Laser micro-machining of small objects for high-energy laser experiments

Targets for high-energy laser experiments are polymer or metal objects of small dimensions. These objects need high-precision processes (typical sizes of a few hundred micrometers with micrometer accuracy). In this paper, some targets for high-energy laser experiments obtained by picosecond Q-switched Nd:YAG laser and KrF excimer laser micro-machining are presented. All of the targets use an original process. Activities include cutting, drilling, and marking elements. A summary of targets made using laser processes will be presented.     

实现Nd:YAG光束匀滑的衍射光学器件的研制

 采用爬山-模拟退火混合优化算法与旋转镂空掩模板工艺,针对基频光与三倍频光,设计并加工出口径80mm的连续位相衍射光学器件。在脉冲工作的Nd：YAG激光器上,实验研究了器件的光束匀滑性能,获得了与设计尺寸相符合、边缘陡峭、但包含较大顶部调制的光斑。初步验证了衍射光学器件在固体激光器光束匀滑上的应用可行性。     

激光打标系统及工艺参数的分析

介绍了激光打标系统的结构,并以Nd：YAG振镜式激光打标机为例,分析其控制原理和计算机控制系统的扩展功能,并分别说明基于点阵扫描与矢量扫描两种方式对图形进行处理的打标方法。通过对标记机理和工艺过程的介绍,着重分析了工艺参数的选择对标记效果的影响。     

Nd:YAG Lasers Operating at 1064nm and 946nm by Direct Pumping and Thermally Boosted Pumping

We demonstrate a 1064nm Nd：YAG laser by directly pumping into the upper lasing level with a tunable Ti：sapphire laser. The valid wavelength is demonstrated at 868.3nm, 875.2nm, 883.8nm, and 885.5nm, respectively. To our knowledge, this is the first time that 1064nm Nd：YAG laser pumped by 875.2nm laser. In addition, laser wavelength at 946 nm is also generated by direct pumping together with traditional pumping.     

Optical properties and highly efficient laser oscillation of Nd:YAG ceramics

Optical absorption, emission spectra have been measured for polycrystalline Nd-doped Y₃Al₅O₁₂ ceramics. Fluorescence lifetimes of 257.6 μs, 237.6 μs, 184.2 μs and 95.6 μs have been obtained for 0.6%, 1%, 2% and 4% neodymium-doped YAG ceramics, respectively. For the first time, highly efficient laser oscillation at 1064 nm has been obtained with this kind of ceramics. Slope efficiency of 53% has been achieved on a uncoated 4.8-mm thick 1% Nd:YAG ceramics sample. Optical to optical conversion efficiency is 47.6%. Laser oscillation has also been obtained with a 2% Nd:YAG ceramics. The optical properties and laser output results have been compared with that of Nd:YAG single crystal grown by the Czochralski method. Almost identical results have been achieved including laser experiments results. But fabrication of Nd:YAG ceramics is much easier compared to the single-crystal growth method. And also large size (now of about 400 mm diameter×5 mm is available) and high-concentration (>1%) Nd:YAG ceramics can be fabricated. The results show that this kind of Nd:YAG ceramics is a very good alternative to Nd:YAG single crystal. Received: 20 April 2000 / Published online: 16 August 2000     

Nd：YAG激光治疗机计算机光反馈控制技术

本文讨论了Ｎｄ；ＹＡＧ激光治疗机的计算机光反馈技术以及可控要素的确定。提高了激光输出的稳定性。预置功率误差３％，激光输出功率不稳定度±２％。     

A high-power high-stability Q-switched green laser with intracavity frequency doubling using a diode-pumped composite ceramic Nd：YAG laser

We successfully obtain a high-average-power high-stability Q-switched green laser based on diode-side-pumped composite ceramic Nd:YAG in a straight plano-concave cavity. The temperature distribution in composite ceramic Nd:YAG crystal is numerically analyzed and compared with that of conventional Nd:YAG crystal. By using a composite ceramic Nd:YAG rod and a type-II high gray track resistance KTP (HGTR-KTP) crystal, a green laser with an average output power of 165 W is obtained at a repetition rate of 25 kHz, with a diode-to-green optical conversion of 14.68%, and a pulse width of 162 ns. To the best of our knowledge, both the output power and optical-to-optical efficiency are the highest values for green laser systems with intracavity frequency doubling of this novel composite ceramic Nd:YAG laser to date. The power fluctuation at around 160 W is lower than 0.3% in 2.5 hours.     

