Efficient all-solid-state yellow laser source producing 1.2-W average power

We report a practical and efficient all-solid-state laser source operating at 578 nm. The source comprises a diode-pumped Nd:YAG laser gain medium producing fundamental output at 1064 nm, an intracavity LiIO (3) Raman-active crystal that generates first-Stokes output at 1155 nm, and an intracavity LiB(3)O(5) frequency-doubling crystal, which frequency doubles the first-Stokes output to 578 nm. Q -switched output with as much as 1.2-W average power has been obtained; conversion efficiencies from the fundamental to the yellow as high as 33% have been obtained.     

LD end-pumped c-Cut Nd:YVO<Subscript>4</Subscript>/KTP self-Raman laser at 560 nm

Intra-cavity sum frequency generation (SFG) of c-cut Nd:YVO₄ self-Raman laser was investigated for the first time. A 4 × 4 × 10 mm³ KTP crystal with a type-II phase-matching cutting angle (θ = 83.4°, φ = 0°) was used for SFG between the fundamental light at 1066 nm and first-Stokes light at 1178 nm. The laser system with different curvature radii of output couplers and different pulse repetition frequencies were investigated. At a pump power of 14 W and pulse repetition frequency of 20 kHz, the average output power of yellow-green laser at 560 nm up to 840 mW was achieved, corresponding to a slope efficiency of 7.6% and a conversion efficiency of 6% with respect to diode pump power.     

Eye-safe Raman laser based on BaTeMo2O9 crystal

An eye-safe Raman laser is realized with BaTeMo₂O₉ (BTM) nonlinear crystal for the first time. By using a diode-end-pumped acousto-optically Q-switched Nd:YVO₄ laser as the pumping source, the BTM crystal converts the fundamental laser at 1,342 nm to first-Stokes laser at 1,531 nm successfully. With an incident power of 10.8 W and a pulse repetition rate of 25 kHz, the average output power at 1,531 nm is obtained to be 0.83 W, corresponding to a diode-to-Stokes conversion efficiency of 7.7 %. The pulse width is 11 ns, and the peak power is 3.0 kW.     

A KTiOAsO4 Raman laser

Efficient nanosecond stimulated Raman scattering is observed in KTiOAsO₄ within an intracavity Raman laser configuration. A diode-end-pumped acousto-optically Q-switched Nd:YAG laser emitting at 1064.2 nm is employed as the pumping source. And efficient generation of the first-Stokes line at 1091.5 nm is observed. With an incident diode power of 8.11 W, a first-Stokes power of 1.38 W is obtained at a pulse repetition rate of 25 kHz, corresponding to a diode-to-Stokes conversion efficiency of 17%. The pulse width is 6.5 ns and the peak power is 8.5 kW. The performance characteristics of the device demonstrate that KTiOAsO₄ is competent and reliable for nanosecond Raman lasers.     

First-Stokes Wavelengths at 1175.8 and 1177.1 nm Generated in a Diode End-Pumped Nd:YVO_4/LuVO_4 Raman Laser

A diode end-pumped acousto-optic Q-switched Nd:YVO_4/LuVO_4 Raman laser is demonstrated. Both YVO_4 and LuVO_4 can work as Raman gain, and slightly different active vibration modes of both crystals can result in different first-Stokes wavelengths. The output characteristic as the Raman competition between YVO_4 and LuVO_4 crystals for the laser systems with both shared cavity and coupled cavity is experimentally investigated.For the shared cavity, simultaneous Raman conversion in both YVO_4 and LuVO_4 crystals is achieved with dualwavelength emission at 1175.8 and 1177.1 nm. The maximum output power of 1.03 W and the conversion efficiency of 10.3% are obtained. The 0.84 W single first Stokes wavelength at 1177.1 nm with LuVO_4 Raman conversion is achieved with the coupled cavity. The results show that the coupled cavity with short Raman cavity can obtain a narrow pulse width. The separated laser crystal and Raman gain media with different vanadates in shared cavity have advantages in achieving dual-wavelength lasers with small frequency intervals.     

Diode-pumped high-power cw blue laser at 473 nm with a compact three-element cavity

We report on a diode-pumped cw Nd:YAG laser operating at 946 nm with a maximum output power of 3.3 W and a slope efficiency of 22% with respect to the incident pump power of 17.5 W. Intracavity frequency doubling with nonlinear crystal LBO yielded a single-ended blue output power of 590 mW with optical conversion efficiency of 3.4%. A very simple, compact three-element cavity of 35 mm long was used. The power fluctuation of the blue laser was 4.3% (rms) at output power level of 400 mW. Transverse mode hopping was observed at higher output power.     

Efficient diode-pumped actively Q-switched Nd:YAG/BaWO4 intracavity Raman laser

Barium tungstate (BaWO4) is employed to achieve efficient stimulated Raman scattering conversion in a compact diode-pumped actively Q-switched Nd:YAG laser. With an incident pump power of 9.2 W, 1.56 W of 1181 nm first-Stokes average output power was generated at a pulse repetition rate of 20 kHz, corresponding to an optical-to-optical conversion efficiency of 16.9%.     

