20mm孔径重复频率等离子体电光开关研究

等离子体普克尔盒可以采用薄晶体,是大口径平均功率激光器理想的光开关器件。采用有限元方法,分析了20mm口径重复频率等离子体电光开关的热光效应,模拟计算了在平均功率负荷下,3mm厚的DKDP晶体由于热致双折射引起的退偏损耗为0.16%。采用电容分压技术,实现了基于DKDP晶体的等离子体电光开关的单脉冲驱动,通过针对重复频率等离子体普克尔盒的优化设计,研制完成了Φ20mm口径、10Hz重复频率等离子体电光开关样机,静态透射率97.2%,开关效率99.8%,开关上升时间11ns。     

激光二极管抽运氦气冷却钕玻璃叠片激光放大器热致波前畸变和应力双折射的数值模拟和实验研究

热效应仍是限制激光放大器向高功率、高光束质量进一步发展的瓶颈问题, 高效的热管理是抑制热效应的重要技术途径. 研究了基于激光二极管抽运氦气冷却的钕玻璃叠片激光放大器的热效应. 利用有限元数值模拟的方法, 分析了钕玻璃的温度、应力应变和应力双折射分布, 并计算了热致波前畸变和退偏损耗, 与实验结果符合得较好, 在热沉积为0.7 W/cm³的条件下, 6片钕玻璃总的热致波前畸变为6.77λ , 最大退偏量大于90%.     

重频应用下等离子体电光开关热退偏损耗分析

 基于有限元数值方法,给出电光晶体KDP在高平均功率激光负载下温度场分布和应力场分布。在此基础上得到了折射率随温度变化、电光系数随温度变化、及应力双折射引入的退偏损耗。数值模拟显示：电光系数随温度变化和应力双折射是引起开关退偏损耗的主要因素。当入射激光平均功率为40 W、辐照时间为420 s时,KDP晶体最高温度为38.43 ℃,电光系数随温度变化及应力双折射引入的最大退偏损耗分别为2.38%和4.04%。实验测量了应力双折射导致的退偏损耗,实验结果和理论结果符合较好。     

高平均功率电光开关晶体热畸变分析

 深入分析了方板构型的电光开关晶体在高功率载荷条件下的热畸变行为，讨论了光强分布对热效应的影响。以KDP晶体为例，分别计算了激光束光强为高斯分布和均匀分布时晶体的温升、相应的热应力分布、波前畸变以及热退偏。结果表明，光强的分布形式对波前畸变和热退偏的影响是不同的。相对于光强均匀分布的激光束，高斯光束减缓了光斑边沿处的温度梯度，产生的热应力较小，因此可以减弱热退偏效应；另一方面，在光束口径范围内，高斯光束产生了附加的温度分布非均匀性，因而波前畸变会大一些。     

具有热补偿的内腔KTP光参量振荡器

在电光调Q Nd:YAG激光抽运内腔KTP光参量振荡器中,由于在抽运光的谐振腔内插入了起偏器,当工作在高重复频率时,Nd:YAG棒热致双折射效应致使起偏器产生退偏损耗,导致抽运光能量下降和光束质量变差,最终光参量振荡器的激光输出能量也将下降.为了补偿热致双折射引起的起偏器退偏损耗,提出了基于λ/4波片的具有热补偿的内腔光参量振荡器结构,实验结果表明在高重复频率工作时,具有热补偿的内腔光参量振荡器较无补偿内腔光参量振荡器的激光输出能量提高了20%左右.     

连续Nd:YAG激光高重复率电光调Q研究

研究了连续Ｎｄ：ＹＡＧ激光器中由于热效应使ＹＡＧ棒产生的双折射引起传输的线偏振光退偏为椭圆偏振光的退偏现象所产生的输出不稳定和多模的原因。电光调Ｑ技术被应用于连续氪灯抽运的Ｎｄ：ＹＡＧ激光器件。为了获得稳定、单模的输出,在谐振腔内放置了一对λ／４波片。通过实验研究,实现了重复频率１～６ｋＨｚ的窄脉冲激光输出,这将为连续抽运的Ｎｄ：ＹＡＧ激光器提供一种新的电光调Ｑ技术。     

离轴光线对电光晶体退偏的影响

 对离轴光线通过电光晶体时产生的退偏情况作了理论和实验研究。理论计算表明：当晶体厚度一定时，退偏损耗在一定范围内随离轴角度的增加而增加，随着入射光偏振方向偏离竖直方向的增大而增大。采用厚度为10mm的KDP晶体，实验测试了入射光偏振方向在竖直方向以及同竖直方向成45°时的退偏损耗。实验结果与理论计算的结果符合较好。     

