Frequency-comb-referenced quantum-cascade laser at 4.4 microm

We report what we believe to be the first absolute frequency measurement performed using a quantum-cascade laser (QCL) referenced to an optical frequency comb synthesizer (OFCS). A QCL at 4.43 microm has been used for producing near-infrared radiation at 858 nm by means of sum-frequency generation with a Nd:YAG source in a periodically poled lithium niobate nonlinear crystal. The absolute frequency of the QCL source has been measured by detecting the beat note between the sum frequency and a diode laser at the same wavelength, while both the Nd:YAG and the diode laser were referenced to the OFCS. Doppler-broadened line profiles of (13)CO(2) molecular transitions have been recorded with such an absolute frequency reference.     

Passively Q-switched 0.1-mJ fiber laser system at 1.53 mum

We demonstrate a passively Q-switched fiber laser system generating pulses with as much as 0.1 mJ of pulse energy at 1.53 mum and a >1-kHz repetition rate. These results were achieved with a simple master oscillator-power amplifier scheme with a single pump source, realized with large-mode-area fiber and multiple reflections upon a semiconductor saturable-absorber mirror.     

Dual-polarization electro-optical Q-switched ceramic laser

A dual-polarization electro-optical Q-switched Nd:YAG ceramic laser was studied. By selecting the appropriate size of calcite crystals, the dual-polarization Q-switched pulse was achieved by characteristics of calcite crystal. Experimental results show that compared with the traditional single-polarization electro-optical Q-switched laser, insertion loss is reduced, dynamic to static ratio is greatly improved, thermally induced birefringence of electro-optical Q-switched Nd:YAG ceramic laser is effective compensated. The output power of 19 W and the pulse width of 13 ns are obtained at the repetition rate of 1 kHz and pumped power of 144 W. The dynamic to static ratio is 71%. The results formed the basis for the further development of the high power and high efficiency ceramic red laser.     

Compact, single-frequency all-fiber Q-switched laser at 1 microm

We demonstrate a unique, all-fiber, actively Q-switched laser operating in the 1 microm region. The laser is compact, single mode, single frequency, highly polarized, and exhibits high peak power. The laser cavity is constructed without external coupling, utilizing fiber Bragg gratings that permit feedback at only a single polarization. By using a piezoelectric to press the fiber and modulate the fiber birefringence, the cavity is switched between high and low loss states, permitting Q-switching. We demonstrate this Q-switching at repetition rates up to 700 KHz.     

Tunable short-pulse beat-wave laser source operating at 1 microm

We have demonstrated a chirped-pulse-amplification system utilizing an air-spaced etalon inside a regenerative amplifier to produce two simultaneous 2.0-ps pulses, one centered at the gain peak of Nd:phosphate glass (1052 nm) and the other centered at the gain peak of Nd:silicate (1061 nm). Autocorrelations of the resulting beat wave demonstrate a beat frequency of 2.3 THz. We achieved wavelength tunability over a 10-nm range by electronically adjusting the etalon spacing and variable pulse width by changing the etalon rotation.     

High-power diode-bar end-pumped Nd:YLF laser at 1.053 microm

We describe efficient cw operation of a Nd:YLF laser end pumped by two beam-shaped 20-W diode bars on the 1.053-microm transition. Fundamental transverse-mode operation with output power of 11.1 W for ~29.5 W of incident pump power was demonstrated. In Q-switched operation 8.4 W of average power at a pulse repetition frequency of 40 kHz and ~2.6-mJ pulse energy at a pulse repetition frequency of 1 kHz were achieved.     

Dual-polarization mode-locked Nd:YAG laser

A mode-locked solid-state laser containing a birefringent element is shown to emit synchronously two frequency combs associated to the two polarization eigenstates of the cavity. An analytical model predicts the polarization evolution of the pulse train, which is determined by the adjustable intracavity birefringence. Experiments realized with a Nd:YAG laser passively mode locked by a semiconductor saturable absorber mirror are in perfect agreement with the model. Locking between the two combs arises for particular values of their frequency difference, e.g., half the repetition rate, and the pulse train polarization sequence is then governed by the relative overall phase offset of the two combs.     

