Continuous-wave and Q-switched performance of an Yb:YAG/YAG composite thin disk ceramic laser pumped with 970-nm laser diode

Using front face-pumped compact active mirror laser （CAMIL） structure, we have demonstrated an Yb：YAG/YAG composite ceramic disk laser with pumping wavelength at 970 nm. The laser has been operated in both continuous-wave （CW） and Q-switching modes. Under CW operation, laser output power of 1.05 W with 2% transmission output coupler was achieved at the wavelength of 1031 nm. Q- switched laser output was gotten by using an acousto-optic Q-switch. The repetition rate ranged from 1 to 30 kHz and the pulse width varied from 166 to 700 ns.     

A 12.1-W SESAM mode-locked Yb:YAG thin disk laser

Pumped by a 940 nm fiber-coupled diode laser, a passively mode-locked Yb:YAG thin disk oscillator was demonstrated with a semiconductor saturable absorber mirror(SESAM). 12.1 W mode-locked pulses were obtained with pulse duration of 698 fs at the repetition rate of 57.43 MHz. Measurement showed that the beam quality was close to the diffraction limit.     

Efficient tunable Yb:YAG ceramic laser

A high-power efficient ceramic Yb:YAG laser was demonstrated at a room temperature of 20 °C with an Yb concentration of 9.8 at.%, a gain medium of 1 mm, a pumping power of 13.8 W, an output coupler of T = 10%, and a cavity length of 20 mm. A 6.8 W cw output power was obtained with a slope efficiency of 72%. The ceramic Yb:YAG laser exhibited a continuous tunability in the spectral range of 63.5 nm from 1020.1 to 1083.6 nm for T = 1% at a maximum output power of 1.6 W. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study of the tunability of ceramic Yb:YAG lasers, except crystal Yb:YAG studies.     

Cavity-dumped intracavity-frequency-doubled Yb:YAG thin disk laser with 100 W average power

We report on a cavity-dumped Yb:YAG thin disk laser with intracavity-frequency doubling to provide pulses in the millijoule energy range at a repetition rate of up to 100 kHz. The maximum average output power at 515 nm was 102 W with pulses of a pulse length of 300 ns. An additional advantage of the presented laser setup is the wide tunability of the pulse duration.     

Axial mode tuning of a single frequency Yb:YAG thin disk laser

We describe an arrangement for an Yb:YAG thin disk laser, which enables narrow bandwidth operation in single-frequency mode at freely selectable wavelengths within the broad tuning range of the laser. This is facilitated by a combination of a double-stage birefringent filter and an etalon inside the laser cavity. We investigate the wavelength selection characteristics of the single elements as well as their combination. A simple procedure is implemented for a computer-based automation of wavelength tuning. The reflectivity of the partially reflecting resonator mirror is optimised, and the laser pump power is adapted for best tuning performance. Single-frequency emission is achieved in a frequency range of 9.75 THz (wavelength range 1020 nm to 1055 nm). Each axial laser mode in this range can be selected individually. The axial mode separation of 0.47 GHz corresponds to wavelength steps of 1.7 pm at 1030 nm. PACS 42.55.Xi; 42.60.Fc; 42.60.Lh     

Transverse mode control by manipulating gain distribution in a Yb:YAG ceramic thin disk

We demonstrated that transverse mode can be controlled by manipulating gain distribution in a Yb:YAG ceramic thin disk. Several elongated higher order transverse modes of a Hermite-Gaussian beam were observed when a straight-line-shaped gain region was created by using a diode laser output from an optical fiber. An orthogonally crossing pair of straight-line-shaped gain regions created with an additional optical fiber output resulted in the generation of a doughnut-shaped Laguerre-Gaussian beam. This implies that easy and quick switching of Hermite-Gaussian and Laguerre-Gaussian beams is possible without mechanical handling.     

双重复频率锁模Yb:YAG陶瓷激光器

近年来,双重复频率锁模激光器在诸如双光梳光谱和异步光学采样等应用领域吸引了广泛关注.基于单一激光腔的双梳系统能大大降低成本,简化系统结构,且性能优异.双重复频率锁模激光器为发展紧凑型和实用型双梳装置开辟了道路.本文报道了一种可用作双光梳光谱系统光源的双重复频率锁模Yb:YAG陶瓷激光器.该激光器基于半导体可饱和吸收镜锁模技术,采用双通道抽运结构,利用新型非水基流延成型制备的Yb:YAG透明陶瓷,在单一的五镜腔中,当吸收抽运光功率为5.6 W时,实现了自启动、稳定运转的双重复频率锁模脉冲Pulse1和Pulse2,其重复频率分别为448.918和448.923 MHz,重复频率差为5 kHz.在吸收抽运功率为7 W时,得到最大的总平均输出功率170 mW,其中Pulse1和Pulse2的功率分别为89和81 mW,相应的光谱宽度分别为1和1.16 nm.性能相似的双重复频率脉冲彼此间保持了良好的相干性,实验结果证明了双通道抽运在双重复频率锁模激光器应用中的可行性,此种新型双重复频率激光器在双光梳光谱和测距等领域具有较好的应用潜力.     

