A study of the self-injected laser for subnanosecond pulse generation

We present a detailed analysis of the self-injected Nd:YAG laser which is capable of generating subnanosecond duration pulses with peak powers as high as 200 MW. The model predicts that pulses with durations much shorter than the electrical rise time of the electrooptical switch driver can be obtained. Application of this technique to a conventionally Q-switched Nd:YAG laser allowed us to obtain 550 ps pulses with 120 mJ in a very stable and reliable way.     

High-repetition-rate picosecond pulse generation at 1.5 microm by intracavity laser frequency modulation

We propose and experimentally demonstrate generation of transform-limited pulse trains at a 2.5-GHz repetition rate from a frequency-modulated erbium-ytterbium bulk glass laser by using an intracavity lithium niobate phase modulator and an external fiber Bragg grating filter. Light pulses with durations tunable from 40 to 80 ps and 0.2-mW fiber-coupled average power at 1535 nm have been obtained.     

Continuum generation in water and carbon tetrachloride using a picosecond Nd-YAG laser pulse

We have measured the continuum generated in two non-linear media, distilled water and carbon tetrachloride, pumped by a 36 ps Neodymium Yttrium Aluminium Garnet laser pulse operating at 1.06 μm. We show that the induced spectral broadening extends from 400 nm to 850 nm in both media. However, we find that continuum spectra of carbon tetrachloride exhibit an oscillatory structure with an energy range of about 445 cm⁻¹ which corresponds to the fundamental Raman component. This behaviour is due to a spectral non-overlapping of the Raman anti-Stokes components photoinduced in this medium.     

Picosecond fluorescence studies by intracavity gain spectroscopy in a modelocked dye laser

This article presents measurements which combine modelocking technique with intracavity spectroscopy. To test this approach, a sample (10^–5 m ethanolic solution of 1,4-dihydroxyanthranquinone) was inserted in a modelocked Ar⁺ ion laser and probed by intracavity pulses of a synchronously pumped dye laser. The probing of the sample results in an amplification of the dye laser output. Maximum output was measured if the pulses of the dye laser temporally overlapped with those of the Ar⁺ ion laser inside the sample. Under this condition, the spectral laser intensity was shaped by the spectrum of stimulated fluorescence which originated from a molecular vibronic state populated by pump laser excitation.Presented at LASERION '91, June 12–14, 1991, München (Germany)     

利用受激布里渊散射获得皮秒激光脉冲

 采用两级布里渊结构压缩8ns的Nd：YAG激光，研究了基频光和倍频光的受激布里渊散射（SBS）压缩过程。实验中采用四氯化碳作为SBS介质，经第一级双池SBS压缩后，获得了1.5ns左右的Stokes 脉冲；第二级采用单池SBS压缩，分别使用基频光和倍频光作为泵浦光，获得了最短为60ps 的Stokes脉冲。实验证明，在一定条件下，利用SBS压缩脉宽可以获得比介质的声子寿命更短的脉冲。     

Picosecond pulse generation in a mono-layer MoS_2 mode-locked Ytterbium-doped thin disk laser

A mode-locked(ML)picosecond ytterbium-doped thin disk laser using a monolayer Mo S2as the saturable absorber(SA)is demonstrated.The monolayer MoS_2 is fabricated through the method of low-pressure chemical vapor deposition.The laser directly produces stable ML picosecond pulses at a slope efficiency of 9.71%.The maximum output power is approximately 890 mW,while the corresponding repetition,pulse energy,and pulse duration are 48.6 MHz,18.3 nJ,and 13.1 ps,respectively.Results suggest that the monolayer MoS_2 is a promising SA for ultrafast lasers system.     

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.     

Picosecond laser pulse correlation by using a molecular dye

Summary We present a new, simple and cost effective scheme for the measure of the second-order correlation function of Nd-YAG laser second-harmonic (532 nm) pulses. We measure the transmission of a probe beam in a cell containing 6G-Rhodamine solution bleached by a counterpropagating pump beam. Under a convenient choice of experimental parameters, we can measure also the contribution of third-order correlation function.     

Picosecond flat-top pulse generation by low-bandwidth electro-optic sinusoidal phase modulation

We report the first experimental demonstration to our knowledge of a microwave frequency upshifting system based on phase modulation. A sequence of flat-top optical and RF pulses at a repetition rate of 18.22 GHz, each with a FWHM time width of approximately 25 ps, is generated from a sinusoidal RF tone of only 3.680 GHz, in good agreement with our analytical and numerical calculations. A simple explanation of this technique based on Talbot effect theory is provided. The practical limitations and capabilities of the phase-modulation-based frequency upshifting approach for ultrabroadband RF waveform generation are also discussed.     

Blue laser light generation by intracavity frequency doubling of Cesium vapor laser

Blue laser light with a wavelength 447 nm was generated by intracavity frequency doubling of a Cs laser in PPKTP crystal. A continuous wave power of 600 mW was obtained at an optical-to-optical efficiency of 4%. In the pulsed operation, when thermal effects were reduced, the efficiency obtained was 14% and the peak blue power was 2.1 W.     