Dual-polarization fiber grating laser-based laser Doppler velocimeter

A dual-frequency laser Doppler velocimeter implemented by a dual-polarization fiber grating laser is proposed,with the two laser frequencies produced by the two orthogonally polarized laser outputs of the fiber grating laser.The reflected laser outputs from a moving target experience the Doppler frequency shift,which is shown to be linearly related to the velocity and the beat note frequency difference between the laser outputs and the reflected light. With a digital frequency demodulation scheme,a high sensitivity of 0.64 MHz/(m/s) and a velocity resolution of less than 0.5% of the velocity for velocity measurement are demonstrated,which shows that the proposed laser Doppler velocimeter is capable of measurement of wide range of velocity.     

Single-transverse-mode 2.5-W holmium-doped fluoride fiber laser operating at 2.86 microm

A high-power tandem-pumped Ho3+, Pr3+-doped ZBLAN fiber laser is demonstrated. Using the free-running 1100-nm output from a diode-cladding-pumped Yb3+-doped silica fiber laser as the pump source, a maximum output power of 2.5 W was generated at a slope efficiency of 29% after the threshold of approximately 30 mW was reached. Saturation of the output is avoided with Pr3+ codoping, which allows single-transition output. The center wavelength of the output was 2.86 microm and the bandwidth at maximum power was approximately 15 nm.     

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.     

Ultrahigh-resolution optical coherence tomography with a fiber laser source at 1 microm

We report a compact, high-power, fiber-based source for ultrahigh-resolution optical coherence tomography (OCT) near 1 microm. The practical source is based on a short-pulse, ytterbium-doped fiber laser and on generation of a continuum spectrum in a photonic crystal fiber. The broadband emission has an average power of 140 mW and offers an axial resolution of 2.1 microm in air (<1.6 microm in biological tissue). The generation of a broad bandwidth is robust and efficient. We demonstrate ultrahigh-resolution, time-domain OCT imaging of in vitro and in vivo biological tissues.     

Three-transition cascade erbium laser at 1.7, 2.7, and 1.6 microm

We report on an upconversion cascade laser in an erbium-doped ZBLAN fiber emitting simultaneously on the three transitions (4)S(3/2) ? (4)I(9/2) at 1.7 microm , (4)I(11/2) ? (4)I(13/2) at 2.7 microm , and (4)I(13/2) ? (4)I(15/2) at 1.6 microm . At moderate pump powers, the laser transition at 1.6 microm supports 2.7-microm lasing and permits a slope efficiency at 2.7 microm of 15% versus launched pump power. Above the threshold of upconversion lasing at 1.7 microm , the slope efficiency at 2.7 microm increases to 25.4%. Taking pump excited-state absorption into account, this value represents more than 90% of the theoretical slope efficiency. A transversely single-mode output power of 99mW is achieved at 2.7 microm.     

High-power, (AlGaIn)(AsSb) semiconductor disk laser at 2.0 microm

We report a high-power (AlGaIn)(AsSb) semiconductor disk laser emitting around 2 microm. With a diamond heat spreader used for thermal management, a maximum output power of just over 5 W and slope efficiencies of over 25% were demonstrated. The output wavelength was tunable over an 80 nm range centered at 1.98 microm. The beam propagation parameter (M2) was measured to be in the range of 1.1 to 1.4 for output powers up to 3 W.     

