Bistability of a CO2 laser with SF6 intracavity as an absorber: Transient effects

We investigated time-dependent effects related to the bistable operation of a CO₂ laser with an intracavity nonlinear absorber (SF₆). The response of the system to small perturbations was sensitively dependent on the operating laser line [P(12)→P(30)] of the 10.6 μm band. The narrow bistable region forP(12), due to a very narrow hysteresis loop, can be effectively utilized for optical switching, because of its pronounced sensitivity to variations in operational parameters. The maximum admissable beam blocking time (intracavity) for spontaneous return to lasing was measured forP(16), for a range of absorber pressures. This τm is related to the relaxation time of the upper level in the absorber.     

Optimization of pulse width of double passively Q-switched lasers with GaAs and Cr-doped saturable absorbers

Compared with a single passively Q-switched laser, a double passively Q-switched laser with a GaAs saturable absorber and a Cr⁴⁺-doped saturable absorber can produce more symmetric and shorter pulses with high pulse peak power. New normalized coupled rate equations for a double passively Q-switched laser with both a GaAs saturable absorber and a Cr⁴⁺-doped saturable absorber are solved numerically, where the single-photon absorption (SPA) and two-photon absorption (TPA) processes of GaAs are combined. The Gaussian spatial distributions of the intracavity photon density and the initial population-inversion density are considered. The optimization of a double passively Q-switched laser to obtain the shortest pulse width is performed, and a group of general curves are generated for the first time. The curves clearly show the dependence of the optimal normalized parameters on the parameters of the gain medium, the GaAs saturable absorber, the Cr⁴⁺-doped saturable absorber and the spatial distributions of the intracavity photon density. Sample calculations for a diode-pumped Nd³⁺:YVO₄ laser with both a GaAs saturable absorber and a Cr⁴⁺:YAG saturable absorber are presented to demonstrate the use of the curves and the related formulas.     

Laser Stark saturation spectroscopy of the ν2 band of CD3l

The ^QP(4) transitions of the ν₂ band of ¹²CD₃I, which lie close to the P(16) 10.4-μm CO₂ laser line, have been observed by saturation spectroscopy using both an intracavity Stark cell, and a Shimizu-type multipass arrangement. Since both level crossing and Lamb dip signals can be seen using these transitions, they serve to illustrate both the uses of the two types of Stark cell, and also the differences between the two kinds of nonlinear signals. A simple derivation of the quadrupole matrix elements in the uncoupled basis is given. The dipole moments of the molecule in the ground and ν₂ states were determined to be 1.656₂ and 1.652₃ D, from the measurements of the very sharp intracavity level crossing signals.     

Dynamics of a CW single-mode Nd:YAG laser with a Cs2 narrow-band saturable absorber

We present the results of experiments with a CW single-mode Nd:YAG laser, tunable in the vicinity of 1064 nm, with an intracavity narrow-band Cs ₂ vapor saturable absorber. It is shown that the laser dynamics is determined by both the pump level and detuning of the laser frequency from the absorption-line center.     

Analysis of the isotope shifts and hyperfine structure in the 3 988 Å (6s6p 1 P 1↔6s 2 1 S 0) YbI line

High-resolution laser spectroscopy using a pulsed dye-laser acting on a collimated atomic beam has been used to determine the isotope shifts in the 3 988 Å YbI line. The following results have been obtained:Δσ(176, 174)=?509(4)MHz,Δσ (174, 173)=?291(10) MHz,Δσ(174, 172)=?530(4) MHz,Δσ(172, 171)=?414(5) MHz andΔσ(172, 170)= ?665(10) MHz. The sign of the magnetic dipole interaction constant in the¹ P ₁ state for¹⁷¹Yb is found to be negative,a(¹ P ₁, 171)=?213.4(3.0) MHz. The electric quadrupole interaction constant for¹⁷³Yb in the¹ P ₁ state is found to beb(¹ P ₁, 173)=605(20) MHz.     

Q-switched and continuous-wave mode-locking of a diode-pumped Nd:Gd0.64Y0.36VO4−Cr4+:YAG laser

We report on a diode-pumped passively mode-locked Nd:Gd_0.64Y_0.36VO₄ laser with a Cr⁴⁺:YAG saturable absorber. Q-switched mode locking (QML) with 90% modulation depth was obtained. The peak power of the mode-locked pulse near the maximum of the Q-switched envelope was estimated to be about 1.7 MW at the pump power of 12 W. Besides QML, continuous-wave mode locking was also experimentally realized, for the first time to our knowledge, in the laser under a strong intracavity pulse energy fluence. The mode-locked pulse width is about 2.96 ps at a repetition rate of 161.3 MHz.     