Picosecond pulse generation in the infrared by stimulated Raman scattering in atomic vapours

We report the generation of high-power picosecond infrared pulses by stimulated electronic Raman scattering in an atomic vapour. Single 30 ps pulses at 532 nm were Raman-shifted in caesium vapour to produce 0.4 mJ pulses at 2.38 μm, with 20% quantum efficiency. This technique can be extended to cover a wide range of infrared wavelenghts by using various Raman transitions.     

170 fs pulse generation by optical pulse compression at 308 nm

Pulses of 170 fs duration have been obtained by compression of 220–250 fs pulses of a hybrid excimer-dye laser setup.     

Picosecond pulse generation in a benzene raman generator amplifier system

Picosecond ruby laser pulses generate simultaneously Stokes pulses of the 992 cm^–1 ring breathing mode and of the 3063 cm^–1 CH-stretching mode of benzene in a Raman generator cell by stimulated Raman scattering under self-focusing conditions. The Raman generator light is spectrally filtered, collimated, and amplified in three Raman amplifier cells pumped by ruby laser pulses. Both first Stokes lines have been selectively amplified to short, low divergence, intense light pulses.     

Picosecond flat-top pulse generation using dual-mode fiber Mach-Zehnder interferometers

We report on an optical fiber Mach-Zehnder interferometer made by offset splicing a dual-mode fiber with two single-mode fibers. The extinction ratio can be tuned from less than 1 dB to greater than 28 dB by rotating the dual-mode fiber along its axial direction. The interferometer is utilized as a pulse shaper to convert a 2.5 ps Gaussian pulse to a 5.2 ps flat-top pulse.     

Pulse stretching of Q-switched laser emission by intracavity nonlinear ellipse rotation

Stretching of Q-switched laser pulses has been investigated using an intracavity nonlinear loss element based on the ellipse rotation effect in liquid crystals EBBA and MBBA. The roles of Q-switching speed, liquid crystal response time, and ellipse rotation coefficient were studied. Experimental results with a ruby laser and theoretical calculations based on modified Statz-deMars rate equations are presented.     

Tunable-chirp pulse compression in quasi-phase-matched second-harmonic generation

We demonstrate continuously tunable compensation of linear chirp on a first-harmonic pump pulse to produce a near-transform-limited second-harmonic output pulse through the use of a chirped, fanned, periodically poled lithium niobate quasi-phase-matching grating. Compensation of positive and negative chirps is possible through reversal of device orientation. The device is simple and monolithic and can be applied to compensation of a higher-order phase with minor modification.     

High-order harmonic generation by nonlinear reflection of an intense high-contrast laser pulse on a plasma

We demonstrate the use of a plasma mirror to obtain 60-fs 10-TW laser pulses with a temporal contrast of 10(8) on a nanosecond time scale and 10(6) on a picosecond time scale, and we use these high-contrast pulses to generate high harmonics by nonlinear reflection on a plasma with a steep electronic density gradient. Well-collimated harmonics up to 20th order are observed for a laser intensity of approximately equal to 3 x 10(17) W/cm2, whereas no harmonics are obtained without the plasma mirror.     

Dual-stage soliton compression of a self-started additive pulse mode-locked erbium-doped fiber laser for 48 fs pulse generation

A dual-stage single-mode fiber (SMF) and large-effective-area fiber (LEAF) link for generating 48 fs pedestal-free pulses from a 40 MHz self-started additive pulse mode-locked erbium-doped fiber laser (APM-EDFL) with output peak power and pulse energy of 16 kW and 500 pJ, respectively, is demonstrated. With the SMF+LEAF link, a maximum pulse-width compression ratio of 7 and an optimized pulse-energy confining ratio of up to 85% can be achieved, and the soliton self-frequency shift effect of the APM-EDFL pulse can be greatly suppressed.     

High-contrast, high-intensity laser pulse generation using a nonlinear preamplifier in a Ti:sapphire laser system

We report a high-contrast, high-intensity Ti:sapphire chirped-pulse amplification system that incorporates a nonlinear preamplifier based on optical parametric chirped-pulse amplification (OPCPA). By cooling the Ti:sapphire crystal in the final amplifier down to 77 K, the chirped-pulses are amplified to 2.9 J at a 10 Hz repetition rate without a thermal lensing effect. Pulse compression down to 19 fs duration obtained after amplification indicates a peak power of 80 TW. With the OPCPA, the temporal contrast is significantly improved to better than 7x10(-9) in a few picoseconds interval prior to the main laser pulse.     

Tunable UV and IR picosecond pulse generation by nonlinear mixing using a synchronous mode-locked dye laser

The short-pulse output from a synchronous mode-locked tunable dye laser was sum and difference mixed in nonlinear crystals of KDP, ADP and LiIO₃ with the 1.064-μm and 532-nm pulse trains from its mode-locked Nd: YAG pump. This method allowed efficient generation of narrow-bandwidth tunable short pulses in the uv from 270 to 432 nm and in the IR from 1.13 to 5.6 μm.