Diode-pumped Nd:LuVO<Subscript>4</Subscript>-Nd:YLF laser at 590 nm

We report a continuous-wave (CW) yellow laser emission by sum-frequency mixing in two Nd:LuVO₄ and Nd:YLF crystals. Using type-I critical phase-matching (CPM) LBO crystal, a yellow laser at 590 nm is obtained by 1066 and 1321 nm intracavity sum-frequency mixing. The maximum laser output power of 223 mW is obtained when an incident pump laser of 18.2 W is used. At the output power level of 223 mW, the output stability is better than 4.5%.     

The first-stokes pulse generation in Nd:KGW intracavity driven by a diode-pumped passively Q-switched Nd:YAG/Cr<Superscript>4+</Superscript>:YAG laser

The operation of an all solid-state pulsed Nd:KGW Raman laser pumped by compact passively Q-switched Nd:YAG/Cr:YAG laser is demonstrated. The first-Stokes radiation of stimulated Nd:KGW Raman scattering at the 1178 nm is generated. The average output power of 336 mW at Stokes wavelength was obtained under the laser diode pump power of 5.74 W. The corresponding optical efficiency from the diode light to the Raman output is 9.85%. The pulse width of 1.65 ns and a pulse repetition rate of 10 kHz were also obtained.     

Efficient continuouswave laser at 560 nm by intracavity frequency summation of fundamental and first-stokes wavelengths in a Nd:YVO<Subscript>4</Subscript>-BaWO<Subscript>4</Subscript> Raman laser

We report for the first time an efficient CW laser emission at 560 nm by sum-frequency mixing of the fundamental and first-Stokes fields generated within an Nd:YVO₄-BaWO₄ Raman laser. Intracavity sumfrequency mixing with LiB₃O₅ (LBO) nonlinear crystal yielded 1.12 W of visible yellow-green emission; the output power stability over 4 h is better than 3.3%. The laser beam quality M ² factors are 1.84 and 2.43 in both horizontal and vertical dimensions respectively.     

High-peak power multi-wavelength picosecond pulses generated from a BaWO4 Raman-seeded optical parametric amplifier

We report the generation of high-peak power multi-wavelength picosecond laser pulses using optical parametric amplification (OPA) in BBO seeded with pulses generated in a 5-mm length BaWO₄ crystal by stimulated Raman scattering of 18-ps laser pulses at 532 nm. The maximum output energy of the amplified first-Stokes component at 559.7 nm was about 1.76 mJ. The corresponding maximum peak power, pulse duration and spectral line width were measured to be 117.3 MW, 15 ps and 18.0 cm⁻¹, respectively. The multi-wavelength picosecond laser pulses were in the visible and near infrared ranges. Using this Raman-seeded OPA technique, the beam quality of the stimulated Raman scattering pulses can be improved.     

High-power ultraviolet 278 nm laser from fourth-harmonic generation of a Nd:YAG laser in CsB3O5

We demonstrate a high-power UV 278 nm laser by fourth-harmonic generation (FHG) of a 1112 nm Nd:YAG laser in a nonlinear optical (NLO) crystal CsB3O5 (CBO) for the first time, to our best knowledge. A 30 W level diode-pumped Q-switched Nd:YAG laser at 1112 nm with beam quality factor M2=1.2 was used as the fundamental light source at a pulse width of 500 ns. With an LiB3O5 crystal, the 1112 nm laser was first frequency-doubled to 556 nm with an average output power of 13.5 W. It was then frequency doubled again in a CBO crystal to obtain the FHG output at 278 nm. The maximum average output power of the 278 nm laser is up to 1.5 W. The results demonstrated that CBO crystal is a promising NLO material for UV high-power lasers below 300 nm.     

LD抽运腔内和频571.6 nm连续波黄光激光器

报道了全固态连续波571.6 nm黄光激光器.黄激光是分别由两片Nd∶YAG的1 444 nm和946 nm谱线非线性和频产生,两条谱线在各自晶体对应能级跃迁分别为4F3/2-4I15/2和4F3/2-4I9/2.实验中采用复合腔结构,利用RTP晶体II类临界相位进行内腔和频,当注入到两片Nd∶YAG晶体的抽运功率分别为25 W和14.8 W时,获得562 mW的连续波571.6 nm黄激光输出,4 h功率稳定度优于±2.9％.     

Intracavity-frequency-doubling of a 946 nm Nd:YAG laser with cadmium mercury thiocyanate crystal

We report the intracavity-frequency-doubling of a 946 nm Nd:YAG laser with a CMTC crystal at room temperature. A cw output power of 1.64 mW of blue light at 473 nm is obtained. To our knowledge, this is the first time that CMTC crystal has been used to frequency double a 946 nm Nd:YAG laser.     