Optically bistable N2O-laser

Optical bistability is found for an N₂O-laser with an intracavity NH₃-saturable absorber cell. Hysteretic dependence of the laser output power on the laser resonator Q, resonator length and the pressure of the saturable absorber was measured.     

Theoretical and experimental studies on passively Q-switched KTiOAsO4 optical parametric oscillator

A passively Q-switched intracavity optical parametric oscillator based on KTiOAsO₄ (KTA) crystal is studied theoretically and experimentally. The rate-equation-based theoretical model is established to describe the time evolutions of the population inversion density of the laser crystal, ground-state population density of the saturable absorber, fundamental photon density, signal photon density and the idler photon density. In the experiment, a laser diode-end pumped, passively Q-switched Nd:YAG/KTA IOPO with a Cr⁴⁺:YAG crystal as the saturable absorber is realized to verify this model. The characteristics including the output power, the pulse repetition rate, the pulse width and the beam quality were investigated for this OPO. The experimental results for the output power and the repetition rate agree with the theory well. And both results show that with same pumping level the idler pulse width is shorter than the signal one.     

Optimization of passively Q-switched and mode-locked laser with Cr:YAG saturable absorber

By considering the Gaussian spatial distributions of the intracavity photon density and the initial population-inversion density, the coupled rate equations for a diode-pumped passively Q-switched and mode-locked (QML) laser with Cr⁴⁺:YAG saturable absorber are given. These coupled rate equations are solved numerically and the key parameters of an optimally coupled passively QML laser are determined for the first time. These key parameters include the parameters of the gain medium, the saturable absorber and the resonator, which can maximize the pulse energy of singly Q-switched envelope. The optimal calculations for a diode-pumped passively QML Nd:GdVO₄ laser with Cr⁴⁺:YAG saturable absorber are presented to demonstrate the numerical simulation applicable.     

High power diode-pumped passively Q-switched and mode-locking Nd:GdVO4 laser at 912 nm

A high power diode-end-pumped passively Q-switched and mode-locking (QML) Nd:GdVO₄ laser at 912 nm was demonstrated for the first time, to the best of our knowledge. A Z-type laser cavity with Cr⁴⁺:YAG crystals as the intracavity saturable absorber were employed in the experiments. Influence of the initial transmission (T_U) of the saturable absorber on the QML laser performance was investigated. Using the T_U = 95% Cr⁴⁺:YAG, as much as an average output power of 2.0 W pulsed 912 nm laser was produced at an absorbed pump power of 25.0 W, then the repetition rates of the Q-switched envelope and the mode-locking pulse were ~ 224 kHz and ~ 160 MHz, respectively. Whereas the maximum output power was reduced to 1.3 W using the T_U = 90% Cr⁴⁺:YAG, we obtained a 100% modulation depth for the mode-locking pulses inside the Q-switched envelope.     

Pump power and saturable absorber effect on a colliding pulse-modelocked dye laser emitting pulses with 47 fs

We present a quantitative experimental study of the effects of pump power and saturable absorber concentration on the performance of a colliding pulse modelocked dye laser. Pulses as short as 47 fs were generated without the use of any additional (intracavity or extracavity) pulse compression scheme. The laser has a well defined stability region in the pump power × saturable absorber concentration plane, and exhibits a strong bistable behavior in the limits of this stability region.     

Solution of Faddeev-type equations in the problem of two coulomb centers

The hyperfine structure of the 7p ² P _1/2,3/2 levels of¹¹⁵In and the 5p ² P _1/2 level of²⁷Al has been measured using high-resolution laser spectroscopy on atomic beams. For the magnetic-dipole and electric-quadrupole interaction constants,a andb, the following values were obtained;a(7p ² P _1/2)=90.7(10) MHz,a(7p ² P _3/2)=32.3(2) MHz andb(7p ² P _3/2)=24.5(1.5) MHz for¹¹⁵In anda(5p ² P _1/2)=20(2) MHz for²⁷Al. Many-body calculations on² P states in aluminum, gallium and indium have also been performed.     

Isotope-selective infrared multiphoton dissociation of CF3Br in a supersonic free jet

The carbon-isotope selectivity in the multiphoton dissociation of CF₃Br is studied in the collisional region of supersonic free jet. The isotopic abundance of¹²C and¹³C in C₂F₆ formed by recombination of the dissociation products is measured with a quadrupole mass spectrometer. An enrichmet factor of 9.4 is obtained for¹²C with the 9R(30)CO₂ laser line while the factor of 6.9 is obtained for¹³C with the 9P(16) line.     