High-power diode-pumped mode-locked Yb:YAG ceramic laser

A high-power diode-pumped passively mode-locked Yb:YAG ceramic laser was demonstrated. An average output power of 3.80W with a pulse duration of 433 fs at a repetition rate of 90.9MHz was obtained at a wavelength of 1050 nm using a 2% output coupler. A peak power of 96.5kW was also obtained. To the best of our knowledge, these are the highest reported average power and peak power for a diode-pumped mode-locked Yb:YAG ceramic laser.     

Simulation of thin disk laser pumping process for temperature dependent Yb:YAG property

A novel model of Cw diode pumped Yb:YAG thin disk laser has been presented to simulate absorption pump power distribution by Monte-Carlo ray tracing. Comparing obtained results with the common distribution function indicate the offered model is quite trustful. So these findings help to evaluate temperature distribution due to the 3D finite element analyses (FEA) based on heat conduction equation. To improve our simulation the temperature dependent of crystal property such as the absorption coefficient, thermal conductivity, stimulated emission cross section and Boltzman population factors are considered by a numerical iterative approach.     

16.2-W average power from a diode-pumped femtosecond Yb:YAG thin disk laser

We demonstrate a power-scalable concept for high-power all-solid-state femtosecond lasers, based on passive mode locking of Yb:YAG thin disk lasers with semiconductor saturable-absorber mirrors. We obtained 16.2 W of average output power in pulses with 730-fs duration, 0.47-muJ pulse energy, and 560-kW peak power. This is to our knowledge the highest average power reported for a laser oscillator in the subpicosecond regime. Single-pass frequency doubling through a 5-mm-long lithium triborate crystal (LBO) yields 8-W average output power of 515-nm radiation.     

Diode-pumped Kerr-lens mode-locked femtosecond Yb:YAG ceramic laser

We experimentally demonstrated a diode-pumped Kerr-lens mode-locked femtosecond laser based on an Yb:YAG ceramic. Stable laser pulses with 97-fs duration, 2.8-nJ pulse energy, and 320-mW average power were obtained. The femtosecond oscillator operated at a central wavelength of 1049 nm and a repetition rate of 115 MHz. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of a Kerr-lens mode-locked operation in a diode-pumped Yb:YAG ceramic laser with sub-100 fs pulse duration.     

Direct-liquid-cooled Nd:YAG thin disk laser oscillator

A Nd:YAG thin disk laser oscillator convection-cooled directly by the liquid is demonstrated. Lasing performance at different flow patterns and different flow rates is studied in detail. Micro-scale eddies that appear at the disk edge can induce decrease of the output power and the degradation of beam quality. 17.1 W of output power is realized at the maximum pump power of 54.8 W, corresponding to the optical–optical efficiency of 31.2 %, and the slope efficiency of 37.5 %.     

1.8mJ高倍率Nd:YAG板条皮秒激光放大器

设计了一种高倍率的固体皮秒脉冲激光放大器,采用Nd:YAG板条作为激光增益介质。借助板条结构的角度选通结构,搭建了板条五通放大系统,实现了对注入皮秒脉冲激光的高倍率放大。种子源工作在脉冲模式,放大器泵浦源在连续模式工作。皮秒光纤激光器可以在不同的重复频率下工作,脉冲宽度为13.4 ps。种子光经过隔离和耦合系统之后,注入板条的单脉冲能量为25 nJ。当种子源工作重复频率为24.46 MHz时,板条放大器输出平均功率377 W,单脉冲能量15.5 μJ;当种子源工作重复频率为49.8 kHz时,板条放大器输出平均功率89 W,单脉冲能量1.8 mJ,峰值功率为134 MW,放大倍率达到7.2×104。     

Optimizing the Yb:YAG thin disc laser design parameters

Based on quasi-three-level system, a numerical model of continuous wave thin disc laser is proposed. The fluorescence concentration quenching (FCQ), refractive index depending concentration effects and temperature distribution in the gain medium have been taken into account in the model. The first and second phenomena are not included in previously models. The model is used to determine optimum design parameters and to calculate the influence of various parameters like temperature, number of pump beam passes, active ions concentration and the crystal thickness on the operational efficiency of the laser. This model shows that for higher doping concentrations (>15%) the optical efficiency is decreased due to fluorescence concentration quenching. Our results are excellently in agreement with experimental results.     