104 W内腔倍频全固态Nd:YAG绿光激光器

报道了一台高功率内腔倍频全固态Nd:YAG绿光激光器,针对KTP晶体热效应和激光热稳定腔,采取了对KTP晶体进行低温冷却的优化措施,以便减少KTP晶体的热效应导致的相位失配,同时兼顾了Nd:YAG棒的热致双折射效应和KTP晶体热透镜效应,设计了热稳定谐振腔;实验中采用80个20 W激光二极管阵列侧面抽运Nd:YAG棒和Ⅱ类相位匹配KTP晶体(在27℃时相位匹配角为φ=23.6°;θ=90°,尺寸为7 mm×7 mm×10 mm)内腔倍频技术,谐振腔腔长为530 mm,KTP晶体的冷却温度为4.3 ℃,抽运电流为18.3 A时,实现平均功率达104 W、脉冲宽度为130 ns的532 nm激光输出;其重复频率为20.7 kHz.光-光转换效率为10.2%.     

固态热容激光器3维瞬态热畸变模拟分析

 根据固态热容激光器的动态工作特性,考虑热力学参数与温度的关系,采用3维有限差分方法模拟分析了薄片热容激光器的3维温度和热应力分布随时间的变化关系。计算了热容激光器的热畸变和退偏损耗随时间的动态变化规律,并与采用连续水冷却方式工作的圆棒激光器的热畸变特性做了比较。模拟结果显示,形变是引起波前相位畸变的主要因素,退偏损耗随泵浦时间增加和泵浦功率增大而非线性增大。     

2 μm Cr,Tm,Ho:YAG激光热退偏效应的数值模拟及实验研究

理论分析了Cr,Tm,Ho:YAG激光晶体的热退偏效应, 模拟计算了该晶体棒端面退偏度的分布, 并进行了偏光干涉实验验证. 结果表明, 数值模拟和实验研究结果完全一致, 热致退偏效应随抽运能量增大而增强, 退偏度分布呈十字形, 最大退偏度发生在晶体棒端面上与起偏器偏振方向成45°方位处. 以此提出了高能量Cr,Tm,Ho:YAG激光器的热退偏补偿方法, 获得了激光脉冲能量提高24%以上的实验效果.     

单脉冲电光开关击穿时间延迟及抖动的减小方法

减小单脉冲等离子体电极普克尔盒电光开关击穿时间延迟与抖动问题是提高大口径电光开关性能的关键。利用紫外线照射在阴极上的外光电效应,使阴极产生次级电子发射,形成稳定的初始电子流,在高压脉冲作用下普克尔盒内的初始电子产生快速繁流放电,使盒内氦气击穿。实验证明该方法可以减小开关的击穿时间延迟及抖动,使击穿时间延迟平均下降了36%,平均抖动时间下降88%。     

等离子体电极普克尔盒电光开关单脉冲过程数值模拟

采用流体模型对等离子体电极普克尔盒(PEPC)电光开关单脉冲过程进行了数值模拟分析.模型包括带电粒子连续性方程、动量守恒方程、电子平均能量方程及空间电位泊松方程.分别采用隐式指数差分格式，超松弛迭代法(SOR)和经典四阶龙格-库塔法(R-K)对带电粒子连续性方程，泊松方程和电子平均能量方程进行数值求解.模拟分析了PEPC单脉冲过程中的带电粒子浓度、电子温度、空间电场、PEPC的放电电流、晶体两侧电压和开关效率的时间演化特性.模型得出了PEPC中气体放电等离子体的微观物理过程与PEPC宏观参量的关系，对设计 关键词： 等离子体电极普克尔盒 电光开关 数值模拟 气体放电     

Modeling of plasma behavior in a plasma electrode Pockels cell

We present three interrelated models of plasma behavior in a plasma electrode Pockels cell (PEPC). In a PEPC, plasma discharges are formed on both sides of a thin, large-aperture electro-optic crystal (typically KDP). The plasmas act as optically transparent, highly conductive electrodes, allowing uniform application of a longitudinal field to induce birefringence in the crystal. First, we model the plasma in the thin direction, perpendicular to the crystal, via a one-dimensional fluid model. This yields the electron temperature and the density and velocity profiles in this direction as functions of the neutral pressure, the plasma channel width, and the discharge current density. Next, me model the temporal response of the crystal to the charging process, combining a circuit model with a model of the sheath which forms near the crystal boundary. This model gives the time-dependent voltage drop across the sheath as a function of electron density at the sheath entrance. Finally, we develop a two dimensional MHD model of the planar plasma, in order to calculate the response of the plasma to magnetic fields. We show how the plasma uniformity is affected by the design of the current return, by the longitudinal field from the cathode magnetron, and by fields from other sources. This model also gives the plasma sensitivity to the boundary potential at which the top and bottom of the discharge are held. We validate these models by showing how they explain observations in three large Pockels cells built at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory     

