source. With...     

Frequency stabilization and output power undulations of diode lasers with feedback by volume holographic gratings

The mode-hop behavior and the power characteristics of a laser diode with wavelength-selective optical feedback are experimentally investigated. The feedback is provided by external volume holographic gratings, also called ‘Bragg mirrors’, at normal incidence. We demonstrate that a Bragg mirror forces a laser diode to operate only within a narrow wavelength range, and that the emission wavelength of the laser diode is stabilized against variations of the injection current. Moreover, we present periodic undulations of the power characteristics of the laser, depending on the driving current. They can be qualitatively explained with a simple model which takes into account that the threshold gain in the laser system strongly depends on the wavelength.     

High-gain Tm-doped fluoride fiber amplifier

A diode-pumped Tm-doped fiber-optic amplifier that has a small-signal gain of >30 dB at 1870 nm is reported. Output pulses of up to 3-W peak power at a 1-60-kHz repetition rate can be generated by amplification of 20-40-ns laser diode pulses of up to 2-mW launched peak power. The output signal quality, i.e., the ratio of the output pulse energy and the total amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) output energy between two pulses, depends on the relative propagation direction of pump and signal and can be dramatically increased by choice of the correct propagation scheme. In the optimum pump geometry the pulse energy can be raised to as much as 20 times the ASE energy. This is the first report to the author's knowledge of fiber-optic amplification of short diode laser pulses near 1.9 microm with high repetition rates in Tm-doped fibers.     

1150 nm High-Power Fiber Laser Oscillator Pumped by 976 nm Laser Diode

We present an all-fiber 1150 nm Yb-doped fiber laser oscillator pumped by a 976 nm laser diode. To suppress amplified spontaneous emission and avoid parasitic laser oscillation, we propose a long-length gain fiber and a high-reflectivity output fiber Bragg grating in the fiber laser oscillator. The 1150 nm band single-mode fiber laser with output power of 20.5 W is demonstrated at room temperature. The optical-to-optical conversion efficiency ranges up to 51.6% at the maximum output. The central wavelength of the fiber laser oscillator is 1150.35 nm, and its 3 dB spectral width is 0.72 nm. No evidence of amplified spontaneous emission, residual pump light, or parasitic laser oscillation were observed in the experiments. The high-power 1150 nm fiber laser oscillator can be used as a pump source in the development of a 3 μm Ho-doped fiber laser.     

22 W single mode tm-doped fiber MOPA in all-fiber format

We demonstrate an all-fiberized laser in main oscillator power amplification (MOPA) configuration with 22 W output power and a central wavelength of 1950 nm. The laser is pumped by pigtailed laser diode with a central wavelength of 793 nm. Strictly single-mode can be obtained and the optical to optical efficiency of the fiber laser is 40% with respect to the pump power. No power-roll is observed and the power can be scaled straightforwardly by using more pump sources.     

Intensity and frequency noise reduction of a Nd:YAG NPRO via pump light stabilisation

We have shown that pump light intensity stabilisation of a single-mode laser diode pumped Nd:YAG non-planar ring oscillator (NPRO) results in significant intensity noise reduction of the NPRO, as well as frequency noise suppression in the same order of magnitude. This effect does not occur in conventional laser diode array pumped NPROs due to mode beating effects originating in the multi-mode pump. As opposed to individual intensity and frequency stabilisation, pump light stabilisation contributes a simplified stabilisation scheme for single-mode laser diode pumped NPROs for high precision applications. PACS 42.55.Xi; 42.60.By; 42.60.Lh     

Wavelength tunable erbium-doped fiber ring laser operating in L-band

We describe a novel erbium-doped fiber ring laser utilizing the backward amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) power as a secondary pump source so that it can operate in L-band stably. The output wavelength can be tuned in a wide range of 45 nm, from 1560 to 1605 nm. We also compared this scheme with the condition of not using the ASE as secondary pump source, and found this scheme could improve the performance of the laser when using the same components.     

Suppression of self-pulsing in Tm:YAlO3 lasers via current feedback

Self-pulsing of continuous-wave Tm:YAlO₃ lasers limits their use for a variety of important applications. We demonstrate for the first time that the pulsing can be suppressed via feedback to the pump diode laser, a technique that is suitable for both external resonator and monolithic lasers. We also show that the optical transfer function of the laser is that of an unstable relaxation oscillator.     