Optical bistability of a CO2 laser with intracavity saturable absorber: Experiment and model

The optical bistability in the output of an ir CO₂ laser containing an intracavity SF₆ absorber was observed as a function of the laser pumping inversion. The laser parameters were determined through a set of independent measurements. A theoretical model valid within the mean field approximation and taking into account the exponential amplification and attenuation of the radiation inside the Fabry-Perot cavity was developed. The state equation of the laser with the saturable absorber was solved graphically and the solution was compared to the experimental results.     

Modeling of the power oscillation observed in single mode intracavity absorption of CO2 laser lines

Single mode intracavity absorption is investigated from an analytical point of view in order to explain the periodical modulation of the power observed in intracavity absorption of CO₂ laser lines by CFC gases. Intracavity absorption is incorporated into the laser rate equations in form of an additional broadband loss. Detuning due to changes in the refractive index with increase in absorber pressure is accounted for by considering the impact of the frequency shift of the oscillating mode on the effective pump rate and the population densities of the laser upper and lower levels. The steady state solution of the rate equations leads to an analytical formula, which fits the measured intracavity absorption curves with only two fit parameters being adjusted to the actual values of the absorption cross section and the mean linear polarizability of the absorber molecule. The formula is applied to analyze the intracavity absorption of the CO₂ 10R lines by CFC-11. The obtained results are in reasonable agreement with the values available in the literature.     

Messung der Winkelverteilung der Neutronenpolarisation bei Streuung von 15,85 MeV-Neutronen am Kohlenstoff

AtE _n=15.85 MeV the angular distributions of neutron polarizationP(θ) for¹²C(n, n)¹²C and of scattering asymmetry A(θ) for¹² C(n,n′)¹² C ^*(Q=?4.43 MeV) have been measured. In a neutron time-of-flight method with a plastic scintillator as scatterer carbon recoil nuclei were used for detection. Polarized neutrons were produced in thed-t reaction atE _d=1.90 MeV at a reaction angle of 70° (lab.). WithP _n=?0.135 scattering polarizations P(θ) are forθ _lab=30, 40, 50, 60, 70, and 80° respectively ?27.0±2.1, ?48.4±2.7, ?68.7±3.6, ?20.7±6.2, +5.3±3.9, and +2.1±4.5%.     

Adjustable picosecond pulse duration in a LD end pumped SESAM passively mode-locked Nd:YVO<Subscript>4</Subscript> laser

With adjustable pulse durations, a semiconductor saturable absorber mirror (SESAM) passively mode-locked picosecond Nd:YVO₄ laser was studied. The pulse duration was adjustable from 20 to 80 ps by using intracavity etalons of different thicknesses.     

Calculation of the hyperfine structure of the 42 S 1/2, 42 P 1/2, 42 P 3/2 states in the 3d 10 nl configuration of Cu

The hyperfine structure of the 4² S _1/2, 4² P _1/2, 4² P _3/2 states in the 3d ¹⁰ nl configuration of Cu has been evaluated using many-body perturbation theory. Polarisation effects were included in all orders and correlation to third-order. By the use of iteration methods, a large number of higher order diagrams were also included. The correlation effects between the valence electron and the 3d shell were found to be very important. The results forA(² S _1/2) andA(² P _1/2) 5827MHz and 440 MHz, respectively, are in good agreement with the experimental results, whereas the result forA(² P _3/2)=83 MHz is far from the experimental value. No explanation was found for the discrepancy. The quadrupole values were found to be ?206 mb for⁶³Cu and ?185 mb for⁶⁵Cu.     

Optimization of pulse-width of passively Q-switched lasers by taking into account intracavity laser spatial distribution

The intracavity photon density and the initial population-inversion density in the diode-pumped passively Q-switched lasers are assumed to be Gaussian spatial distributions. The space-dependent rate equations are solved numerically. The key parameters of a passively Q-switched laser with the shortest pulse-width under Gaussian approximation are determined, and a group of general curves are generated for the first time. The curves clearly show the dependence of the optimal key parameters on the parameters of the gain medium, the saturable absorber, and the resonator. In addition, the importance including the space variation is also shown. The optimal calculations for a diode-pumped passively Nd:YVO₄ laser are presented to demonstrate the use of the curves and the related formulas.     

Control of the pulse width in a diode-pumped passively Q-switched Nd:YVO<Subscript>4</Subscript>/KTP green laser with GaAs saturable absorber

By varying the positions of the saturable absorber in the laser axis and the pump beam waist in the gain medium, respectively, we have theoretically and experimentally studied the control of the pulse width in a diode-pumped passively Q-switched Nd:YVO₄/KTP green laser with GaAs saturable absorber. A rate equation model is introduced, in which the intracavity photon density is assumed to be Gaussian spatial distribution, the longitudinal variation of the intracavity photon density and the pump beam spatial distribution are also considered. The experimental results are consistent with the numerical calculations of the rate equations.