4.81 W Yb:YAG/1 030 nm薄片激光器优化设计

设计了四程泵浦的Yb:YAG薄片激光器。晶体掺杂原子数分数为10%,几何尺寸为直径10 mm、厚340 μm,提出了Cr/Au金属化方案, 采用铟焊工艺将其焊接到微通道水冷热沉上。耦合系统为四程泵浦结构,球面镜规格为直径30 mm、曲率半径50 mm。利用LightTools软件模拟计算了泵浦光斑半径,选用曲率半径200 mm输出镜以使泵浦光斑半径与基模光斑半径比符合模式匹配原则。在激光二极管阵列泵浦功率为18.73 W 时,获得了最高功率为4.81 W的1 030 nm连续激光输出,光-光转换效率为25.7%。     

Highly efficient room-temperature Yb:YAG ceramic laser and regenerative amplifier

A room-temperature, diode-pumped, pulsed Yb:YAG ceramic free-running laser with a 78% slope efficiency has been demonstrated. It has been shown that fine tuning of the mode diameter to the diameter of the pumped volume with a ratio of the pump to the mode diameter of 0.6 is important for achieving maximum laser efficiency with a Gaussian-like beam profile. A regenerative Yb:YAG ceramic amplifier with a maximum output energy of 14.5 mJ and a super-Gaussian beam profile is demonstrated.     

250 mJ, self-adaptive, diode-side-pumped Nd:YAG slab laser

A scheme of self-adaptive, closed-loop, diode-side-pumped Nd:YAG slab laser was presented. As a result of four-wave mixing of standing waves intersecting at a small angle in a closed-loop cavity, the self-adaptive process of beam cleaning leading to fundamental mode operation despite severe asymmetry of the inversion profile and thermal-optical distortion was achieved. The output beam was extracted from the cavity as the first- order diffraction beam on the dynamic gain gratings created in an active medium. The near-diffraction-limited (parameter M(2)<1.4, divergence of 1 mrad) output beam of 250 mJ energy and the optical slope efficiency of 30% at a repetition rate of up to 25 Hz in a free-running regime were demonstrated.     

脉冲储能型重复频率Yb:YAG片状激光放大器ASE效应研究

探讨了脉冲储能型重复频率片状Yb:YAG激光放大器抽运过程中的自发辐射放大（ASE）效应和能量提取过程.在Yb³⁺离子抽运动力学的基础上,建立了抽运过程中的自发辐射放大模型,计算了Yb:YAG晶体中三维含时储能密度分布和全片可提取能量.讨论了不同介质尺寸、掺杂浓度及厚度、介质温度参数下,自发辐射放大对储能的影响.给出了较为优化的设计,将有助于基于Yb激光材料的大能量二极管抽运的固体激光器设计. 关键词： 脉冲储能 Yb:YAG激光放大器 自发辐射放大（ASE）     

A hybrid OPCPA/Nd:phosphate glass multi-terawatt laser system for seeding of a petawatt laser

To enhance radiographic abilities on its Z-Accelerator, Sandia National Laboratories is incorporating a petawatt laser system into the existing Z-Backlighter laser facility. As part of this work, a short-pulse laser has been constructed to seed the larger Beamlet type Nd:phosphate glass slab amplifiers. This seed laser consists of an optical parametric chirped pulse amplification (OPCPA) system joined to a Nd:phosphate glass rod amplifier system in order to achieve multi-Joule sub-picosecond operation. The rod amplifier system has been modeled using the Miró code which shows good agreement with the experimental results. This system can achieve focal intensities up to 10¹⁸ W/cm² at a repetition rate of once every 20 min and has been applied to produce k-alpha X-rays in copper.     

520 mJ langasite electro-optically Q-switched Cr, Tm, Ho:YAG laser

A flash lamp pumped 2.09 μm Cr, Tm, Ho:YAG laser utilizing a self-grown La(3)Ga(5)SiO(14) crystal as the electro-optic Q-switch generator is proposed and demonstrated for the first time. Operating at 3 Hz repetition rate, 520 mJ pulse energy with 35 ns pulse width is achieved by optimizing the Q-switch delay time and compensating for the thermal depolarization with a quarter-wave plate. The corresponding peak power is 14.86 MW, and the Q-switched-to-normal-mode energy extraction efficiency is 66.3%. To our knowledge, this Q-switched giant pulse is the best result reported to date in 2.09 μm laser resonator.