Tunable subnanosecond laser pulse generation using an active mirror concept

We report (theory, experimental check) an improved approach for generation of a tunable, subnanosecond pulse (0.1–0.4 ns), based on a single pulsation (“spike”) separation from the transient oscillations in a dye laser with active mirror (AMIR). A pumping by 20–50 ns pulses from Q-switched Nd:YAG laser is considered. The separation is in original, two-spectral selective channels cavity, where the forced by AMIR quenched generation at one of the wavelength stops initially started spiking generation at the other wavelength after the first spike development. The AMIR quickly starts the quenching generation at a precisely controlled moment and with necessary intensity thus assuring the desired separation. An advantage is a high reproducibility of the separation for high (~250%) pump power fluctuations combined with tuning in large range (~20 nm). To obtain such an operation we form ~1 ns leading front pump pulse by electrooptical temporal cutting of the input pump pulse and use an optical delay line. This increases also a few times the power in the separated spike (to be ~100 kW). Our approach widens the combinations of lasers for effective applications of spike separation technique (dye lasers excited by Q-switched solid-state or Cu-vapor lasers).     

A binary solvent of water and propanol for use in high-average power dye lasers

Water is an inherently safe solvent for laser dyes and posses far better photo thermal characteristics in comparison to the commonly used organic solvents in dye lasers. However, water solution of dye needs a suitable deaggregating additive to suppress non-radiative dimers and to achieve similar laser efficiency. We have carried out systematic studies on comparative performances of dye lasers, pumped by low-repetition-rate Nd-YAG, as well as high-repetition-rate copper vapour lasers using Rhodamine 6G dye solutions in ethanol and various binary solvents of water. Among different additives in water, for the first time, the results of our studies on the application of water solvent in dye lasers could clearly establish that binary solvent comprising of normal or heavy water and about 18% to 25% n-propanol has produced similar efficiency, better photochemical stability and superior thermo-optic properties than ethanol solvent in high-repetition rate oscillator-amplifier operation. PACS 42.55.Mv; 32.50.+d; 42.70.jk     

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.     

A high-power single-mode cw dye ring laser

Due to spatial hole burning, standing-wave dye lasers require a large amount of selectivity inside the cavity for single-mode operation. The output power of these lasers is limited by losses caused by the frequency selecting elements. In a travelling-wave laser, on the other hand, spatial hole burning does not exist, thereby eliminating the need for high selectivity. A travelling-wave cw dye laser was realized by unidirectional operation of a ring laser, yielding single mode output powers of 1.2 W at 595 nm and of 55 mW in the UV-region with intracavity frequency doubling.     

Travelling-wave operation of a tunable cw dye laser

A ring cavity configuration for a tunable cw dye laser is described. A substantial reduction of the output bandwidth of the ring laser with increase in power for unidirectional or traveling-wave operation has been demonstrated. The advantages of the ring configuration for single-frequency operation of cw dye lasers are explored.     

Dual-wavelength operation of two coupled dye lasers

The analysis of the influence of an intracavity absorbing dye cell on the spectral characteristics of a free running dye laser leads to the operation of two coupled dye lasers. A powerful flashlamp-pumped dye ring laser pumps a secondary intracavity dye laser with a conversion efficiency of 30 %. Both wavelengths are independently tunable and cover the spectral range from 580 nm to 652 nm in the case of the dye combination rhodamine 6G and cresyl violet.     

Picosecond duration laser pulse generation by simultaneous active-passive mode-locking in Ar+ ion and dye lasers

We use a rate equation model to analyse a technique for the generation of picosecond duration laser pulses in argon pumped dye lasers. The system is based on passive mode-locking of the Ar⁺ laser by saturable absorption of the dye which is inserted in the Ar⁺ laser cavity. Simultaneously, the dye is forced to oscillate in a regime of synchronously pumped mode-locking. The system is relatively simple, does not require the use of an acousto-optical light modulator and can be easily implemented in commercially available lasers. Pulses shorter than 100 ps and having an average power of 20 mW were obtained at a repetition rate of 110 MHz. Good agreement between the model and experimental results was also obtained.     

Dispersion theory of multiple-prism beam expanders for pulsed dye lasers

The single pass dispersion of multiple-prism beam expanders of interest for practical pulsed dye laser cavities is calculated. The theory is extended to enable evaluation of the overall (outward and return pass) dispersion of multiple-prism-grating combinations. It is found that although the contribution to overall dispersion from the prisms can be minimized (though not eliminated for practical expanders) by arrangement of the prisms in compensating pairs, it is in any case small (≈2%) compared to the contribution to dispersion from the grating in practical cavities. Formulae for dispersion of multiple-prism-grating combinations including up to four prisms arranged in additive or compensating configurations are given; the dispersion of an arbitrary number of prisms arranged in conjunction with a grating can also be calculated. The implications for output linewidth of pulsed dye lasers incorporating prism beam expanders are discussed.     

Mode selection in a spectrally homogeneously broadened CW laser due to spatially inhomogeneously saturable absorption

A novel method is proposed for selecting a single longitudinal mode in lasers with homogeneously broadened gain medium. Mode selection is achieved by the interaction of the standing cavity wave between the gain medium and a spatially saturated absorber. The theory is treated in detail for various geometric configurations including examples of important laser systems under continuous-wave operation, such as dye lasers.     

Single mode operation of cw dye lasers

This paper describes an investigation of the special problems of single mode operation in cw dye lasers. Single mode operation in homogeneously broadened lasers can be obtained, if the gain due to spatial hole burning is compensated by dispersive elements, as prisms, Fabry-Pérot etalons and single dielectric interfaces within the resonator. The gain and the influence of the dispersive elements were calculated for two commonly used types of resonators. The calculations make it possible to design simple continuously tunable single-mode systems.     