All-solid-state continuous-wave frequency doubling Nd:YLF/LBO laser with 2.15 W output power at 526 nm

An efficient and compact green laser at 526 nm generated by intracavity frequency doubling of a continuous wave (CW) laser operation of a diode pumped Nd:YLF laser at 1053 nm under the condition of suppression the high gain transition at 1047 nm. With 19.5 W diode pump power and a frequency doubling crystal LBO, as high as 2.15 W of CW output power at 526 nm is achieved, corresponding to an optical-to-optical conversion efficiency of 11.2% and the output power stability in 8 h is better than 2.87%. To the best of our knowledge, this it the highest watt-level laser at 526 nm generated by intracavity frequency doubling of a diode pumped Nd:YLF laser at 1053 nm.     

Highly efficient Raman conversion in O2 pumped by a seeded narrow band second-harmonic Nd:YAG laser

The first-Stokes conversion efficiency for a stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) is usually very low in gaseous oxygen media. In 3.0 Mpa O₂, a single longitudinal mode second harmonic Nd:YAG laser pump source gives a typical vibrational first-Stokes conversion efficiency of only 2.5%, In comparison, the accompanying stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) attains a reflectivity of 67%. However, by seeding an OPO beam into the Raman cavity, the first-Stokes photon conversion efficiency now attains a peak value of 54%, while the SBS reflectivity reduces to 5% in a 6.1 Mpa 41:59 O₂/ He mixture. This 54% efficiency was obtained for a seeder laser pulse-width less than one half that of pump laser (6.8 ns). A first-Stokes peak power conversion efficiency as high as 88% has been obtained when the pump and seeder pulse peaks coincide. So, we may expect a higher first-Stokes photon conversion efficiency if the seeder pulse-width can be made equal to or larger than that of the pump pulse. On the other hand, the beam quality of the first-Stokes in an O₂/ He mixture excels that of the pump laser for a seeder energy of 5 mJ and pump energy of 50 mJ. However, at pump energies higher than 105 mJ and a pump laser repetition rate of 10 Hz, the thermal defocusing effect worsens the first-Stokes beam quality. This thermal defocusing effect is a result of the Raman heat release and could be eliminated by fast circulating and cooling the Raman gas medium.     

1064nm纳秒激光脉冲激发的外腔式PbWO4拉曼激光器

研究了外腔式PbWO4拉曼激光器在纳秒脉冲抽运下的输出特性。利用主动调Q的Nd:YAG激光器产生的脉冲宽度为31.4ns,最大输出能量为200mJ的1064nm激光作为抽运源。拉曼激光谐振腔采用的是平凹腔设计。测量了输出的拉曼光脉宽与抽运能量的关系,分析了输出的拉曼光脉冲波形图和光谱图,测量了输出的拉曼光脉冲能量与抽运能量的关系,计算了转换效率与抽运能量的关系。当注入抽运光能量达到42mJ时,得到了一阶斯托克斯光脉冲的最大能量和转换效率分别为10mJ和24%,获得外腔式PbWO4拉曼激光器的一阶斯托克斯光脉冲波长为1177.6nm,典型的一阶斯托克斯光脉冲脉宽为20ns。     

高稳定LD端面泵浦腔内倍频Nd∶YVO4/LBO连续红光激光器

设计出一种能够较好地补偿激光晶体热效应的激光谐振腔,实现了高稳定LD单端泵浦LBO腔内倍频Nd∶YVO4连续红光激光器.当晶体吸收的泵浦功率为24.56 W时,671 nm激光功率达到1.203 W,光-光转换效率4.9%,激光模式为TEM00模.在输出功率为1.08 W时,激光器1 h功率不稳定度为0.52%.     

用ZCTC晶体倍频半导体激光的紫光输出

报道了新型金属络合物非线性光学材料ZCTC（硫氰硫锌镉）晶体的光学性质。测量了ZCTC晶体的折射率,计算了其相位匹配角度。进行了半导体激光（LD）室温下直接倍频实验。当808nm基频GaAlAs半导体激光功率为473mW时,获得了390μW、4040μnm紫光输出。实验表明ZCTC晶体是一种优良的半导体激光倍频紫外非线性光学材料。     

All-solid-state continuous-wave frequency doubling Nd:LuVO4/LBO laser with 9.6 W output power at 672 nm

An efficient and compact red laser at 672 nm is generated by intracavity frequency doubling of a continuous wave (CW) laser operation of a diode pumped Nd:LuVO₄ laser at 1344 nm under the condition of suppression the higher gain transition near 1064 nm. With 38 W diode pump power and a frequency doubling crystal LBO, as high as 9.6 W of CW output power at 672 nm is achieved, corresponding to an optical-to-optical conversion efficiency of 25.3% and the output power stability in 8 h is better than 2.38%. To the best of our knowledge, this it the highest conversion efficiency of watt-level laser at 672 nm generated by intracavity frequency doubling of a diode pumped Nd:LuVO₄ laser at 1344 nm.