Emission of 1.53 microm originating from the lattice site of Er3+ ions incorporated in TiO2 nanocrystals

Er(3+)-ion-doped anatase TiO(2) nanocrystals were prepared by simple wet chemical synthesis. Very sharp and intense near-infrared luminescence at approximately 1.53 microm was observed that originated from the lattice site of Er(3+) ions incorporated in TiO(2) nanocrystals. Based on the high-resolution emission and excitation spectra at 10 K, an efficient energy transfer from the TiO(2) host to Er(3+) ions was verified. The luminescence decay for the I13/24-->I15/24 transition at 1.53 microm showed nonexponential characteristics, indicating a nonradiative relaxation to the defects in the nanocrystals, and the intrinsic lifetime of the I13/24 state was determined to be 1.56 ms.     

Optimization of Yb-Er microchip laser parameters

Output parameters of microchip lasers based on Yb:Er co-doped phosphate glasses have been numerically calculated using a simplified 4-level model in order to optimize the Yb and Er concentrations and active medium length. It was shown that active media with Yb concentration ~2·10²⁷ m^–3 and length of the order of 1 mm were most appropriate to obtain the practically maximum slope efficiency and minimum threshold power. Simulation results indicated that the Er concentration could be much lower than those currently used in practice. The obtained results were in good agreement with available experimental data.     

Airy beams from a microchip laser

It is theoretically shown that an end-pumped microchip laser formed by a thin laser crystal with plane-plane but slightly tilted facets can emit, under appropriate pumping conditions and near a crystal edge, a truncated self-accelerating Airy output beam.     

Coupled-cavity passively Q-switched two-Stokes microchip laser

Experimental and theoretical studies of the coupled-cavity diode-pumped Nd:YAG/Cr:YAG microchip lasers with intracavity Raman conversion of laser pulses in a Ba(NO₃)₂ crystal into two Stokes pulses have been made. Two lasers with a different cavity length have been investigated. The minimal pulse durations at the 2nd Stokes wavelength were ??100 ps in the short-cavity laser at pulse energy of 5???J, and the pulse repetition rate reached 20?C24?kHz. The laser and Stokes pulse dynamics, as well as the spatial intensity distribution of the laser and the 1st Stokes beams at the output mirror have been recorded. A model describing such coupled-cavity microchip Raman lasers has been developed. The numerically simulated laser and Stokes pulse dynamics, and the calculated pulse energy, duration, and repetition rate are in good agreement with the experimental data.     

Experimental spectra study of Tm:GdVO4 microchip laser at room temperature

A high efficient diode-pumped Tm:GdVO4 microchip laser is demonstrated. Output power of 310 mW at 1917 nm with slope efficiency of 22% is produced when pumped by 2 W of power at 802 nm. Unpolarized fluorescence spectra near 1800 nm pumped by laser diode are measured. In addition, the most important upconversion fluorescence from 1D2 to 3F4 and 3H6 levels is discussed.     

Sub-100-ps amplitude-modulation mode-locked Tm-Ho:BaY2F8 laser at 2.06 microm

We report the generation of sub-100-ps pulse trains near the 2.06-microm wavelength in an actively mode-locked diode-pumped Tm-Ho:BaYF laser operating at room temperature. Transform-limited, 97-ps Gaussian pulses at a 100-MHz repetition rate with an average power in excess of 20 mW and with a carrier wavelength tunable by approximately 50 nm near 2.066 microm are demonstrated.     

10-W-level diode-pumped compact 2.78 microm ZBLAN fiber laser

We report on >9W transverse-fundamental-mode CW output near 3 mum from a 4m heavily erbium-doped ZBLAN double-clad fiber laser pumped by a collimated 100 W 975 nm laser diode array. The pump threshold of the fiber laser was about 1W, and the slope efficiency was 21.3%. The peak wavelength of free running was about 2708 nm at low pump power and moved to around 2785 nm at high pump power. Output of 9W was obtained when the launched pump power was 42.8W. The output, however, fluctuated intensively like a pulsed laser, and the operation broke down with optical damage of the pumping end facet when the pump was increased beyond 42.8 W. Therefore, alleviation of the operation fluctuation, heat management, and strengthening the pumping fiber are crucial considerations for the stable operation of 10-W-level mid-IR ZBLAN fiber lasers.