多波长染料激光系统

本文报道由四台染料激光器组成的四波长染料激光系统、测量了四个波长激光合束后的激光参量和时间特性,简要地讨论了影响有效染料激光功率的诸因素.本系统输出总功率8.9W.     

Characteristics of the radiation pulses of very-high-pressure mercury capillary lamps

A new mode of operation of high-pressure mercury capillary lamps was proposed in [1], in which the high-power light pulse is generated by sending a current pulse through a continuously burning lamp. This mode of operation, which we have called the mixed mode, was then investigated in [2, 3] and was used to pump ruby lasers [4] and dye lasers [5, 6]. The high efficiency of the mixed pumping mode was pointed out in these papers.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 2, pp. 73–79, February, 1982.     

被动锁模激光器涨落模型的改进

本文对被动锁模激光器的涨落模型作了改进。用计算机对脉冲在激光器中发展的过程作模拟计算,从增益系数达到阈值时开始计算,并按自发辐射计算确定初值光强。计算中考虑了泵浦速率、激光上能级寿命及激光在增益介质处和在可饱和吸收体处的光束截面比。对钕玻璃和Nd:YAG两种情况作了计算。计算结果表明:(1)当泵浦速率超过阈值15—20％时,就得不到置信度超过93％的完善锁模。(2)最佳的光束截面比对于钕玻璃为1/2到1之间,对于Nd:YAG大于2。(3)为获得完善的锁模,染料透过率必须在一定范围之内(与损耗系数及光束截面比有关)。如果用同一种染料,对于钕玻璃的染料透过率应该高于对于Nd:YAG的透过率。最后指出了Glenn的计算中的一些缺点。 关键词：     

宽带输出PM580掺杂聚甲基丙烯酸甲酯固体染料激光器研究

采用高效激光染料PM580作为掺杂物质,聚甲基丙烯酸甲酯(PMMA)作为基质,在对固体染料光谱特性研究的基础上,重点研究了调Q倍频Nd:YAG抽运下不同染料掺杂浓度的固体染料激光输出特性.研究结果表明掺杂浓度对输出激光波长影响明显,随着掺杂浓度的增加,激光输出波长红移,从激光增益出发,对该现象给出了理论解释.掺杂浓度对激光转化效率也有影响,当掺杂浓度为2×10^－4mol/L时,获得染料激光输出斜率效率最高达53.8%,抽运能量410mJ时,获得染料激光输出220mJ,激光带宽～8nm 关键词： 固体染料 宽带染料激光 PM580 聚甲基丙烯酸甲酯     

A long-pulse xenon ion laser as a pumping source for dye lasers

A simple xenon ion laser that is either sealed or has a gas flow mode is described. The laser delivered long pulses ( 15 μs) of almost 1 kW peak power. It has been used to pump a dye laser employing the same configuration as cw dye lasers. The system is inexpensive and can be mode-locked, enabling it to yield ultrashort pulses comparable in duration to those delivered by cw argon laser-pumped dye lasers but with much higher peak powers.     

Stimulated electronic Raman scattering in Cs vapour: a simple tunable laser system for the 2.7 to 3.5 μm region

Stimulated electronic Raman scattering (SERS) in atomic vapours provides a simple method of extending the tuning ranges of pulsed dye lasers well into the infrared region. The special advantages of this technique in comparison with other types of tunable infrared lasers are discussed, and are illustrated by describing a SERS system which uses a modest nitrogen laser-pumped dye laser ( 20 kW). This produces infrared radiation tunable from 2.67 to 3.47m by SERS in caesium vapour, which is contained in a heat pipe oven. Photon conversion efficiencies of up to 50% are obtained. The design of the heat pipe oven, operation of the system and optimization of experimental parameters are described in detail.     

连续波环形染料激光器的单向运转特性

本文讨论了连续波环形染料激光器的单向运转特性。采用改进的Ganiel速率方程模型,分析了在单向运转条件下泵浦光通量、染料分子密度等参量对激光光通量、激发单重态粒子集居数密度以及增益的影响;揭示了在连续波环形染料激光器中单向运转条件下存在粒子集居数密度的非对称性、激光光通量与激活介质内空间位置的相关性和增益峰值波长的扫描现象。本文给出了数值计算结果。     

Single mode operation of a narrow bandwidth dye laser using a single prism, grazing incidence grating long cavity

The single mode pulsed dye laser is an attractive tool for many spectroscopic applications. Long cavity tunable dye lasers generally operate in multi-longitudinal modes within the bandwidth of gain profile. Single longitudinal mode oscillation can be obtained by either making the cavity short enough or introducing an additional loss mechanism, in which all modes but one have a gain less than their loss. A new technique to achieve single mode operation in a long cavity dye laser, based on Rhodamine 6G dye in ethanol and ethylene glycol solution, pumped by a high repetition rate copper vapor laser, is reported. This laser, which operates in three modes in grazing incidence grating configuration (cavity length of 16 cm), has been made to lase in single mode by increasing the loss in the resonator through beam walk-off.     

Generation and measurement of frequency-tunable picosecond pulses from dye lasers

Experimental techniques for the generation of frequency-tunable picosecond pulses from passively mode-locked dye lasers are reviewed. Direct photoelectric measurements of pulse durations with a streak-camera of time resolution <3 ps are described. Recent studies of the build-up of pulse shortening and of saturable absorber photochemistry are discussed and related to the mode-locking processes in dye lasers.