1.1-W cw Cr:LiSAF laser pumped by a 1-cm diode array

We demonstrate 1.1-W cw output power from a diode-laser array-pumped Cr:LiSAF laser based on a concept that allows for pumping low-gain solid-state lasers at reduced temperature rise. We discuss scaling to higher powers as a function of diode power and define a figure of merit for evaluating given diode lasers as pump sources for low-gain solid-state lasers.     

Excited-state absorption and 1064-nm end-pumped laser emission of Nd:YVO4 single-crystal fiber grown by laser-heated pedestal growth

We present an investigation of the excited-state absorption and laser emission of a 1.0-at. %-Nd3+-doped YVO4 single-crystal fiber grown by the low-cost and versatile laser-heated pedestal growth technique. Efficient laser emission at 1064 nm was achieved when the fiber was pumped, in an end-pump cavity, by a Ti:sapphire laser at 808 nm. A continuous-wave threshold of 10 mW was observed with an efficiency of 42% with respect to the absorbed pump power and the maximum output power of 200 mW. These results are excellent when compared with those of a commercial bulk crystal adapted to the same cavity (48% efficiency, 250-mW maximum output power). Thus the fibers are characterized as strong candidates for the construction of compact lasers that can also be pumped by low-cost diode lasers.     

Displacement measurement with adjustable range by use of the photoelectromotive force effect and a frequency-modulated laser diode

We demonstrate a scheme for displacement measurement by use of the photoelectromotive force effect and a frequency-modulated laser diode. The measurement range can be adjusted by a change in the depth of frequency modulation, thus making the measurement method both simple and versatile.     

High-efficiency 1040 and 1078 nm laser emission of a Yb:Y2O3 ceramic laser with 976 nm diode pumping

We report a high-efficiency diode-end-pumped polycrystalline Yb:Y2O3 ceramic laser. Pumped by a 976 nm laser diode bar and with an absorbed pump power of 2.8 W, cw output power of 1.74 W at 1078 nm, and 0.73 W at 1040 nm were obtained. The slope efficiency was measured to be 82.4% for the 1078 nm laser emission and 57.1% for the 1040 nm laser emission.     

Laser frequency stabilization by means of optical self-heterodyne beat-frequency control

We propose and demonstrate a novel frequency-stabilization scheme that provides linewidth narrowing and at the same time is compatible with high-speed frequency agility. The method relies on sensing and control of a heterodyne beat signal derived from a fiber interferometer and functions in the absence of a fixed reference frequency. Our demonstration utilizes a short-external-cavity diode laser equipped with an intracavity electro-optic crystal for frequency correction. The stabilization method is shown to suppress impressed laser frequency modulation by nearly 2 orders of magnitude. Without further modification of our scheme we also demonstrate laser frequency tuning control.     

Characteristics of Cladding-Pumped Short Er3+/Yb3+ Codoped Single Mode Phosphate Glass Fibre

We experimentally investigate the laser characteristics of a series of short pieces of newly-developed Er³⁺/Yb³⁺ codoped single mode phosphate glass fibres via the cladding pump of a 976nm multimode laser diode. A stablecontinuous-wave single transverse mode laser with over 85mW at 1553nm is generated from a 5.5-cm-long active fibre. Single mode laser output power per unit length is up to 15mW/cm. Moreover, the slope efficiency is 11.8% when the pump power is below 940mW and the 3dB linewidth is 0.06nm at the maximum pump power. The numerical simulation results show that the laser emission slope efficiency can exceed 20% by means of increasing the coupling efficiency of the pump to the fibre core further.     

Ultralow-pump-threshold, femtosecond Cr(3+):LiSrAlF(6)laser pumped by a single narrow-stripe AlGaInP laser diode

We report what we believe to be the first demonstration of a Kerr-lens mode-locked Cr(3+):LiSrAlF(6)laser that is pumped by a single narrow-stripe AlGaInP laser diode with a diffraction-limited output beam. A novel low-loss three-mirror laser cavity design is described in which strong, localized Kerr lensing was exploited such that 75-fs-duration pulses were obtained for only 36mW of incident pump power. This pump power was maintained for 18h by just three AA batteries as the electrical power source. We have shown that mode locking can be sustained for pump powers as low as 22mW.