High-power high-stability Q-switched green laser with intracavity frequency doubling of diode-pumped composite ceramic Nd:YAG laser

We successfully obtain high-average-power high-stability Q-switched green laser based on diode-side-pumped composite ceramic Nd:YAG in a straight plano-concave cavity. The temperature distribution in composite ceramic Nd:YAG crystal is numerically analyzed and compared with that of conventional Nd:YAG crystal. By use of a composite ceramic Nd:YAG rod and a type-II high gray track resistance KTP (HGTR-KTP) crystal, a green laser with an average output power of 165 W is obtained at a repetition rate of 25 kHz, with a diode-to-green optical conversion of 14.68%, and a pulse width of 162 ns. To the best of our knowledge, both the output power and optical-to-optical efficiency are the highest values for green laser systems with intracavity frequency doubling of this novel composite ceramic Nd:YAG laser to date. The power fluctuation at around 160 W is lower than 0.3% in 2.5 hours.     

Thin layer laser bonding using spin-on-glass materials

We developed and characterized a new laser bonding process with a nano adhesive layer for transparent materials. The adhesive is spin-coated on a glass substrate and cured locally with a focused laser beam. The minimum viscosity of the adhesive is very low, so that a thin layer only a few hundred nanometers thick can be coated on a cover substrate. Laser irradiation from a Nd:YAG laser system with a wavelength of 1064 nm is employed as the curing source for the localized nano layer bonding process. The measured thickness of the bonding layer is in the range of 400 nm to 3 μm. This process can be applied to the nano or micro bonding of various transparent systems such as flat panel displays, biochips, and heat-sensitive microelectronics. We present experimental results and discuss the process characteristics.     

用308nm准分子激光对几种卷烟用纸打标的研究

激光打标由于具有快速、精度高及非接触等优点，是激光在工业领域的又一应用。准分子激光是一种大功率高重复率的紫外激光器，与ＣＯ２、ＹＡＧ等红外激光相比，一般具有打标效率高、热效应小、图案更精密等优点。近年来国内外均对准分子激光打标进行了一些研究，主要集中在对金属、高分子聚合物及陶瓷等硬脆材料的打标的研究。本文研究了用３０８ｎｍ准分子激光对几种卷烟用纸打标。用适当能量密度的３０８ｎｍ准分子激光对印有数种颜色的烟盒纸、过滤嘴纸打标，获得了清晰可见的图案标记。分析了该打标过程的作用机理，通过实验得出了对几种不同的卷烟用纸打标的能量密度阈值条件及优化条件。     

Cutting of nonmetallic materials using Nd:YAG laser beam

This study deals with Nd:YAG laser cutting nonmetallic materials, which is one of the most important and popular industrial applications of laser. The main theme is to evaluate the effects of Nd:YAG laser beam power besides work piece scanning speed. For approximate cutting depth, a theoretical study is conducted in terms of material property and cutting speed. Results show a nonlinear relation between the cutting depth and input energy. There is no significant effect of speed on cutting depth with the speed being larger than 30 mm/s. An extra energy is utilized in the deep cutting. It is inferred that as the laser power increases, cutting depth increases. The experimental outcomes are in good agreement with theoretical results. This analysis will provide a guideline for laser-based industry to select a suitable laser for cutting, scribing, trimming, engraving, and marking nonmetallic materials.     

Femtosecond noncollinear and collinear parametric generation and amplification in BBO crystal

Measurements of intensity and frequency noise of an injection-locked 5-W Nd:YAG laser are presented and compared with the predictions of models. We show that the output of the injection-locked laser has very low levels of noise, and that the measurements support the predictions of the models. Thus these models can confidently be used to predict the performance of high-power, injection-locked lasers being developed for gravity wave detection. Received: 31 January 2000 / Revised version: 18 March 2000 / Published online: 16 June 2000     

LD端面泵浦Cr~4∶YAG被动调Q激光器输出特性研究

对激光二极管端面泵浦Cr4+∶YAG被动调Q Nd∶YAG激光器输出特性进行了实验研究.实验研究发现,激光器输出功率及脉冲重复频率随谐振腔长度增大而增大.为解释这一实验现象,测量了泵浦光斑在激光晶体内尺寸,同时计算了激光晶体及Cr4+∶YAG晶体内的基模激光光斑半径随谐振腔长度变化.分析结果表明:激光晶体内泵浦光斑尺寸远小于激光晶体内基模光斑半径,腔模间交叠效率较低;当腔长增加时,激光晶体内的基模激光光斑减小,腔模间交叠效率增加,从而导致输出功率及脉冲重复频率随腔长增加而增加;另外,Cr4+∶YAG晶体内光斑半径也随谐振腔长度减小,引起Cr4+∶YAG晶体漂白时间缩短,导致脉冲重复频率随腔长增加而增加.     