Thermal distortion and birefringence in repetition-rate plasma electrode Pockels cell for high average power

We numerically study thermally induced birefringence and distortion in plasma electrode Pockels cell based on KD*P as the electro-optic material. This device can repetitively operate under the heat capacity mode.Simulation results indicate that the excellent switching performances and low wave-front distortion are achieved within several tens seconds working time at average power in excess of 1 kW.     

光折变晶体Ce:BaTiO3电光和压电系数的测量

用干涉仪的方法测量了Ce:BaTiO₃晶体的低频电光系数和压电系数．排除压电效应对光通过晶体引起相位的变化，得到低频下经极化的Ce:BaTiO₃单晶的电光系数r₄₂=1945±220pm/V和r₁₃=11.8±1pm/V．从而，为研究Ce:BaTiO₃晶体的光折变效应和理论计算提供了精确的线性电光系数 关键词：     

大口径等离子体电极普克尔盒电光开关研究

 设计建造了通光口径为240mm×240mm等离子体电极普克尔盒,在KDP的两侧用磁控阴极放电产生了覆盖全口径的等离子体电极。用仿真线成形,产生了电压幅值10kV,脉冲上升时间50ns,脉宽500ns,顶部电压波动＜±2%的矩形开关脉冲。测得电光开关的光学特性为全口径静态透过率85.8%,静态消光比132,开关效率97.6%,开关上升时间95ns。     

A type of electro-optic Q-switch designed by using optically active crystal

A type of electro-optic Q-switch is designed by using optically active crystal La₃Ga₅SiO₁₄ (abbreviated as LGS), in which the polarization plane gyration and electro-optic effect exist simultaneously. The configuration of the Q-switch is based on the consideration that the total rotation angle of the polarization plane of the polarized laser is zero, while the laser in the cavity propagates through the Pockels cell back and forth. The Q-switch placed in a Nd^{3 +}:YAG laser behaves normally, like those without optical activity. Compared with the DKDP Q-switch, the LGS Q-switch has more superiorities, which make it a suitable replacement for the DKDP Q-switch in lasers with medium-output energy.     

Experimentally distinguishing electro-optic effects in silicon

Different electro-optic effects, such as Kerr effect, Pockels effect induced by the electric field or strain, and plasma dispersion effect exist in silicon. Experimentally distinguishing these effects is necessary for designing silicon-based electro-optic devices. According to their different polarization dependencies and frequency responses, these effects are measured and distinguished successfully via a transverse electro-optic modulation experiment based on the near-intrinsic silicon sample. The results indicate that Pockels effect induced by the electric field or strain is primary among these effects in the near-intrinsic silicon sample.     

Simple electro-optic technique to generate temporally flat-top laser pulses

A simple technique is presented to generate temporally flat-top shaped laser pulses using electro-optic modulator (Pockels cell). It involves splitting of input laser pulse into two halves of equal intensity and then stacking together with appropriate optical delay to get a temporally flat-top laser pulse. It also allows generation of other pulse shapes by varying the relative intensity, delay, and phase between two halves of the input laser pulse. Temporally flat-top laser pulses of duration ~ 9 ns have been generated using ~ 7 ns duration incident laser pulses from a flash lamp pumped Q-switched Nd:glass laser oscillator. The rise and fall-time of the shaped pulse is limited by speed of electro-optic switch (Pockels cell), which is ~ 2 ns in the present case.     

Experimental analysis of the effects of orientation and location of the Pockels cell in an Nd:YAG laser resonator

We report an experimental study on the effects of the orientation and location of a Pockels cell used as electro-optic Q-switch in a laser resonator. Out of the four resonator configurations studied, it was found that in two resonator configurations a high cavity-Q value of the resonator was maintained in Q-switched operation, irrespective of the orientation of the crystallographic axis of the Pockels cell with respect to the incident plane of polarization. Further, analysis of the polarization state of the output in one of the configurations showed that it is always linearly polarized in the plane of the pass axis of the intra-cavity polarizer. In the other configuration it was observed that, as the Pockels cell was rotated, the plane of the linearly polarized output light was rotated correspondingly. For all of the resonator configurations, our experimental results are in good agreement with a Jones matrix analysis