LD端面泵浦Cr4:YAG被动调Q激光器输出特性研究

对激光二极管端面泵浦Cr⁴⁺:YAG被动调QNd:YAG激光器输出特性进行了实验研究.实验研究发现,激光器输出功率及脉冲重复频率随谐振腔长度增大而增大.为解释这一实验现象,测量了泵浦光斑在激光晶体内尺寸,同时计算了激光晶体及Cr⁴⁺:YAG晶体内的基模激光光斑半径随谐振腔长度变化.分析结果表明:激光晶体内泵浦光斑尺寸远小于激光晶体内基模光斑半径,腔模间交叠效率较低;当腔长增加时,激光晶体内的基模激光光斑减小,腔模间交叠效率增加,从而导致输出功率及脉冲重复频率随腔长增加而增加;另外,Cr⁴⁺:YAG晶体内光斑半径也随谐振腔长度减小,引起Cr⁴⁺:YAG晶体漂白时间缩短,导致脉冲重复频率随腔长增加而增加.     

High-efficiency flashlamp-pumped Nd:KGW laser

The laser performance of a Nd:KGW rod has been studied in a single flashlamp cavity in the free running as well as in the Q-switched mode of operation at input energies ranging from 1–25J. The results of Nd:KGW have been compared with Nd:YAG operated under identical experimental conditions. The laser extraction efficiency of the Nd:KGW rod was observed to be 2.5 times higher at a much lower threshold than that of the Nd:YAG rod. The intrinsic slope efficiency was determined to be 2.25% and 8.840% for Nd:YAG and Nd:KGW rods, respectively.     

Influence of preheating and hematite content of clay brick pavers on the characteristics of lines marked with a Nd:YAG laser

This paper reports the clay brick pavers marking by vitrification with a continuous wave Nd:YAG laser (1064 nm). The influence of a preheating and the chemical composition of the bricks on the morphological, visual and dimensional characteristics was studied. The lines marked at room temperature resulted in a discontinuous green glassy phase due to the presence of defects. A remarkable reduction of the defect amount, resulting in smooth, gleaming and darker lines, was obtained when preheating the bricks at 350 °C. The green tone, width, depth and cross-section area of the lines depend on the bricks’ chemical composition and thermal condition, as well as, on the laser energy density. Thus, decorative patterns of good visual quality can be marked by laser vitrification on clay brick pavers preheated at 350 °C.     

Low‐wavelength emission of Nd‐doped lasers

This paper gives an overview of the results obtained with diode‐pumped Neodymium‐doped crystals operating below 900 nm. Operation at such low wavelengths requires considering the strong thermal population of the lower level of the laser transition. Based on a theoretical study and simulations, the paper presents the challenges related to the design of these three‐level lasers. Experimental results are given with Nd:YAG and Nd:vanadate crystals. It is explained how to deal with the line competition with emission at 946 nm or 912 nm. Finally, intracavity second‐harmonic generation is presented. The output powers reach a few hundred mW at wavelengths below 450 nm. Hence, the paper demonstrates the potential of Nd‐doped diode‐pumped solid‐state lasers for applications in the blue range, in replacement of gas lasers such as helium‐cadmium lasers.     

Efficient generation of tunable VUV laser radiation below 205 nm by SFM in BBO

Design and performance characteristics of a tunable dye laser system for sum frequency mixing (SFM) in a BBO crystal are presented. The system is composed of two tunable pulsed dye lasers pumped synchronously by the second harmonic of a commercial Nd:YAG laser. The radiation produced by the first dye laser is frequency doubled by second-harmonic generation (SHG) in KDP and subsequently mixed by SFM in BBO with the light of the second dye laser. The interest was focussed on generation of tunable laser radiation below 205 nm with high output power and long-time wavelength stability. High conversion efficiencies enable output energies of 100 J (20 kW) at 196 nm using only moderate Nd:YAG pump energies of 67 mJ. Altogether, a laser system with very good specifications for analytical application in the near VUV spectral region is reported.     

High power diode-side-pumped rod Nd:GdVO4 laser

A compact high power diode-side-pumped Nd:GdVO₄ laser has been presented, which can generate an output power of 52 W at 1.063-μm for continuous-wave (CW) operation. The absorption characteristics of the Nd:GdVO₄ in different pump directions is measured, which were used to optimize the diode-side-pumped Nd:GdVO₄ laser head. The laser characteristics of both CW and Q-switched Nd:GdVO₄ and Nd:YAG in are compared and it was found that Nd:GdVO₄ may surpass Nd:YAG for high power laser application.     

Short pulse, high peak power, diode pumped, passively Q-switched 946 nm Nd:YAG laser

We report on generation of 946 nm laser pulses of a few nanosecond duration and up to 3.7 kW peak power from a compact diode-pumped passively Q-switched Nd:YAG laser. This power is 2.5 times as much as what previously has been obtained from this type of a laser. The short pulses with the record high peak power may be particularly attractive for laser range finding type applications.